Title: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Publisher: Washington Square Press
Date of publication: June 13, 2017
Number of pages: 398 pages
Read on Libby

From the New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & the Six—an entrancing and “wildly addictive journey of a reclusive Hollywood starlet” (PopSugar) as she reflects on her relentless rise to the top and the risks she took, the loves she lost, and the long-held secrets the public could never imagine.

Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?

Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

“Heartbreaking, yet beautiful” (Jamie Blynn, Us Weekly), The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is “Tinseltown drama at its finest” (Redbook): a mesmerizing journey through the splendor of old Hollywood into the harsh realities of the present day as two women struggle with what it means—and what it costs—to face the truth.

***

Well, aku mengetahui novel ini dari Ayas. Waktu itu, Ayas menyarankan aku untuk membaca novel ini untuk 12 Reading Challenge. Honestly, menurutku novel ini menarik banget. Cara Taylor Jenkins menggambarkan Evelyn Hugo itu kerasa nyata banget. Selama membaca novel ini, aku sampai bertanya-tanya, is she really not real? 

The Story

Cerita dibuka dengan keinginan Evelyn Hugo untuk diwawancarai oleh Monique Grant. Awalnya, Monique yang merupakan seorang jurnalis di Vivan, bertanya-tanya mengapa Evelyn meminta dirinya secara khusus untuk mewawancarainya. Ketika ia sampai di rumah Evelyn, Monique baru menyadari bahwa permintaan Evelyn bukan sekadar tentang wawancara satu artikel lalu selesai. Akan tetapi, Evelyn mengharapkan Monique menulis biografi tentang dirinya.

Awalnya, Monique begitu terkejut dengan permintaan Evelyn. Apakah ada alasan khusus bagi Evelyn memilih dirinya? Evelyn, dengan gayanya yang santai dan tenang hanya berkilah bahwa pertanyaan Monique akan terjawab nantinya, saat kisah hidupnya selesai ia tuturkan.

Meskipun sempat ragu, Monique akhirnya menerima tawaran Evelyn. Sejak saat itulah, Monique mulai mempelajari seluruh gelap-terang kehidupan Evelyn. Begitu pula dengan kelindan kisah Evelyn bersama dengan 7 suaminya.

The Opinion

Seperti yang sempat kusinggung sebelumnya, Taylor Jenkins Reid telah berhasil menggambarkan kehidupan Evelyn Hugo dengan begitu apik. Kita seolah-olah diajak untuk berkenalan dengan sosok yang betul-betul hidup bernama Evelyn Hugo. Seorang aktris ternama di era 60-an di Hollywood. Ia memiliki kharisma yang begitu kuat serta kecantikan yang tak lekang oleh waktu. Evelyn juga dikenal sebagai salah satu icon Hollywood yang selalu membawa impact ke berbagai hal yang ia lalui.

Saat aku membaca novel ini, aku merasa begitu mudah terhanyut dengan kisahnya. Alhasil, aku ingin sekali segera menyelesaikan membacanya. Aku begitu penasaran dengan seluruh kisah suami-suami Evelyn. Apa yang membuat Evelyn akhirnya memutuskan menikah dengan mereka dan apa yang membuat mereka akhirnya berpisah.

Tentunya, salah satu sosok suami Evelyn yang paling berkesan buatku adalah Harry Cameron. Dengan Harry-lah Evelyn akhirnya melahirkan Connor, putrinya yang akhirnya meninggal karena kanker payudara pada umur 41 tahun. Selain itu, pernikahan Evelyn dengan Harry juga membuka jalan bagi Evelyn untuk bisa bersatu dengan cinta sejatinya, Celia St. James.

Conclusion

Pastinya, aku akan merekomendasikan buku ini untuk dibaca bagi siapapun yang menyukai novel berbentuk memoar fiksi. TJR berhasil menghidupkan sosok Evelyn di sini dan kalian tidak akan menyangka bahwa Evelyn hanyalah tokoh fiksi belaka.

4.5 bintang untuk memoar yang apik ini.

Sincerely,
Ra

Image: Prime

Title: Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938
Director: Kang Shin-Hyo
Writer: Han Woo-ri
Number of episodes: 12 episodes
Release date: May 6-June 11 2023

Four months after Lee Rang's death, Lee Yeon receives the power of the nine-tailed fox again, on the condition that Lee Rang be reincarnated. An uninvited guest slips in during the lunar eclipse and steals the guardian stone created by the King of the Dead to protect the boundary between the Worlds of the Living and Dead, then disappears "into the cabinet"

***

Yeay, after Alchemy of Souls, I think Tale of the Nine-Tailed is the next series that I really adore. Well, I should admit that the first season is full of a romantic side between Lee Yeon (Lee Dong-Wook) and Nam Ji-a (Jo Bo-Ah). But, this second season, is more about the brothership between Yeon and Rang (Kim Beom) and the friendship between Yeon, Hong-joo (Kim So-Yeon) and Mu-young (Ryoo Kyung-Soo).

The Story

Because of an unexpected case, Lee Yeon should travel back in time to the year 1938. There, Yeon meets Ryu Hong-Joo, Yeon's long best friend. Well, just like Yeon, Hong-joo was once a guardian spirit of a mountain in the West. Now, in 1938, Hong-Joo is the owner of Myeoyangak--the best high-end restaurant in the capital city of Gyeongseong. 

Another unexpected thing is, Lee Yeon also meets his younger brother, Lee Rang. What's happened in the present makes Lee Yeon try his best to cherish every moment with Rang. He wants to be the best hyung for him. Yeah, it's like paying the price for everything that he couldn't do at the present time.

Meanwhile, there is Cheon Mu-Young, another friend of Lee Yeon and Hong-Joo. He used to be a guardian spirit of a mountain in the east. Sadly, a hurtful event made Mu-Young despise Lee Yeon so much. This incident also made Mu-Young try to seek revenge on Lee Yeon.

Aside from the conflict between Yeon and his two best friends, we also meet another conflict about the independence movement from the Japanese colonization. There were Sunwoo Eun-Ho (Kim Yong-Jin), Snail Bride (Kim Soo-Jin), and grandfather from Afterlife Immigration Office, Hyun Ui-Ong (Ahn Kil-Kang). Therefore, these 12 episodes are really compact and interesting. I really love this season a lot.

The Opinion

So, this season has made me smile a lot. Since we lost Lee Rang in the first season, the second season showed the brotherhood between Lee Yeon and Lee Rang. Of course, with everything that happened, Lee Yeon wants to take advantage of the remaining time that he has with Lee Rang. He knows that Rang won't be coming back at the present time, but in those short moments, Lee Yeon wants to make up for everything. I really love when Lee Yeon without any hesitation always said, "Don't mess with my dongsaeng!", "If something happened to my dongsaeng, you will pay the price." and else.

I couldn't help but smile when Lee Yeon always takes care of Rang, even though Rang sometimes feels annoyed by it. Ahh, I love their bond has become deeper from several events that happened in 1938.

Then, in my opinion, this opinion is war more comedic than the first season. The first episode made me laugh so hard, moreover when Lee Yeon meet Hong-Joo again for the first time. Their battle scene is really hilarious. As the drama progress, a lot of comedic scenes have been executed well in this drama. Good job, PD-nim!

In some interviews, Dong-wook and Beom said that this series will unleash more of the urban legend, including the legend from outside Korea. Well, compared to the first season, this season has brought more urban legends and ghosts from all over Korea. Sadly, as someone who couldn't watch a horror movie, I definitely muted the sound from episode 6 when watched it. I couldn't stand the horror vibe, let alone from the Korean movie--I have a big trauma about watching a Korean horror movie.

 

Anyway, I almost forget that indeed there is a romantic story here. In this season, we gotta meet with the cute story between Lee Rang and the mermaid lady, Jang Yeo-Hee (Woo Hyun-Jin). Their story is not too much but still cute. I laughed so hard when Yeon said something like, "How dare you bring seafood to our family line." That's so funny. Thankfully, Yeon is very supportive of Rang's relationship. At first, Rang maybe looks so cold, but he becomes warmer once Yeo-hee is always on his side when he needs the most. Aww, melting. 

Conclusion

Very well, I know that there will be a next instalment for this series. I mean, how about that origin mountain spirit that has been awakened? Also, the hint at the end of the episodes when Yeon come back to the Joseon dynasty. So, I am more than excited to wait for the next season to come. Ahh, seriously. I love this series so much. I love how Dong-wook and Beom can make the brotherhood between Yeon and Rang felt so real. 

8.5 out of 10 stars from me.

Sincerely, 
Ra

Title: Queenmaker

Director: Oh Jin-seok

Writer: Moon Ji-young

Number of episodes: 11 episodes

Stars: Kim Hee-ae, Moon So-ri, Ryu Soo-young, Seo Yi-seok, Yoon Ji-hye

Watched on Netflix

Hwang Do-Hee works as a general manager for a strategic planning team at Eunsung Group. She is good at dealing with public opinion. She takes care of disturbing cases for the company and she is highly trusted by her employers.

One day, she joins Oh Kyung-Sook's  campaign to become the mayor of Seoul. Oh Kyung-Sook is a human rights lawyer, who often went up against Eunsung Group. She decided to run for mayor with the goal of fighting for the weak.

During the election, Oh Kyung-Sook and Hwang Do-Hee often butt heads with differing opinions, but they strive for the same end goal. That is to make Oh Kyung-Sook the mayor of Seoul.

***

When the two powerful ladies join hand in hand to take down the corrupt wealth a family, it won't be easy. There will be so many challenges and also tears when doing it. But, both of Hwang Do-hee (Kim Hee-ae) and Oh Kyung-sook (Moon So-ri) proof that their powerful collaboration does miraculously amazing.

The Story

Do-hee is the general manager of strategic planning team at Eun-sung Group. She infamously being called as The Cleaner. She can managed to take care all of disturbing cases for the company. You know, to make a strategy to retain the public opinion about Eun-sung family. 

Meanwhile, Kyung-sook is a human rights activist lawyer who demand the people in power to be accountable for their action, including their mistreatment toward the worker at Eun-sung Group. She did what she can do protest and campaign what she believes is right. 

Some event made Do-hee realize that Eun-sung family is really evil and corrupt. Therefore, she decided to ask Kyung-sook to be the Seoul Mayor—compete with the Eun-sung Group's in-law son, Baek Jae-min (Ryu Soo-young). At first, Kyung-sook rejected Do-hee proposal. She thinks that Do-hee is just crazy. But then, Kyung-sook realizes that Do-hee is very serious with her plan. 

The Opinion

To be honest, I have a bit of expectations from this drama. Moreover, several weeks ago, I happened to just watch Pandora: Beneath the Paradise. Both of these dramas are political drama. Therefore, I thought that will be a huge twist as the story progress. Sadly, there wasn't any in my opinion.

First thing first, I really admire Do-hee and Kyung-sook's friendship. Both of them is really charming and powerful. They did what the best they can do during the campaign period. I love how at the end, Kyung-sook can one hundred percent trust Do-hee's judgement and plan. 

Second, in a way, Kyung-sook's persona has reminded me with someone that I know in real life—hello, Mbak Asfin🙃 I mean, a powerful human rights activist lawyer just like her. The thing is, in Indonesia, it won't be possible for us to pursue a mayor position without the support of political party. I don't think it would be possible to be an independent candidate? Correct me if I'm wrong, even though it's possible, but the requirements are ridiculously so hard to be achieved.

Third, maybe the most relatable situation with what happened in Indonesia is about the oligarch who want to extend their power in politics. This powerful people, decided to involved in politics so they can get advantage from their position. Sometimes, their way is reallt brutal and unjust. They did everything they can do, in dishonest way to reach their goal.

I really despise Baek Jae-min in this drama. He is really an evil person. He thought he could has everything with his wit and power. Then, of course Son Young-sim (Seo Yi-seok) is also an evil human being. Oh, goodness. Meeting her standard is just pushed you being the monster who shouldn't have a heart.

As I said before, there's no a huge twist at this drama. You have known whos is the bad and the good from the very start. There won't be any awed moment that could make you shocked. About Do-hee's plan to confess everything about the campaign fund, in a way, I have predicted it. There should be a reason why Do-hee asked help from Eun Seo-jin (Yoon Ji-hye). 

Then, even though there is betrayer in the Kyung-sook's campaign team, there is no significant effect from it to Kyung-sook's strategy. So, yeah. 

Conclusion

I love seeing Do-hee and Kyung-sook's collaboration. I also intrigued with the political competition in the South Korea. I also want to know more about it. I think, I should find another political drama again to watch.

But, if you expect there will be a lit of twist and drama, well, I could say that there's no many moments of that in this drama.

Well, 7 out of 10 stars for Queenmaker.

Sincerely, 

Ra

Judul: Katarsis

Penulis: Anastasia Aemilia

Tebal buku: 272 halaman

Tahun terbit: 2013

Penerbit: Gramedia Pustaka Utama

Baca di Gramedia Digital

ka·tar·sis: n (Psi) cara pengobatan orang yg berpenyakit saraf dng membiarkannya menuangkan segala isi hatinya dng bebas; (Sas) kelegaan emosional setelah mengalami ketegangan dan pertikaian batin akibat suatu lakuan dramatis. 

Seluruh keluarganya tewas dalam pembunuhan sadis, sementara Tara ditemukan dalam kondisi mengenaskan di kotak perkakas kayu. Dengan bantuan Alfons, psikiaternya, polisi berusaha menemukan sang pembunuh lewat Tara yang mengalami trauma berat. Teka-teki pembunuhan ini makin membingungkan setelah muncul Ello, pria teman masa kecil Tara. Kematian demi kematian meninggalkan makin banyak tanda tanya. Apakah Tara sesungguhnya hanya korban atau dia menyembunyikan jejak masa lalu yang kelam?

***

Pertama kali tahu soal Katarsis waktu tanya Kakpin soal rekomendasi novel Indonesia dengan unreliable narrator. Waktu itu, aku dikasih pilihan antara Boneka Sandya dan Katarsis--dan aku memilih Boneka Sandya. Baru sekarang aku berkesempatan untuk membaca Katarsis.

The Story

Tara Johandi ditemukan terikat di dalam sebuah peti. Sedangkan, ayah dan tantenya ditemukan tak bernyawa di rumah itu. Dalam keadaan seperti itu, tentu kesaksian dari Tara sangatlah penting. Sayangnya, Tara sama sekali enggan untuk membuka mulut. Hanya Alfons lah satu-satunya sosok yang bisa mendekati Tara dan membuat gadis itu terbuka padanya.

Akan tetapi, nyatanya kita tidak diajak untuk menyelami masa kini dari Tara saja dalam kisah ini. Kita akan diajak memahami kehidupan Tara semasa kecil, dan bagaimana banyak hal gelap yang menyelimuti hidup Tara. 

Ketika keadaan di masa kini menjadi lebih baik untuk Tara, tiba-tiba saja muncul sosok bermama Ello yang mencoba untuk mendekati Tara. Pertemuan itu membuat Tara takjub, karena ia tak pernah bertemu sosok seperti Ello sebelumnya. Sosok yang mampu mengimbangi segala hal yang disembunyikan Tara dari orang lain.

The Opinion

Awalnya, kisah ini menarik. Banyak hal yang langsung memancing rasa penasaran. Seperti, apa yang sesungguhnya membuat Tara sedemikian benci dengan kedua orang tuanya—selain fakta bahwa ia tak menyukai nama yang diberikan orang tuanya. Adakah trauma masa kecil yang disimpan oleh Tara sampai ia merasa bahwa lebih baik orang yang tak ia sukai enyah begitu saja dari dunia. 

Menurutku, motif satu ini tidak begitu tergali dalam kisah Tara. Meskipun penulis mencoba untuk memperlihatkan bagaimana hidup terasa begitu tidak adik bagi Tara, tapi aku sama sekali tak bisa memahami sikap Tara yang demikian. Apakah alasan bahwa dia psikopat iti cukup? Aku rasa harus ada motif mendalam untuk hal ini.

Lalu, aku merasa aneh kala terjadi pergantian sudut pandang antara Tara dan Ello. Yang membuat hal ini menyebalkan adalah, tidak jelasnya POV siapa yang digunakan. Alhasil, kerap kali aku harus menebak-nebak siapa yang sedang berbicara. Apalagi, gaya penceritaan dari sisi Tara dan Ello tidak dibedakan. Hmmm, jadinya malah cuma bikin bingung dan agak membosankan.

Satu lagi yang cukup kupertanyakan, alasan Ello dan ayahnya melakukan pembunuhan berantai itu. Sekali lagi, apakah simply karena keduanya psikopat? Aku masih belum juga memahami motif keduanya.

Terakhir, meskipun aku banyak mengeluh saat membaca novel ini, kisah yang Anastasia ini cukup menarik. Seingatku, pada tahun 2013, masih jarang penulis Indonesia yang mengambil genre thriller. Otomatis, pasti kisah Tara ini menjadi sesuatu hal yang baru kala itu.

Conclusion

Katarsis baru saja diangkat menjadi web series. Aku tak tahu apakah aku akan mencoba untuk menontonnya atau tidak. Mengingat kisahnya cukup gore. 

Untuk sekarang, 3 dari 5 bintang untuk Katarsis.

Sincerely,

Ra

Title: Doctor Cha

Director: Kim Daejin

Writer: Jung Yeorang

Number of episodes: 16 episodes

Date of released: 15 April-4 June 2023

Watched on Netflix

Cha Jeong-Suk (Uhm Junghwa) is married to Seo In-Ho (Kim Byungchul), who works as a chief surgeon at a university hospital. He has a strict, sensitive and thoroughgoing personality. Cha Jeong-Suk has been a full time housewife for the past 20 years, after giving up her career as a doctor during her medical resident years. After all those years, she decides to restart her medical resident course.

*** 

How does it feel to work again as a doctor after 20 years being a housewife? Of course it won't be easy. Moreover if your husband is such an asshole who cheated on her and always disgrace her. Well, Cha Jeong-suk (Uhm Junghwa) finally took her last chance to change everything on her life. 

The Story

After marrying Seo In Ho (Kim Byungchul) for 20 years, Jeong-suk realizes that she is not ever happy in her life. Those realization hit her after she got a major operation because of acute hepatitis. How her family treat is absolutely unreasonable and made her realize that she has wasted everything in life.

Therefore, with the encouragement from her mother and doctor, Roy Kim (Min Wookhyuk), Jeong-suk decided to pursue her residency again. Even though she became the oldest one in her batch, she do everything she can to get what she wants.

Of course, doing residency in her age won't be easy. She has to catch up with the younger resident out of everything. Then, she also has to mind about balancing her work as a resident doctor and responsibility as a mother. Everything is getting worse when her daughter actually needs her for her college preparation and the fact that her husband has an affair with his first love in college. It's such an hectic and emotional days for Jeong-suk.

The Opinion

Well, to be honest, I watch this drama in order to look for a light and comedic drama. In a way, it fulfills my expectations, but not really being my favourite. Doctor Cha, not like Hospital Playlist, focused on more the story of Jeong-suk and her family problem. So, it won't be a good drama for anyone who searches of medical drama. 

I should admit that In Ho character is really annoying. I mean, geez. The guy who cheats on his wife is the worst. It's disgusting in my opinion. I really despise him. What kind of charm that he has to make those two bright and attractive woman ever fall for him? Sigh.

Then, this drama also emphasize the situation of a patriarchal family who is also degrading the daughter in law position. I sympathize more of Jeong-suk since her mother in law is also the worst. Just like In Ho. I think, it's the In Ho's family that like to degrade the other who hasn't the same level with them.

Near the end of the episodes, I didn't feel any emphaty at all to In Ho for everything's that happened. I feel that it's what he deserves. Cheater is a cheater and he shouldn't be forgiven ever.

Well, other than that, I love how Roy is such a charming character. Even though sometimes he got a ridiculous scene with In Ho, he still has that charm. To be honest, I also has guesses that Roy maybe like Jeong-suk. But, for Jeong-suk, a relationship with him won't work.

Conclusion

After binge watching half of the episodes, I think this drama is good to watch. Maybe there won't be any twist or dramatic scene, but the devotion of Jeong-suk to be a resident doctor despite her age should be give us spirit to not ever give up. Yeah, this drama is not that amazing, but still fresh. Just beware that you can feel to throw stone to In Ho when watching it.

7 out of 10 stars

Sincerely,

Ra

Judul: Tale of the Nine-Tailed

Sutradara: Kang Shin-hyo, Jo Nam-hyeong

Penulis: Han Woori

Jumlah episode: 16 episode

Tanggal tayang: 7 Oktober-3 Desember 2020

Nonton di Netflix

Lee Yeon (Lee Dong-Wook) was once the mountain spirit of Baekdudaegan. He sacrificed his life as a mountain god to resurrect the life of the woman he loved A Eum. Lee Yeon now lives his life as a nine tailed fox in human form. He has lived this way for hundreds of years.

Meanwhile, Nam Ji-A (Jo Bo-Ah) works for TVC station as a PD of documentaries. She seeks out stories on the supernatural. Back in 1999, her parents were involved in a car accident in Yeou Gogae. She remembers a man that saved her in that accident. Now, Nam Ji-A reviews CCTV footage from a wedding hall where the bride disappeared. She sees the man that saved her as child walking out the wedding wall with a red umbrella. His name is Lee Yeon.

***

Jadi, akhirnya aku menonton Tale of the Nine Tailed karena Kakpin nonton. Aku kan jadi penasaran. Apalagi, premisnya menarik. Mencampurkan folktales dengan dunia modern gitu, deh.

The Story

Lee Yeon (Lee Dongwook), dulunya adalah penguasa gunung Baekdudaegan. Nah, demi menghidupkan kembali cinta pertamanya, A Eum, Lee Yeon memutuskan untuk tak lagi menjadi dewa gunung dan hidup ratusan tahun sebagai rubah berekor sembilan. Selain itu, ia juga harus membantu Taluipa, sosok yang bertugas menjaga kantor imigrasi yang menghubungkan dunia dan akhirat. Ia juga merupakan adik Raja Neraka (aneh banget, ya, kalau diartiin gini 😅).

Di sisi lain, ada sosok Nam Jia (Jo Boah), reinkarnasi A Eum di dunia sekarang. Saat ia masih kecil, Jia kehilangan kedua orang tuanya dalam sebuah kecelakaan di Mountain Fox. Jia meyakini bahwa kedua orang tuanya masih hidup. Maka dari itu, ia menjadi TV producer untuk program dokumenter supranatural. Jia yakin, menghilangnya kedua orang tuanya bukanlah sesuatu hal yang mudah dijelaskan secara nalar. 

Suatu kejadian membuat Jia bertemu kembali dengan Yeon. Hal ini pun akhirnya mengungkap kisah masa lalu mereka. Apalagi, dengan kemunculan adik Yeon, Lee Rang (Kim Beom) dan juga Imugi (Lee Taeri), kisah mereka jadi sangat complicated. Tidak sesederhana tentang kisah cinta antara gumiho dan manusia biasa.

The Opinion

Dari awal, unsur mystery dan fantasi di drama ini terasa kuat banget. Dari awal kita sudah disajikan penampilan Lee Yeon sebagai rubah berekor sembilan. Aku malah baru memahami kalau gumiho itu ternyata kuat banget. 

Unsur horor juga lumayan kuat ya di awal. Adegan ketika Jia pulang dengan sosok yang bukan kedua orang tuanya cukup bikin deg-degan bagiku yang sama sekali bukan penggemar genre horor.

Di awal-awal, unsur misteri dan horor cukup banyak terkuak. Aku cukup menikmati misteri di pulau yang akhirnya memgangkitkan sosok Imugi itu. Aku pikir, akan terus ada kisah-kisah folktales dalam setiap episode. Sayangnya, di pertengahan akhir, konflik antara Lee Yeon, Jia, dan Imugi menjadi pembahasan sentral. Yang membuatki kurang sreg adalah fakta kalau ada cinta segitiga di situ. Apa sih yang membuat Jia istimewa?

Otomatis, buat orang-orang yang tidak  prefer kisah yang terlalu romantis, enggak akan suka menurutku.

Conclusion

Meskipun tidak menjadi drakor terfavorit, aku masih suka dengan perkembangan kisahnya. Aku suka dengan unsur komedi yang tetap ditampilkan lewat Yeon ataupun Shin Ju. Salah satu momen favoritku tentunya saat Yeon akhirnya mencoba menyelamatkan Rang dari manipulasi The Darkness. Di sini juga ditunjukin gimana Yeon berhasil melangkah jauh ke depan untuk membaca taktik Imugi.

Tentunya, alasan lain mengapa aku menonton Tale of the Nine Tailed, ya karena ada seri keduanya. Dari awal trailer, Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 terlihat lebih kocak dan fresh.

Jadi, menurutku 7.5 dari 10 bintang lah untuk kisah kali ini.

Sincerely, 

Ra

Title: Beyond The Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard
Author: Tom Felton
Date of publication: 18th October 2022
Number of pages: 305 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Read on Libby

From the magical moments on set as Draco Malfoy to the challenges of growing up in the spotlight, get a backstage pass into Tom Felton’s life on and off the big screen.   Tom Felton’s adolescence was anything but ordinary. His early rise to fame in beloved films like The Borrowers catapulted him into the limelight, but nothing could prepare him for what was to come after he landed the iconic role of the Draco Malfoy, the bleached blonde villain of the Harry Potter movies. For the next ten years, he was at the center of a huge pop culture phenomenon and yet, in between filming, he would go back to being a normal teenager trying to fit into a normal school. 
 
Speaking with great candor and his signature humor, Tom shares his experience growing up as part of the wizarding world while also trying to navigate the muggle world. He tells stories from his early days in the business like his first acting gig where he was mistaken for fellow blonde child actor Macaulay Culkin and his Harry Potter audition where, in a very Draco-like move, he fudged how well he knew the books the series was based on (not at all). He reflects on his experiences working with cinematic greats such as Alan Rickman, Sir Michael Gambon, Dame Maggie Smith, and Ralph Fiennes (including that awkward Voldemort hug). And, perhaps most poignantly, he discusses the lasting relationships he made over that decade of filming, including with Emma Watson, who started out as a pesky nine-year-old whom he mocked for not knowing what a boom mic was but who soon grew into one of his dearest friends. Then, of course, there are the highs and lows of fame and navigating life after such a momentous and life-changing experience.
 
Tom Felton’s Beyond the Wand is an entertaining, funny, and poignant must-read for any Harry Potter fan. Prepare to meet a real-life wizard.

***

Harry Potter has always been my favorite series all time. I love how every character from the book has alive. Which character that I love the most? Of course, it would be Draco Malfoy who is portrayed by Tom Felton. So, when by chance I found this book on Libby, I immediately borrow and read it. This memoir of Tom Felton is incredibly interesting. We can learn about the life of Tom Felton as a human, not just about his celeb life--or his wizarding life. 

The Story and Opinion

In this book, Tom invited us to get to know about his life, even before he was cast as the iconic Slytherin student, Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter franchise. Just like the title, he told us not only about the magic of growing up as a child actor from the very start but also about the mayhem that he had to face. Of course, it's not easy walking in the park to deal with the fame and all, but Tom, with the support from his family and close friend.

Tom Felton, in the beginning, didn't realize that the audition that he took part, in could change his life entirely. Even though Tom still can feel life as a normal boy at his age, he also sometimes felt a dilemma about which one of his real world. Going to school and trying to get a good mark or acting in front of the cameras with the other actor and actresses. Harry Potter did make a huge influence on his life for Tom.

Through Tom's story, we will get to know about how the movie is set, and the interactions between the actor and actresses--either on set or not. Of course, one of the very interesting things is the truth about the relationship between him and Emma Watson and how is his interaction with the Malfoy family. 

Aside from the life of Draco Malfoy, Tom also conveyed the story when he was done filming the entire series. Even though you got all of it, as for the fame and money, Tom realizes that the movie industry and environment won't be easily accepted him on the next project. He learned that he has to go audition all over again to get a part of some projects. It's of course exhausting and sometimes those experiences made him so frustrated. Thankfully, his hard work is really paid off. He could land on some big project with his own capability. In my opinion, Tom Felton is one of Harry Potter's actors that could get a steady project since Harry Potter has ended. 

What I didn't expect the most is the part when Tom admit that he also struggle with his mental health. Some frustration made him have to go to rehab. I believe it won't be easy for him to open up about this. But, he is brave enough to share this story with us.

Conclusion

There are so many things that I like about this book. Tom's playful story and the real struggle of his life as a child who grew up in a wizard world. I love how Tom is capable to convey his story in a simple yet touching way. He is really a great storyteller in my opinion. I think this is the first time I didn't feel that much bored when reading a memoir. 

So, of course, 5 out of 5 stars for this book.

Sincerely,
Ra

Title: Five Feet Apart

Author: Rachael Lippincott

Number of pages: 288 pages

Date of published: November 2018

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Book

Listened on Libby

In fact, I've known about this book for years. If I'm not mistaken, I've added it to my Goodreads to-read list. Years passed, and I never got around to reading it. Until a few days ago, when I discovered this book on Libby. To be honest, I got it as an audiobook. So, while doing my chores, I listened to this book.

The Story

When the blurb stated that this book is similar to "The Fault in Our Stars," I became aware of it. The two main characters are both sick and battling for their lives. Worse, Will and Stella both had cystic fibrosis (CF), an inherited life-threatening disorder which impacts the lungs and digestive system.

Stella and Will were hospitalized the majority of the time due to their condition. They couldn't live their lives normally as a young teenager. They had to put up with a boring white wall and the medicine smell all the time. 

Stella happened to run into Will in the hospital one day. They initially despised each other. They both dislike the other person's attitude. They finally get along after Will started getting to know Stella through her journey video and Stella realized another side of Will. They then become closer as lovers. The problem is that they should keep their five feet apart if they don't want to endanger each other's lives. 

Yeah. That is the unfortunate situation for a CF patient; they cannot touch each other because it can instantly damage their lung. But well, Stella and Will have given their all to life, as CF-ers and as lovers, despite their limitations.

The Opinion

What I like best about this book is how easy it is to understand the plot. Furthermore, because I listened to it as an audiobook, I had no trouble understanding the story. So, yay for me! I hope my listening skills have improved.

Rachael Lippincott, like John Green, then chose to make this story as real as possible. There were no miracles that occurred there. Despite the fact that the ending of this story was not as sad as the ending of the Hazel-Augustus' story.

I thought I would despise Stella at first. I mean, she was just too stubborn at times. But the more I listened to the story, the more I liked this girl. She is a lively person and can encourage Will to keep fighting as a CF-ers.

Then I was also impressed by Will's ability to make Stella being better. He genuinely cared about her, despite his inability to approach her. Another aspect of him that moved me was when he decided to persuade Stella to have the surgery. He also chose the best option he could find to makes Stella's life longer.

Conclusion

After all, I like the story. Since the author made this book as real as possible, I understand why most of the time the setting is only on the hospital. Going out from hospital for CF-ers was most likely difficult. The small reckelesness of it could make the patient die.

Another things that I noticed in this book is about how to deal with the grief. For Stella, losing Anna and Poe broke her so much. But, with Will, Stella realized that she should keep going to try to live. 

So, 4 out of 5 stars for this amazing story. 

Sincerely,

Ra

Judul: Second Chance Summer (Kesempatan Kedua)
Penuli: Morgan matson
Penerjemah: Cindy Kristanto
Tebal buku: 456 halaman
Tahun terbit: 8 May 2012 (pertama terbit)
Baca di Gramedi Digital

Karena memiliki kakak-adik yang hebat, Taylor Edwards tidak pernah merasa dirinya luar biasa. Orang mengenalnya cuma karena ia selalu kabur saat menghadapi masalah berat. Lalu ayahnya mendapat kabar sangat buruk, sehingga keluarga mereka memutuskan untuk berlibur bersama di rumah musim panas.

Taylor terakhir ke tempat itu ketika berusia dua belas tahun, dan sama sekali tidak berniat kembali ke sana. Di rumah dekat danau tersebut, ia harus menghadapi orang-orang yang dikiranya sudah ia lupakan, misalnya Lucy, mantan teman baiknya, dan Henry Crosby, pacar pertama, yang sekarang ternyata jadi jauh lebih imut. Maka tiba-tiba Taylor dikepung berbagai kenangan yang ingin dilupakannya—namun kali ini ia tak bisa kabur.

Seiring hari-hari di pantai dan malam-malam memandangi bintang, Taylor lalu sadar bahwa ia mendapat kesempatan kedua—bersama para sahabat, keluarga, bahkan mungkin cinta.

Namun ia tahu bahwa begitu musim panas berlalu, tak mungkin ia bisa mendapatkan kembali apa yang hilang.

 

***

Well, sebenarnya Second Chance Summer ini merupakan rekomendasi dari Mbak Lila untuk 12 Reading Challenge tahun ini. Jujur, aku belum pernah membaca karya Morgan Matson sebelumnya. Jadi, aku tidak memiliki ekspektasi apa-apa saat membacanya. Sayangnya, aku butuh waktu cukup lama untuk membaca buku ini. Mungkin satu bulan lebih? Entahlah. Ada beberapa hal yang membuatku bosan saat awal-awal membacanya.

The Story

Bagi Taylor, liburan musim panas kali ini akan berbeda dari liburan musim panas sebelum-sebelumnya. Tepat waktu ia berulang tahun, sebuah fakta tak terduga disampaikan oleh kedua orang tuanya. Dad mengidap kanker dan divonis hanya punya waktu empat bulan sebelum semuanya berakhir. Baik Taylor, Warren (sang kakak), dan Gelsey (sang adik), fakta itu bukanlah sesuatu hal yang mudah mereka terima. Bagaimana mungkin Dad yang terlihat baik-baik saja, tiba-tiba saja mengidap penyakit yang begitu mematikan?

Dulu, liburan musim panas jadi salah satu liburan yang Taylor nantikan. Setidaknya, ia bisa bertemu dengan Lucy, kawan baiknya yang selalu menemaninya saat tinggal di rumah danau itu. Lalu, ada juga Henry Crosby, cowok yang menjadi pacar pertamanya saat berusia dua belas tahun. Sayangnya, suatu kejadian membuat hubungan Taylor dengan Lucy maupun Henry menjadi tak baik-baik saja. Bahkan, bisa dibilang sangat buruk. Well, Taylor adalah karakter yang begitu mudah lari dari suatu hal sulit yang seharusnya ia hadapi. Tak peduli bahwa keputusannya tersebut malah menyakiti orang-orang yang sebetulnya menyayangi dirinya. 

Kali ini, mau tak mau Taylor harus berdamai dengan apa yang terjadi saat liburan musim panas lima tahun lalu. Ia harus menghadapi kenyataan bahwa umur Dad tak lama lagi, dan tentu saja soal hubungannya dengan Lucy dan juga Henry.

The Thought

Jadi, sebagai novel young adult, enggak ada yang salah, kok, dengan novel ini. In a way, mungkin kita bisa sedikit relate dengan Taylor yang selalu memilih jalan mudah saat menghadapi masalah, yakni kabur. Ia selalu tak siap menghadapi masalah yang ia rasa tak sanggup ia hadapi. Meskipun sebetulnya, ia sama sekali belum mencoba untuk mengambil risiko yang ada. 

Meskipun kita bisa sedikit relate dengan karakteristik Taylor itu, harus kuakui, aku cukup sebal karena ternyata, kepengucatan Taylor ini terkadang sangat tidak masuk akal. Ia memilih untuk menghindar daripada jujur pada diri sendiri. Ia juga malah menyusahkan orang lain karena sikapnya itu. Rasanya ingin aku lempar kepalanya karena itu.

Yang membuat novel ini menarik, kita memang diajak untuk menyelami kisah Taylor lebih dalam. Kita dibuat penasaran dengan apa yang sebenarnya terjadi pada liburan musim panas masa lalu. Apa yang membuat Lucy bersikap begitu dingin pada Taylor? Mengapa interaksi antara Henry dan Talor begitu awkward? dan seterusnya. 

Pada akhirnya, meskipun di awal sudah jelas tujuan dari liburan musim panas Keluarga Edwards ini, kita seolah dibuat lupa oleh tujuan awal itu. Yaa, di sini kita lebih diajak memahami bagaimana Taylor akhirnya belajar menghadapi masalah dan mencoba untuk menyelesaikan hal-hal yang belum selesai lima tahun lalu. Bukannya aku merasa itu jelek, ya. Tapi saat membacanya, aku seperti baru tersadar, "Oh, iya! Bagaimana dengan kabar Dad di tengah Taylor sedang menjalin kembali hubungannya dengan Lucy dan Henry?"

Lalu, apakah aku kaget dengan akhir cerita ini? Jujur, tidak. Aku sudah punya feeling kalau tidak akan ada sudden miracle yang terjadi untuk Dad. Untungnya, penceritaan saat momen itu terjadi, digambarkan cukup realistis oleh Morgan Matson. Meskipun aku tidak sampai menangis saat membacanya, tapi aku cukup bisa merasakan kehilangan dari diri Taylor.

Yang aku suka dari buku ini adalah, bagaiman Taylor mengingatkan kita, bahkan dalam lingkup sekecil keluarga, terkadang kita tidaklah mengenal satu sama lain. Momen-momen saat Taylor dan ayahnya pergi sarapan lalu dilanjutkan dengan melempar pertanyaan ke masing-masing, menjadi menarik untuk disimak. Dari situ, meskipun dalam waktu yang begitu sempit, Taylor mencoba untuk mempelajari hal tentang Dad sebanyak-banyaknya.

Meskipun pada akhirnya ada perkembangan dari karakter Taylor, aku tetap saja sebal dengannya. Kenapa, sih, Henry mau saja balikan sama Taylor? Dengan segala hal yang menyebalkan di diri Taylor, menurutku Henry deserves someone better. 

Conclusion

Awalnya aku skeptis sih, memang, dengan ceritanya. Tapi ternyata, setelah kubaca pelan-pelan, banyak hal yang bisa dipelajari dari kisah Taylor dan keluarganya. Aku malah jadi penasaran dengan karya lainnya dari Morgan Matson. So, next time?

3.5 bintang untuk sampul yang menarik.

Sincerely, 
Ra

Title: Pandora: Beneath the Paradise
Director: Choi Younghoon
Screenwriter: Hyun Jimin
Number of episodes: 16 episodes
Cast: Lee Jiah, Lee Sangyoon, Jang Heejing, Park Kiwoong, Bong Taekyu, Han Sooyeon

In order to protect her beloved family, Hong Tae Ra must become the First Lady of Korea. Hong Tae Ra has a perfect life with her beloved husband Pyo Jae Hyun and their lovely daughter, except for one thing. Hong Tae Ra has no recollection of her past. One day, she regains her memory and faces her harrowing past. Her perfect life is now broken and she finds herself in an uncontrollable situation. Hong Tae Ra struggles to take revenge on those responsible for her past. Pyo Jae Hyun is married to Hong Tae Ra. He is an extremely smart developer, who developed new technology in the neural smart patch field. He runs his company with gentle leadership skills and a sensible personality. He is admired by those around him. People in the political world begin to talk about him as the next presidential candidate.

***

So, it's been a while for me to watch an ongoing series. One day, I stumbled into Pandora: Beneath the Paradise. After Crash Course Scandal, I saw that Pandora would fill the time slot. Therefore, I decided to watch it as an ongoing series. I remember how enjoyable to watch Business Proposal in that way. I think it will be not that pressuring when I watch it as an ongoing series. 

The Story

Hong Taera (Lee Jiah) is living a happy life. She got a very perfect husband, Pyo Jaehyun (Lee Sangyoon) who supports her all the time, and a beautiful daughter who she love. Then, she also has a kind big sister, Hong Yura (Han Sooyen) who always helps her.

Sadly, her perfect life has shattered when she started regaining her lost memory. In some of the fragments, Taera remembers her past life as No. 50, a hired assassin that has been trained at Hanwol Mental Hospital. As No 5, Taera is a well-known and skilled killer. She is the best of the best in Hanwol at that time. 

After that, more memories start pouring in when some accidents happen to Taera. When finally she regain all of her memories, she realized that she was entangled with the late President Ko's murder. Yes, President Ko is the father of Taera's close friend Ko Haesoo (Jang Heejin). This fact of course terrified Taera the most. How could she explain everything to Haesoo? 

The Opinion

To be honest, this revenge tragedy drama is full of plot twists. From the very start, there are so many unexpected things that happened. Starting from Taera's fake identity, Jaehyun's plan to become the South Korean president, the entangled fate between Jaehyun, Taera, and also Kumjo Group, Kyojin's accident that lead up to Hatch's smart patch research, and others.

Well, from the beginning, I know that Jaheyun is really sus. I think I have suspected him as the mastermind for everything that happened in Taera's life. But, I didn't expect that this arrogant and psycho human being has fallen for real to Taera. At least, those sides of him make Jaehyun being more human. 

What I didn't really like is how Haesoo's rush attitude and decision made everything worst. I mean, I know that she is brokenhearted by the fact about Taera and her father's death, but as a journalist, she should be diving more into what happened. Why she isn't questioning how a teenager like Taera becomes the assassin? Is that really her intention or there is someone behind that incident? Who hire the assasin and what's the reason? So, I am a little bit disappointed with Haesoo's character here.

Then, among other characters, I even fall for Jang Dojin (Park Kiwoong). Of course, at first, I didn't see him as a potential character that could be lovable, but then, his determination to help Haesoo and uncover the truth amazed me. He is willing to sacrifice everything for other people's sake, in this case, Haesoo.

Ahh, I also should mention Cha Pilseung (Kwon Hyunbin), Taera's little brother. I really love his character the most. I was so relieved that he finally can rekindle with his sister, even though is just for a short period of time.

To be honest, Pandora is a really complex story. Jaehyun's ambition to be a president is really scary. He is that person who utilizes all of his connections to get everything he wants. It scared me when Jaehyun also has a skill to mess with people's mind through a chip. 

Conclusion

Sigh. I know that the ending is confusing. How I wish they will just end it at that cliff scene. Why they should be at that Swiss' scene?

For me, this drama somewhat makes us curious about the story. It's a quite fast-paced drama, therefore you will find a lot of unexpected things in every episode. Is this drama became my favorite? Not really. I think this is an okay drama. Some parts make me bored and the characters are not that lovable. 

Then, the later part of this story make me roll my eyes, especially when Jaehyun who always outsmarts everyone, didn't even realize that Taera didn't lose her memory at all. Then, I did wonder why is it so easy for Taera to give that sleeping pill to Jaehyun? Why Jaehyun didn't suspect anything after that long sleep? 

Last, is the ending. I wonder why they have to choose that ending. Sigh.

So, it's 6.8 from me. 

Sincerely,
Ra

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. 

***

Well, after one week, I haven't finished my current reading read. Lol. That's okay. I can fill this blog with whatever I want and now it's time for Top Ten Tuesday again. Yay!

Today's topic is interesting to me. It's about a book that I recommend to others the most. So, here we go.

1. Sapiens: A Graphic History #1 The Bird of Humankind - Yuval Noah Harari, David Vandermeulen, Daniel Casanave

The reason is so simple. For me who got a lot of difficulty reading a non-fiction book, this graphic novel is the best. It explained Harari's book in a simpler way and we still can get the full knowledge of it. I love how David and Daniel extract the information into a graphic. I love how they make Harari's explanation into a comic strip that feels connected to each part. It's more enjoyable and easy to digest. 

So, I really recommend this book to anyone who wants to read Harari's though in a more enjoyable way.

2. Kieta Hatsukoi (My Faded First Love) - Wataru Hinekure, Aruko

So, this manga series is one of my favourite BL manga of all time--or, should I say the most favourite one? 

Kieta Hatsukoi told the story about Aoki who got misunderstanding with Ida. At first, Aoki has a huge crush on Hashimoto. One day, in the middle of the exam, he borrowed an eraser from Hashimoto. To his surprise, he sees a written name in that eraser and it's Ida--a guy who seat in front of him. To make it more confusing, Ida sees Aoki hold that eraser and thinks Aoki has a crush on him.

I love this story because every character is so wholesome. They always become supportive of each other. I think this is the most idealistic BL world ever I read. Anyway, I really love how Aoki and Ida become sweeter at the end of the story.

3. Lebih Senyap dari Bisikan (Quieter than a Whisper) - Andina Dwifatma

Who said that marriage is easy? When you married, then all of the decisions that you have to take are not only about you, but you have to pay attention to the needs of your partner, child--if any, and other families member. Marriage is not only about a vow to each other and then getting a happily ever after life. Living as a woman in a patriarchal family could make everything become worst. 

Remember Kim Ji Young Born in 1982? Yes, this is the Indonesian version of it. It told the story of Amara, who struggle with her marriage. Losing a lot of things, including herself. For me, this book is a reminder for everyone that marriage is not only about sunshine and rainbow, moreover, if you live as a woman in this patriarchal society who only look at your achievement based on your marriage life. What a sigh.

4. Almond - Sohn Won Pyung

When your amygdala is not fully developed, you won't feel any emotion such as fear, anger, sadness, or happiness. Almond told the story about Younjae who has Alexitimia, the condition where his amygdala is so tiny. 

From this book, you can contemplate more about what is normal in society. Who decided whether something is normal or not. So, how to be normal if the normal state in society has been decided by some people?

This book is also interesting because it became one of the inspirations for Agust D's song, Amygdala. Please watch his music video for Amygdala. It's amazing how Yoongi tries to capture all of his traumas in this song. 

5. Yakusoku no Neverland (The Promised Neverland) - Kaiu Shirai

So, have you ever read a children's manga but it was so dark? Here is The Promised Neverland. The story of this manga is so dark. This manga told the story of how children should always obey the adult. Since children sometimes never got a chance to voice out their own opinion, they only can accept what the adult says. 

Thankfully, the trio's main character can break those stereotypes and try their best to free themselves from the adult's willpower.

6. Mawar Merah (Red Roses) - Luna Torashyngu

As a teen-lit lover, I always recommend Mawar Merah to everyone who wants to read an unusual Indonesian young adult novel. Luna Torashyngu has succeeded to give an incredible story through Mawar Merah. I love how he manages to give a very complex story about a teenage assassin like Elsa. I always love this trilogy so much.

7. Laut Bercerita (The Sea Speaks His Name) - Leila S. Chudori

This is one of my go-to recommendation books for anyone who wants to read a 'serious' theme. Leila S. Chudori is well known for his historical fiction work. This book is also one of them. It told the story of the missing 98's activists in Indonesia. I remember how sad and depressing the story is, but it is so valuable to be read for every young people to understand the black history that never is told by the government.

8. Girls in the Dark - Akiyoshi Rikako

One of my favourite horror writers ever. Akiyoshi Rikako is a very talented Japanese writer. She always made a horror story that sometimes has a lot of plot twists. Girls in the Dark is one of her very first books. In my opinion, the story is always mindblowing. I love how she tried to play with our minds when reading it.

9. Cinder - Marissa Meyer

Well, I don't know. As a retelling story, I haven't read any book that makes me love it as Cinder has. I love how Meyer executes the story. I remember I tried to finish the tetralogy in one go. It just shows how I really love the story.

10. Animal Farm - George Orwell

This is a famous political allegory written by Orwell. It's always been one of my favourite books to recommend. Well, to understand more about a structural world of view, this book is a must-read book.

Yeay, that's all for today's recommendation. What about you, guys? Which book you have read? Or do you have another book to recommend to me? 

Sincerely,
Ra

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. 

***

Well, since most of my read-book are in digital format, I think I will try to choose the book with unique methods by myself. What will I gonna do?

First, I open my Goodreads account and go to All-Bookshelf. Then, I will generate a random number from 1-49 to decide the pages that I will go to--I have 49 pages for my All-Bookshelf page on Goodreads. After that, I will generate a random number again between 1-20 to select the books from the pages. 

So, here is the result for today's list.

1. Sad Cypress - Agatha Christie

Page 14 Number 19

If I remember correctly, I bought this book in a sale section at Gramedia bookstore. Sadly, I couldn't remember much about the story. Hmm, maybe I should really try to reread Christie's work from the very start again.

2. Evergreen - Prisca Primasari

Page 16 Number 16

Actually, Prisca Primasari is one of my favourite Indonesian writers. She can write beautifully and manage to give a meaningful story. Evergreen, if I remember correctly, is one of her first works. Ahh, imho, Prisca always tries to choose a specific setting for her story. In Evergreen, Prisca chooses Japan as the setting. Therefore, I can learn more about a lot of Japan's elements here.

Then, even though in Evergreen Prisca didn't emphasize the romantic story between the two main characters, it still gives me a sad feeling when reading the story between Fumio and Toshi.

3. Rave Master Vol. 25

Page 37 Number 10

Lol. How could I remember this specific volume? Well, tbh, I rarely read a complete manga aside from Detective Conan that is still ongoing. But back then when I was in high school, I succeed to complete this Hiro Mashima's work. To be honest, I love Rave more than Fairytale. Should I try to reread it again?

4. Lullabies - Lang Leav

Page 12 Number 1

Yeah, there was a time when I diligently read poetry books like Lang Leav and Lala Bohang's work. Here is one of my favourite quotes from this book.

Angel  

It happens like this. One day you meet someone and for some inexplicable reason, you feel more connected to this stranger than anyone else--closer to them than your closest family. Perhaps because this person carries an angel within them--one sent to you for some higher purpose, to teach you an important lesson or to keep you safe during a perilous time. What you must do is trust them--even if they come hand in hand with pain or suffering--the reason for their presence will become clear in due time.

 

5. The Mysterious Affair at Styles - Agatha Christie
Page 40 Number 2

Oh my. I just realized that I had made the review on my book but not on my Goodreads account. Well, in order to read all of Christie's work chronologically, of course, I should read The Mysterious Affair at Styles first. 

For me, yes, I failed to recognise the real culprit in this case. I really need to organize my reading schedule so I can read Christie's work again.

6. Anak Band (Band Boy) - Stephanie Zen
Page 35 Number 9

As a Teenlit lover, it won't be completed if I don't read Stephanie Zen's work. If I remember correctly, Anak Band is her initial work. Unfortunately, I couldn't remember the story at all. Well, I think I will prefer her later work such as Dylan, I Love You and Dear, Dylan!

7. Perahu Kertas (Paper Boat) - Dee
Page 30 Number 14

If I take a look at my short review on Goodreads, I said that this book is a sweet romance book. Then, maybe everyone could agree that this is the lightest book from Dee--well, if you compare it to other works such as Supernova of course. Perhaps, I read it when the hype from the movie is still so strong back then.

8. Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn
Page 41 Number 16

The long-time wishlist that I haven't read yet. Yeah, of course, I have a plan to one by one read a book on my to-read shelf. I just need time to do it. I am intrigued by the mystery-thriller-is element of this novel.

9. Separuh Bintang (Half of the Star) - Evline Kartika
Page 33 Number 8

Ahh, this book is very important to me. Without this book, I don't think I could find the will to read books as a hobby. I know that Teenlit has a very predictable plot. But, for this book, I just love the story so much.

10. Polar Bear Postman - Seigo Kijima
Page 13 Number 8

If I am not mistaken, I received this book as an ARC provided by Netgalley. Well, I always love to read children's books. Just like this book.

Yeay, that's all for today. What a random list for today but I am happy with it. So, see you next time~

Sincerely,
Ra