Book Review: The Young Elites (The Young Elites, #1) by Marie Lu

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BOOK review
Started on: 26 May 2019
Finished on: 2 June 2019

The Young Elites (The Young Elites, #1) by Marie Lu

Title: The Young Elites (The Young Elites, #1)

Author: Marie Lu
Publisher: Putnam Books

Pages: 355 pages / 370 pages (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2014
Price: Rp 152,000 (https://www.periplus.com/)

Rating: 4/5
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"Fear creates the strongest illusions. Everyone has darkness inside them, however hidden."

A decade ago, a deadly illness swept throughout the nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. These survivors, malfettos, are regarded as abomination, a disgrace to their families. And that includes Adelina Amouteru. Her father despised her because of her scars and markings, and has treated her badly over the years. However, some of the fever's survivors possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Book Review: Competing Spectacles by Tony Reinke

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BOOK review
Started on: 22 May 2019
Finished on: 25 May 2019

Competing Spectacles: Treasuring Christ in the Media Age by Tony Reinke

Title: Competing Spectacles: Treasuring Christ in the Media Age

Author: Tony Reinke
Publisher: Crossway Books

Pages: 160 pages / 160 pages (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2019
Price: Rp 160,684 (https://www.bookdepository.com/)

Rating: 4/5
*This e-book was received as a review copy from Crossway
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"In a consumer society, images are the language of transaction. Images aim to provoke something in us in order to get something from us. New images ask us for all sorts of things—our time, our attention, our outrage, our money, our lust, our affection, and our votes. Is it possible to resist them? Should we try?"

We live in a world full of shiny distractions, faced with an onslaught of viral media constantly competing for our attention and demanding our affections. These ever-present visual “spectacles” can quickly erode our hearts, making it more difficult than ever to walk through life actively treasuring that which is most important and yet invisible: Jesus Christ. Through this book, Tony Reinke shows us just how distracting these spectacles in our lives can be and encouraged us to ask critical questions about what we're focusing our attention on. It offers practical steps to redirect our gaze away from the spectacles of this world and onto the Ultimate Spectacle, which leads to the joy and rest that our souls truly crave.

Book Review: Vengeful by V.E. Schwab

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BOOK review
Started on: 5 May 2019
Finished on: 21 May 2019

Vengeful by V.E. Schwab

Title:Vengeful

Author: V.E. Schwab
Publisher:Titan Books

Pages: 575 pages / 336 pages (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2018
Price: Rp 370,000 (http://www.periplus.com/)

Rating: 4.5/5
*for those who haven't read the first book, this review may contain spoiler.
Review for Vicious by V.E. Schwab here.
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"Perhaps she was glass. But glass is only brittle until it breaks. Then it’s sharp."

Marcella Riggins was almost killed by her own husband. After surviving it, she finally gained the control she's always sought—and will use her newfound power for revenge and bring the city of Merit to its knees. She started recruiting other EOs as her sidekicks and took advantage of the two most infamous EOs, Victor Vale and Eli Cardale—putting them against each other once more. With Marcella’s rise, new enmities create opportunity—and the stage of Merit City will once again be set for a final, terrible reckoning.

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Books Released In the Last Ten Years

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Here we are again, back with another Top Ten Tuesday! I decided to do this week's topic because it seems interesting to look back to the past 10 years and see my favorite books that are released during those times. At first it was quite difficult for me to only rely on my memory (especially because I usually read something years after it was released); but thankfully, with the help of Goodreads, I was able to look through all the books that are released in 2009 until 2018. Some years are a bit more difficult to choose because there are several books that I absolutely love, but in the end, I managed to only choose one. So here they are, my favorites from the oldest to the most recently released books. (You can click on the book titles for my reviews)

Book Review: Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament by Mark Vroegop

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BOOK review
Started on: 21 April 2019
Finished on: 25 April 2019

Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament by Mark Vroegop

Title: Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament

Author: Mark Vroegop
Publisher: Crossway Books

Pages: 224 pages / 226 pages (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2019
Price: Rp 235,822 (https://www.bookdepository.com/)

Rating: 5/5
*This e-book was received as a review copy from Crossway
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"When the circumstances of life create dark clouds, I hope you'll come to embrace lament as a divinely given liturgy leading you to mercy. This historic song gives you permission to vocalize your pain as it moves you toward God-centered worship and trust. Lament is how you live between the poles of a hard life and trusting in God's sovereignty."

In this book, Mark Vroegop introduced us to a deeper understanding about lament. It presents biblical guidelines for bringing honest complaint and bold petition before God and for choosing to steadfastly trust in the One whose mercies never end. But so many Christians these days neglect the importance of lament. We need to recover the practice of honest spiritual struggle that gives us permission to vocalize our pain and wrestle with our sorrow. Lament avoids trite answers and quick solutions, progressively moving us toward deeper worship and trust. Through the psalms of lament and the book of Lamentations, Mark Vroegop invites us to learn how to grieve, struggle, and experience the grace and mercy God offers in the darkest moments of our lives.

Book Review: Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

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BOOK review
Started on: 26 April 2019
Finished on: 4 May 2019

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

Title: Spinning Silver

Author: Naomi Novik
Publisher: Macmillan

Pages: 466 pages / 480 pages (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2018
Price: Rp 266,000 (https://www.periplus.com/)

Rating: 3/5
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"But I had not known that I was strong enough to do any of those things until they were over and I had done them. I had to do the work first, not knowing."

Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father's too kind-hearted to collect his debts. Until one day, unable to stand poverty and her ill mother, Miryem decided to take up his work in their village collecting unpaid debts. Soon, the news of her success spreads and it creates rumors that she can turn silver into gold—which then piqued the interest of the Staryk King, the fairy king of winter, himself. Her fate will then intertwine with Irina, whose father will do anything so that she can wed the tsar. However, no one knows that the tsar is not what he seems. Both Miryem and Irina are torn between deathly choices. But they strive to save themselves and the people they love.