Book Review: Timun Jelita by Raditya Dika

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BOOK review

Started on: 27 December 2024
Finished on: 8 January 2025

 

Timun Jelita by Raditya Dika

 

Title: Timun Jelita

Author: Raditya Dika
Publisher: GagasMedia

Pages: 200 pages
Year of Publication: 2024
Price: Rp 66,000 (https://www.gramedia.com/)

Rating: 3/5

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"Dulu, waktu sekolah dia memang suka bermusik. Tapi hidup terkadang terlalu tega untuk mimpi-mimpi kita. Realitas membuat kita harus mengerti, kapan mimpi lama harus dihentikan karena nasib memaksa untuk berjalan ke arah yang lain."

Setelah ayahnya meninggal, Timun—seorang akuntan berusia 40 tahun, mendapatkan warisan gitar tua yang membangkitkan kembali hasratnya untuk bermusik. Di usianya yang tidak lagi muda, cukup sulit bagi Timun untuk menemukan teman seusianya yang mau bergabung dengannya. Saat itulah muncul Jelita, sepupunya yang masih kuliah dan memiliki hasrat bermusik yang sama. Dengan kemampuan yang dimiliki, mereka berdua membentuk duo musik dengan nama Timun Jelita—dan inilah kisah perjalanan mereka.

"Bermusik masih terasa asyik, membuka diri juga tidak ada salahnya."

Book Review: Counting Miracles by Nicholas Sparks

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BOOK review

Started on: 19 November 2024
Finished on: 24 December 2024

 

Counting Miracles by Nicholas Sparks

 

Title: Counting Miracles

Author: Nicholas Sparks

Publisher: Random House

Pages: 368 pages / 352 pages (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2024
Price: Rp 492,000 (https://opentrolley.co.id/)

Rating: 3/5

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"How long ago did she forget, she wondered, that life was as much about living as it was about responsibility? Or, as Casey had sort of put it, how long ago had she forgotten how to be happy?"

Tanner Hughes devoted his life to the military and spent most of his time abroad. He's constantly moving on to his next adventure and has no desire to settle down. When his grandmother passed away, her last words were: find where you belong. She also told him the name of the father he never knew—and where he might be found. Tanner immediately went to Asheboro to find out more about his father. While in town, he met Kaitlyn Cooper, a doctor and a single mom who had an immediate connection with him. Meanwhile, an eighty-year-old man named Jasper lived nearby in a cabin bordering a national forest. With a dog as his only company, he lived his life haunted by the tragedy that happened to his family decades ago. As these characters' lives intertwine, a miracle might change their lives forever.

"A whirlwind fling was one thing, but falling for him was another.

Saying goodbye was going to be hard enough already."

Book Review: The Little Liar by Mitch Albom

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BOOK review

Started on: 18 October 2024
Finished on: 16 November 2024

 

The Little Liar by Mitch Albom

 

Title: The Little Liar

Author: Mitch Albom

Publisher: Harper

Pages: 352 pages / 350 pages (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2023
Price: Rp 335,000 (https://www.periplus.com/)

Rating: 5/5

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"You can trust the story you are about to hear. You can trust it because I am telling it to you, and I am the only thing in this world you can trust."

Until he was eleven years old, Nico Krispis never told a lie. On the day the Nazis invaded his home in Salonika, Greece, a German officer found Nico and offered him a chance to save his family. Nico was supposed to convince his fellow Jewish residents to board the trains heading to their new homes. Unaware of this cruel ruse, Nico goes to the station platform and reassures the passengers that the journey is safe. Nico even sees his family loaded into a large boxcar with their neighbors. When Nico realizes he helped send the people he loved to their doom in Auschwitz, it's all too late. Since that day, Nico never tells the truth again.

"When we finish this story, you may say, "That was impossible." But here is the funny thing about truth: the less real something seems, the more people want to believe it."

Book Review: Anjing Mengeong, Kucing Menggonggong by Eka Kurniawan

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BOOK review

Started on: 6 October 2024
Finished on: 13 October 2024

 

Anjing Mengeong, Kucing Menggonggong by Eka Kurniawan

 

Title: Anjing Mengeong, Kucing Menggonggong

Author: Eka Kurniawan
Publisher: Gramedia Pustaka Utama

Pages: 148 pages
Year of Publication: 2024
Price: Rp 127,200 (https://www.gramedia.com/)

Rating: 3/5

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"Apakah saat itu Sato Reang sudah menjadi anak saleh? Setelah dipikir-pikir dengan segala kelakuanku di masa kecil itu, jawabannya mungkin tidak.

Setidaknya sampai aku berumur tujuh tahun."

Kisah ini adalah tentang Sato Reang. Hidupnya berubah sewaktu ia disunat di usia tujuh tahun dan ayahnya berkata bahwa sudah saatnya ia menjadi anak saleh. Di saat Sato Reang mendambakan kebebasan dan bersenang-senang bermain bola, ia dipaksa mengikuti ayahnya menjalankan berbagai ritual ibadah yang sebetulnya tidak ingin ia lakukan. Segala tekanan itu membuatnya membenci Jamal, temannya yang paling saleh dan paling rajin sembahyang. Terlebih lagi, ia semakin terdorong untuk menjadi anak yang tidak saleh demi mempermalukan ayahnya.

"Aku berjanji akan ada suatu hari di mana aku bisa merayakan kebebasan, melakukan apa pun yang aku mau, dan di saat itu aku boleh menangis sekehendak hati."

Book Review: Ask Pastor John: 750 Bible Answers to Life's Most Important Questions by Tony Reinke

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BOOK review

Started on: 29 July 2024
Finished on: 4 October 2024

 

Ask Pastor John: 750 Bible Answers to Life's Most Important Questions by Tony Reinke

 

Title: Ask Pastor John: 750 Bible Answers to Life's Most Important Questions

Author: Tony Reinke

Publisher: Crossway

Pages: 536 pages / 712 pages (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2024
Price: Rp 773,000 (https://opentrolley.co.id/)

Rating: 5/5

*This e-book was received as a review copy from Crossway   

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"Questions are the best steady-state way of creating problems for the mind because a question-free mind is a thinking-free mind and a discovery-free mind. Without this engagement, reading becomes passive entertainment, rather than growth in understanding reality. All learning is the fruit of question-asking and answer-seeking."

The Ask Pastor John podcast was created to fulfill the needs of thoughtful believers who need sound biblical advice for various questions about life in a secular world. The podcast features John Piper, a pastor-theologian and bestselling author who answers life's most difficult questions from the audience. In this book, Ask Pastor John host Tony Reinke summarizes and organizes ten years of their most popular and insightful episodes into thematic sections. Readers can quickly access Piper's insights on Bible reading, career, entertainment, mental health, and more. Through this book, we will realize how asking good questions strengthens faith and grows our understanding of God's word.

"Asking questions is the key to understanding. It wasn't a reminder. It was his brand."

Books I Read During the First Year of Parenthood

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It's been over a year since I last published a non-review post on this blog! 😮 I also find it hard to believe I've been a parent for over a year. As a reader, I naturally turned to books for parenting advice (after asking my friends who have become parents first). Since I don't have any more book reviews left to write at the moment, I want to take this opportunity to share some parenting books I've read during my first year of becoming a parent. In this post, I will only write short reviews for each book and talk about whether it's helpful for me or not. Hopefully, this post can help those planning to have a baby or about to have one 👶.

Book Review: Nonik Jamu by Rina Suryakusuma

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BOOK review

Started on: 6 July 2024
Finished on: 14 July 2024

 

Nonik Jamu by Rina Suryakusuma

 

Title: Nonik Jamu

Author: Rina Suryakusuma
Publisher: Gramedia Pustaka Utama

Pages: 272 pages
Year of Publication: 2024
Price: Rp 79,100 (https://www.gramedia.com/)

Rating: 4/5

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"Kini ia percaya, tak ada yang mustahil dalam hidup. Jangan pernah batasi mimpi. Biarkan langit menjadi pagarnya."

Sejak kecil, Kinanti selalu membantu kedua orangtuanya menjaga toko kelontong milik keluarga mereka di Wonosobo. Ia memiliki impian agar suatu hari orangtuanya tidak perlu lagi bekerja terlalu keras seperti yang mereka lakukan selama ini. Seiring dengan bertambahnya usia Kinanti, ia menemukan tujuan hidup yang ia inginkan, yaitu menjadi peracik jamu. Pertemuannya dengan Pandu, anak pemilik Gudang Rempah, seolah menjadi pertanda bahwa semesta mendukung Kinanti mencapai impiannya. Namun dengan cara yang menyakitkan, Kinanti menyadari bahwa tidak semudah itu tujuannya dapat tercapai. Hingga Arumi muncul, dengan tekad untuk membalas sakit hati orangtuanya sekaligus mewujudkan mimpi yang tertunda selama bertahun-tahun. Dengan keteguhan dan kegigihan, Arumi bertekad untuk menggapai impian itu, apa pun taruhannya.

"Ia tetap berpegang teguh pada tekadnya, pada mimpinya untuk memetik bulan bagi ibunya."

Book Review: Funny Story by Emily Henry

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BOOK review

Started on: 5 June 2024
Finished on: 4 July 2024

 

Funny Story by Emily Henry

 

Title: Funny Story

Author: Emily Henry

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 387 pages / 395 pages (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2024
Price: Rp 410,000 (https://www.periplus.com/)

Rating: 5/5

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"If you don't give other people responsibility for your feelings, you can have a decent relationship with most of them." 

Daphne is about to marry her fiancé, Peter, who suddenly realizes he's actually in love with his childhood best friend, Petra. This is how Daphne's new chapter begins: stranded in Waning Bay with no friends or family, working as a children's librarian, and becoming roommates with the only person who could understand her predicament: Petra's ex-boyfriend, Miles. With his bright and friendly personality, Miles is the opposite of practical and buttoned-up Daphne—who doesn't let people know much about her. The two of them mainly avoid each other until they decide to form a plan, which involves posting misleading photos of their summer adventure together. They didn't expect their public display of affection to ignite a new chapter in their romantic life because it would be a funny story for Daphne to tell if she fell in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex.

Book Review: The Journey of Storytelling: Menghidupkan Cinta Lewat Cerita by Poetri Soehendro

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BOOK review

Started on: 31 May 2024
Finished on: 4 June 2024

 

The Journey of Storytelling: Menghidupkan Cinta Lewat Cerita by Poetri Soehendro

 

Title: The Journey of Storytelling: Menghidupkan Cinta Lewat Cerita

Author: Poetri Soehendro
Publisher: Kawan Pustaka

Pages: 176 pages
Year of Publication: 2024
Price: Rp 71,550 (https://www.gramedia.com/)

Rating: 4.5/5

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"Di situlah letak manfaat storytelling, contoh-contoh baik jadi lebih cepat masuk ke hati. Nasihat pun diterima dengan ikhlas. Apalagi sambil menikmati kehangatan bonding dengan Moms & Dads, maka trust untuk nasihat yang disampaikan akan terdengar indah di telinga anak."

Pada tahun 2000, Poetri Soehendro bekerja sebagai penyiar pagi yang bertugas dari jam 06.00 hingga jam 10.00 pagi. Salah seorang produser memberi ide untuk melakukan storytelling sebagai selingan. Klip storytelling 5 menit itu diberi nama Dongeng Pagi. Hal tersebut menjadi sebuah pengalaman manis baginya, terutama ketika mendengar bagaimana anak-anak yang mendengarkan Dongeng Pagi itu jadi punya jembatan komunikasi dengan orangtua mereka. Hingga suatu hari, Poetri Soehendro membangkitkan kembali talenta storytelling-nya dengan menuliskan buku ini. Melalui tulisannya, ia menyuguhkan beberapa riset terbaru terkait storytelling yang menarik untuk dibaca oleh para orangtua. Karena ternyata storytelling memiliki begitu banyak manfaat dan orangtua adalah storyteller terbaik untuk anaknya.

"Masalahnya, banyak orangtua mengejar storytelling justru untuk melemparkan macam-macam pesan moral pada anaknya. Bahkan ada yang disampaikan dengan cita rasa 'ngomel'. Kesempatan untuk ngomelin anak tipis-tipi. Anak itu sebenarnya paham kalau dia lagi disindir atau diomelin halus. Hebatnya anak itu tidak protes, hanya diam saja. Tapi, tanpa kita sadari lama-lama dia akan mengunci telinga dalam batinnya."

Book Review: Happy Place by Emily Henry

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BOOK review

Started on: 2 May 2024
Finished on: 29 May 2024

 

Happy Place by Emily Henry

 

Title: Happy Place

Author: Emily Henry

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 400 pages / 395 pages (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2023
Price: Rp 260,000 (https://www.periplus.com/)

Rating: 4.5/5

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"I couldn't have imagined being any happier, loving anywhere else as much.

Not until Sabrina brought us here, to her family's summer home on the coast of Maine. Not until I met Wyn."

Harriet and Wyn have been together for almost ten years since they met in college. However, they broke up a few months ago and still haven't told their best friends. After not seeing each other for months, they suddenly had to share a bedroom at the Maine cottage where their friend group had held a yearly getaway for the last decade. It has been their annual escape from the real world, a blissful week when they could leave behind their daily lives and enjoy their time with the people closest to them. This year, Harriet and Wyn had to lie to their best friends while trying to hide the fact that they still desperately wanted each other. And because the cottage is for sale, this will be the last week they'll have together in this place. The two of them couldn't bring themselves to break their friends' hearts, so they decided to fake their relationship for one week in front of the people who knew them best.

"Think of your happy place, Harriet."

Book Review: Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee

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BOOK review

Started on: 21 April 2024
Finished on: 2 May 2024

 

Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee

 

Title: Untethered Sky

Author: Fonda Lee

Publisher: Tordotcom

Pages: 152 pages / 152 pages (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2023
Price: $5.99 (https://subterraneanpress.com)

Rating: 4/5

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"What I would give to return to those days, riding together across the country on a perfect morning, a roc balanced in the air above us like an angel guarding our happiness."

A manticore ruined Ester's life when it devoured her mother and baby brother, leaving her with nothing but her father's silence and the overwhelming need to kill the monster that took her family. And so she begins her journey in the King's Royal Mews, where giant rocs are flown to hunt manticores by trained and courageous ruhkers. Ester was paired with a fledgling roc named Zahra, with whom she found purpose and devoted her life to a calling that demanded absolute sacrifice. Their partnership leads Ester on the empire's most dangerous manticore hunt—which will challenge her perseverance. 

 

Book Review: Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family by Paul David Tripp

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BOOK review

Started on: 22 March 2024
Finished on: 19 April 2024

 

Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family by Paul David Tripp

 

Title: Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family

Author: Paul David Tripp

Publisher: Crossway Books

Pages: 216 pages / 226 pages (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2016
Price: Rp 410,000 (https://www.periplus.com/)

Rating: 5/5

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"In the middle of all the endless parenting activities, many parents get lost. They are doing lots of things, lots of good things, but they don't know why. They've been swallowed up into the daily grind of parenting, but they've lost sight of what it is that they're working for or building toward."

These days, parents tend to get lost in everything that needs to be done daily. Under the pressure to do everything right and raise good children, it's easy to lose sight of our ultimate purpose and calling as parents. Many are always looking for practical tips and guaranteed formulas to help them in their parenting journey. In this book, Paul David Tripp offers more than just a mere to-do list. He presents the big-picture view of God's plans for us as parents. With fourteen foundational principles centered on the gospel, the author shows that we need more than just a parenting strategy or a list of techniques. What we ultimately need is the rescuing grace of God that has the power to shape how we view everything we do as parents. This book's goal is to free us from the burden of trying to change our children's hearts and embrace a grand perspective of parenting.

"The one who called you to this very important job is with you and because he is, there’s hope. Sure there will be times when you’ll find yourself at the end of your rope, but fight fear and discouragement with expectancy; your Savior’s rope never ends and he will never leave you alone!"

Book Review: Teruslah Bodoh Jangan Pintar by Tere Liye

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BOOK review

Started on: 8 March 2024
Finished on: 18 March 2024

 

Teruslah Bodoh Jangan Pintar by Tere Liye

 

Title: Teruslah Bodoh Jangan Pintar

Author: Tere Liye
Publisher: Sabak Grip

Pages: 371 pages
Year of Publication: 2024
Price: Rp 89,100 (https://www.gramedia.com/)

Rating: 4/5

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"Mereka tahu sekali risikonya. Harga atas sebuah perlawanan." 

Selama puluhan tahun, PT Semesta Minerals & Mining sudah mengembangkan usahanya di dunia pertambangan secara luar biasa. Akan tetapi dampak dari tambang-tambang tersebut telah merugikan banyak orang—bahkan hingga merenggut nyawa. Hingga akhirnya, sekelompok aktivis berkumpul dengan tujuan menggagalkan izin konsensi proyek raksasa PT Semesta Menirals & Mining melalui sidang dengar pendapat yang dilakukan secara tertutup. Para aktivis berusaha keras mengumpulkan saksi yang hidupnya terdampak langsung oleh perusahaan tambang itu. Namun, mereka harus berhadapan dengan Hotma Cornelius, seorang pengacara handal yang merupakan spesialis pembela kejahatan. Meski perjuangan mereka penuh dengan rintangan, kelompok aktivis ini tidak menyerah dan mengerahkan segala kemampuan mereka untuk melakukan perlawanan.

 

Book Review: Hai, Miiko! Vol. 36 by Ono Eriko

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BOOK review

Started on: 9 January 2024
Finished on: 9 January 2024

Hai, Miiko! Vol. 36 by Ono Eriko

Title: Hai, Miiko! Vol. 36

Author: Ono Eriko
Publisher: m&c!

Pages: 126 pages
Year of Publication: 2024
Price: Rp 48,000 (https://www.gramedia.com/)

Rating: 5/5

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Tahun baru selalu membuatku semangat karena itu artinya jilid terbaru komik Hai, Miiko! akan diterbitkan! Setelah dikecewakan dengan volume sebelumnya, aku berusaha keras mengatur ekspektasiku saat akan mulai membaca buku ini. Sinopsis di bagian belakang buku ini berhasil membuatku penasaran dengan adanya kalimat "Tappei pun mulai bergerak" 😂; tapi mengetahui kemajuan hubungan antara Tappei dan Miiko selama ini, aku meragukan akan ada pergerakan yang signifikan 🤣. Walaupun aku agak sedih dengan harga komik Hai, Miiko! yang terus naik setiap tahunnya, aku tetap tidak akan melewatkan kisah kehidupan Miiko dan teman-temannya ☺️.

Book Review: All That Jesus Commanded: The Christian Life According to the Gospels by John Piper

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BOOK review

Started on: 22 September 2023
Finished on: 4 December 2023

 

All That Jesus Commanded: The Christian Life According to the Gospels by John Piper

 

Title: All That Jesus Commanded: The Christian Life According to the Gospels

Author: John Piper

Publisher: Crossway Books

Pages: 464 pages / 472 pages (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2023
Price: Rp 178,000 (https://www.periplus.com/)

Rating: 4/5

*This e-book was received as a review copy from Crossway

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"The ultimate goal of Jesus's commandments is not that we observe them by doing good works. The ultimate goal is that God be glorified. The obedience of good works is penultimate. But what is ultimate is that in our obedient lives God be displayed as the most beautiful reality in the world. That is Jesus's ultimate goal and mine."

In this book, longtime pastor and author John Piper walks through Jesus's commands that are found in the four Gospels and their meaning for the Christian life. In 50 short chapters, he explained their context and meaning to help readers understand Christ's vision how we should lead our lives. This is a helpful guide and resource for both new Christians as well as veteran believers.

"It deals with every command Jesus gave and how it relates to Christian living today. It draws out the meaning of these commands from the four Gospels themselves not the rest of the New Testament."

Book Review: Jade Shards (The Green Bone Saga, #0.75) by Fonda Lee

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BOOK review

Started on: 14 September 2023
Finished on: 21 September 2023

 

Jade Shards (The Green Bone Saga, #0.75) by Fonda Lee

 

Title: Jade Shards (The Green Bone Saga, #0.75)

Author: Fonda Lee

Publisher: Subterranean Press

Pages: 136 pages / 106 pages (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2023
Price: $5.99 (https://subterraneanpress.com)

Rating: 4/5

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In this book, Fonda Lee returns with four prequel short stories that dive into some of the personal histories of the Kaul and Ayt families. The first one tells the story of Ayt Mada before she became the ruthless leader of the Mountain clan, befriending Aun Ure—a renowned assassin who yearns for a simpler life. There's also the story of Kaul Lan as he challenged his grandfather to help a boy who had lost everything. The third story is about Kaul Hilo and Maik Wen, the son of a top Green Bone clan in love with a stone-eye girl from a disreputable family. Lastly, we glimpsed at Kaul Shae's life before she left and returned to Kekon, when she became a secret informer to a foreign country.

 

Book Review: The Final Gambit (The Inheritance Games, #3) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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BOOK review

Started on: 25 June 2023
Finished on: 29 August 2023

 

The Final Gambit (The Inheritance Games, #3) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

 

Title: The Final Gambit (The Inheritance Games, #3)

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Publisher: Little, Brown Books

Pages: 374 pages / 400 pages (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2022
Price: Rp 188,000 (https://www.periplus.com/)

Rating: 3/5

*for those who haven't read the first book, this review may contain spoiler. Review for The Inheritance Games (The Inheritance Games, #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes here.

Review for The Hawthorne Legacy (The Inheritance Games, #2) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes here.

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"I'd known that someone was playing with us, with me. But this made it so much clearer that Toby's abductor wasn't just playing with me. They were playing against me."

To inherit billions from Tobias Hawthorne, Avery has to survive a few more weeks living in the Hawthorne House. With danger lurking around every corner, the Hawthorne brothers are the ones who helped her get through it all. Her life is now intertwined with theirs as they discover each other's secrets. Nearing the time when Avery is about to become the richest teenager on the planet, an unexpected visitor arrives asking for help and her appearance could change everything. Apparently, there's one last puzzle to solve. Avery and the Hawthorne brothers are suddenly drawn into a dangerous game against an unknown and powerful player from the past.

"Chess," I repeated. "The move—it's called the Queen's Gambit. Whoever's playing white puts that second pawn in position to be sacrificed, which is why it's considered a gambit."

Book Review: The Hawthorne Legacy (The Inheritance Games, #2) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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BOOK review

Started on: 4 June 2023
Finished on: 24 June 2023

 

The Hawthorne Legacy (The Inheritance Games, #2) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

 

Title: The Hawthorne Legacy (The Inheritance Games, #2)

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Publisher: Penguin

Pages: 380 pages / 369 pages (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2021
Price: Rp 188,000 (https://www.periplus.com/)

Rating: 4/5

*for those who haven't read the first book, this review may contain spoiler. 

Review for The Inheritance Games (The Inheritance Games, #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes here.

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"If there was one thing I'd learned about deceased billionaire Tobias Hawthorne, it was that he was capable of orchestrating nearly anything, manipulating nearly anyone. He'd loved puzzles and riddles and games."

After unlocking the final puzzle in the tunnels under the Hawthorne House, Avery has to find the man who might hold the answer to all her questions—including why Tobias Hawthorne left his entire fortune to Avery rather than his daughters or grandsons. After doing a DNA test, Avery confirmed that she's not a Hawthorne by blood, but some clues hint at a deeper connection between her and the Hawthorne family. As the mystery grows, threats are lurking around every corner as adversaries emerge trying to see Avery out of the picture by any means necessary.

"I wanted answers. This wasn't just a mystery that needed solving or another layer to a puzzle. It wasn't a game—not to me. 

Not anymore."

Book Review: Hello by Tere Liye

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BOOK review

Started on: 30 May 2023
Finished on: 3 June 2023

 

Hello by Tere Liye

 

Title: Hello

Author: Tere Liye
Publisher: Sabak Grip

Pages: 320 pages
Year of Publication: 2023
Price: Rp 99,000 (https://www.gramedia.com/)

Rating: 5/5

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"...bagi Ana, rumah tidak pernah semata-mata tentang bangunan fisiknya. Bukan soal ubin, warna cat, genteng, kusen, melainkan emosi, perjalanan spiritual, dan jiwa-jiwa yang terlibat di dalam bangunan itu. Rumah adalah saksi bisu perjalanan manusia. Satu-dua membentuk kisah yang bahagia, satu-dua menyusun cerita yang menyakitkan serta penuh air mata, dan lebih menarik lagi, satu-dua menjadi kisah yang susah didefinisikan masuk kategori mana."

Ana adalah seorang tukang bangunan yang berbakat dan sangat antusias dalam pekerjaannya. Calon proyek barunya adalah merenovasi sebuah rumah tua yang dimiliki oleh keluarga penting di masa lalu. Sebelum memutuskan untuk menerima pekerjaan tersebut, Ana hendak melihat semua bagian rumah tersebut. Sembari menjelajahi ruangan demi ruangan, kliennya menceritakan kenangan masa lalunya saat tinggal di rumah itu. Dari sanalah Ana mulai menelusuri kehidupan orang-orang yang pernah tinggal di sana, dimulai dari kelahiran dua bayi yang lahir nyaris bersamaan dan pasang-surut hubungan mereka yang spesial.

"Jangan terlalu berharap banyak saat membaca kisah ini. Sungguh jangan. Karena ketahuilah, sumber ketidakbahagiaan besar di dunia adalah: berharap—lebih-lebih saat kita berharap terlalu banyak. Ketika hasilnya tidak sesuai, muncullah kecewa. Akan beda jadinya jika kita tidak berharap, apa pun hasilnya, kita tetap baik-baik saja. Apalagi saat akhirnya sangat spesial, kita akan lega sekali."

Book Review: The Underling Purpose by Aranindy

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BOOK review

Started on: 14 May 2023
Finished on: 29 May 2023

 

The Underling Purpose by Aranindy

 

Title: The Underling Purpose

Author: Aranindy
Publisher: Penerbit Clover M&C Kompas Gramedia

Pages: 440 pages
Year of Publication: 2023
Price: Rp 88,000 (www.gramedia.com)

Rating: 3/5

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"Sederhananya, MMT adalah gabungan antara speed dating, working relationship, dan survival show. 6 orang pria dan 6 orang wanita akan dikurung di lantai teratas gedung bertingkat yang dinamakan Mishmash Tower."

Soma TV, stasiun swasta yang terkenal di Indonesia, akan menayangkan sebuah reality show baru bernama Mishmash Tower (MMT). Acara ini mengumpulkan 12 pemain terpilih dan mengurung mereka di lantai teratas sebuah gedung misterius. Mereka kemudian harus bekerja berpasangan dalam menyelesaikan tantangan-tantangan yang ada untuk mencapai lantai dasar. Demi menjadi pemenang dari kompetisi ini, mereka rela mencoba berbagai macam strategi, taktik, dan bahkan mengkhianati pasangan mereka. Siapakah yang akan berhasil menjadi sang juara?