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: 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: 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: 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: 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?

 

Book Review: The Inheritance Games (The Inheritance Games, #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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BOOK review

Started on: 27 March 2023
Finished on: 12 April 2023

 

The Inheritance Games (The Inheritance Games, #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

 

Title: The Inheritance Games (The Inheritance Games, #1)

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Publisher: Little, Brown Books

Pages: 374 pages / 385 pages (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2020
Price: Rp 178,000 (https://www.periplus.com/)

Rating: 3/5

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"I don't think I'm turning anything into a riddle. I don't think I have to. You are a riddle, a puzzle, a game—my grandfather's last."

Avery Grambs plans to survive high school, win a scholarship, and set herself up for a better future. However, Avery's life changes instantly when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves her virtually his entire fortune. The problem is Avery has no idea why—or even who Tobias Hawthorne is. To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into the Hawthorne House filled with secret passages and rooms full of puzzles, riddles, and codes. Unfortunately, the Hawthorne House is occupied by the family members that Tobias Hawthorne dispossessed; including the four Hawthorne grandsons, brilliant boys who grew up with the very expectation that one day they would inherit billions. Grayson, the heir-apparent, is convinced that Avery is a con-woman and he's determined to take her down. While his younger brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather's twisted riddle and a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself to survive.

"Nothing about my life was normal anymore."

Book Review: Lebih Senyap dari Bisikan by Andina Dwifatma

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BOOK review

Started on: 12 March 2023
Finished on: 13 March 2023

 

Lebih Senyap dari Bisikan by Andina Dwifatma

 

Title: Lebih Senyap dari Bisikan

Author: Andina Dwifatma
Publisher: Gramedia Pustaka Utama

Pages: 155 pages
Year of Publication: 2021
Price: Rp 54,000 (https://www.gramedia.com/)

Rating: 3/5

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"Barangkali inilah mengapa aku merasa perjuangan hamil sebagai saat-saat paling sepi dalam hidupku. Rasanya aku sendirian mengejar sesuatu yang tidak pasti."

Setelah menikah selama delapan tahun, Amara dan Baron tidak kunjung dikaruniai seorang anak, yang membuat mereka senantiasa dikepung dengan pertanyaan mengapa mereka belum memiliki momongan. Selama tiga tahun terakhir, usaha keduanya untuk mempunyai bayi menjadi begitu ekstrem. Namun, saat Amara akhirnya dinyatakan positif hamil, persoalan dalam pernikahan mereka tidak usai begitu saja. Konflik demi konflik perlahan hadir di antara keduanya, membuat pernikahan mereka diuji sedemikian rupa sejak kehadiran anak yang selama ini mereka dambakan.

 

Book Review: Hai, Miiko! Vol. 35 by Ono Eriko

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BOOK review

Started on: 7 February 2023
Finished on: 7 February 2023

 

Hai, Miiko! Vol. 35 by Ono Eriko

 

Title: Hai, Miiko! Vol. 35

Author: Ono Eriko
Publisher: m&c!

Pages: 112 pages
Year of Publication: 2023
Price: Rp 45,000 (https://www.gramedia.com/)

Rating: 3/5

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Seperti tahun-tahun sebelumnya, ada satu bacaan wajib yang harus dibaca setahun sekali, yaitu komik Hai, Miiko! karya Ono Eriko. Aku sempat lupa kalau biasanya komik ini rilis di awal tahun karena banyaknya kesibukan di bulan Januari, tapi akhirnya aku bisa membacanya di bulan kedua. Aku yang awalnya semangat untuk mulai membaca jadi agak kaget saat mendapati volume kali ini lebih tipis dari biasanya 😭. Setelah aku cari tahu lebih lanjut, ternyata ada satu cerita (yang terdiri atas 3 bagian) dari komik aslinya yang tidak diterjemahkan ke versi Bahasa Indonesia karena mengandung unsur LGBT di dalamnya. Meskipun aku agak sedih karena jumlah ceritanya yang sedikit (padahal harganya sama 😂), aku tetap penasaran dengan kisah kehidupan Miiko di jilid kali ini 😊.

 

Book Review: Gadis Kretek by Ratih Kumala

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BOOK review

Started on: 29 January 2023
Finished on: 4 February 2023

 

Gadis Kretek by Ratih Kumala

 

Title: Gadis Kretek

Author: Ratih Kumala
Publisher: Gramedia Pustaka Utama

Pages: 288 pages
Year of Publication: 2012
Price: Rp 60,000 (https://www.gramedia.com/)

Rating: 3/5

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"Untuk syarat mengalahkanmu suatu hari nanti, lewat anakmu ini."

Raja, pemilik usaha Kretek Djagad Raja, sedang sekarat. Di saat sedang meregang nyawa, ia memanggil nama seorang perempuan yang bukan istrinya: Jeng Yah. Ketiga anaknya, Lebas, Karim, dan Tegar, seketika bergegas menelusuri pelosok Jawa untuk mencari sosok wanita tersebut sebelum ajal menjemput ayah mereka. Perjalanan mereka bagaikan napak tilas bisnis dan rahasia keluarga. Seorang buruh tua mengungkap asal-usul Kretek Djagad Raja dari puluhan tahun yang lalu hingga menjadi kretek nomor 1 di Indonesia. Terlebih lagi, mereka juga jadi mengetahui kisah cinta ayah mereka dengan Jeng Yah, yang ternyata adalah pemilik kretek lokal yang terkenal pada masanya. Akankah Lebas, Karim, dan Tegar akan berhasil menemukan Jeng Yah seperti yang diharapkan ayahnya?

"Dasiyah memang akrab dengan kretek, dia mengenal kretek dengan baik. Aroma, rasa, tekstur di tangan, tekstur di bibir, lembutnya asap, sensasi ketika asap keluar dari mulut dan hidungnya, dan ketiba-tibaan yang datang membawa ketenganan seusai isapan pertama."

Book Review: The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali

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BOOK review

Started on: 4 January 2023
Finished on: 28 January 2023

The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali

Title: The Stationery Shop

Author: Marjan Kamali

Publisher: Gallery Books

Pages: 312 pages / 322 pages (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2019
Price: Rp 262,000 (https://www.periplus.com/)

Rating: 5/5

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"We do not always get what we want, Roya Khanom. Things do not always work out the way we planned. Those who are young tend to think that life's tragedies and miseries and its bullets will somehow miss them. That they can buoy themselves with naïve hope and energy. They think, wrongly, that somehow youth or desire or even love can outmatch the hand of fate."

Roya is a teenager living in 1953 Tehran amidst the political upheaval of the time. She finds a literary oasis in Mr. Fakhri's stationery shop. In that place, she met Bahman, who has a burning passion for politics and wants to change the world. Within a short time, their romance blossomed in that stationery shop which became their favorite place in all of Tehran. Nearing their wedding day, the two agreed to meet at the town square when violence suddenly erupted—a result of the coup d’etat that forever changed Tehran's future. During all the chaos, Bahman never showed up. Roya desperately tried to contact him but her efforts were fruitless. With a sorrowful heart, she decided to move to a different country and gave up hope of seeing Bahman ever again. More than sixty years later, fate led her back to Bahman and gave her a chance to ask him the question that haunted her for decades.