book review
Not Here to Stay by N.F. Afrina | Book Review
5.02.2025
BLURB: Sarah Amani is a Worldsmith. At eighteen, she accidentally conjured a mythical world she called Lagenda from her mind with the help of a past lover, Malik.
Five years had passed and she was on a straight path to healing and moving on. She made sure nobody could enter Lagenda again and only allowed people to come in as wanderers by giving them petals as tickets. It was her way of ensuring that Lagenda remained hers without destroying it. Just when she thought she could leave her past, she was invited back into the world with a note saying "You know what to do. -M".
She had to go back to Lagenda to make sure the person who sent her the note could not take the world from her. What Amani found is that Lagenda was not as abandoned as she thought it was. Determined to save her world from being exploited and smeared more than how it already is, she sets to burn every door and relic holding the world together. If she cannot keep Lagenda, nobody should. But it seemed that the person who sent her the note had other plans.
Together with her trusty dagger, Misya, her sister, a stubborn historian called Najmi and all the misfits she never dreamed of collaborating with, she would find herself propelling straight to her dark past and beloved world.
Erasers are nice and pretty. But in life, sometimes you have to take a pen and write over the things you want to fix. Just cross out the things you don't like and write a new string of words. There is no time to erase, not enough erasers in the world. No time for perfection in moving on, just action.
Author: N.F. Afrina
Genre: Young Adult, Magical Realism, Fiction
Goodreads rating: 3.87
Pages: 585
Publication: February 22nd 2022 by Whitecoat Group Sdn. Bhd
Goodreads rating: 3.87
Pages: 585
Publication: February 22nd 2022 by Whitecoat Group Sdn. Bhd
Review type: Non-spoilery
review
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I wrote a review right after I finished reading this book on Goodreads at 12.00AM, but it was not well thought out, so here I am rewriting a review for this book because this book was very meaningful for me to not be mentioned in my blog.
This book was a deeply emotional book that centres around the topics of healing, finding your way back to yourself and God, what closure really looks like, forgiveness and letting go. Interestingly, this book is also a magical realism, set in a world with people with knacks, and some even have the ability to create a whole other magical world. And for this book specifically, we have the main character, Amani, who created a world called Lagenda.
First and foremost, despite being a magical realism, this book is a fictional self-help book at its core. With so many touching lines about healing and the way some important topics, such as abuse, relationships and forgiveness with one's self were beautifully written, it was proven that N.F. Afrina has a way with words. There was so much power imbued in the way those important topics were written, but they are also written in metaphors and pretty lines, which enables the book to touch the souls of us readers, but also delicate enough to not break those who can relate to the main character's experiences. For me personally, these topics were well done and are the highlights of this book.
The beauty of this book was also its curse; it was not the plethora of metaphors that became a problem, but the disorganised way they were laid out. It's one thing to have niche writing, and it's one thing to have a disorganised one, to the point that the readers have problems in recognising where we were in the story, and understanding the world and its magic system. Personally, I think it's fine that the author spent so much time inserting metaphors here and there. I agree that those will beautify the book, but at the same time, the world-building felt a little bit abandoned. Whilst the magical part of this book blended so well with the real world, which is applaudable, the details on that magical part was not exactly well-written, which sucks for us fantasy lovers.
Other than that... despite this story being character-driven, the main character herself was not so lovable, not in the I-hate-her-so-much way but I-don't-know-her-well-to-love-her way, as everything was written more in 'told' way than 'shown'. Like, I loved Amani's journey towards healing, but not Amani herself, and it was a bit disappointing that we didn't get to learn more about side characters such as Misya, Najmi and the others. This book was written in Amani's POV with other characters' POVs here and there, but those other characters' POV were written in a very rushed way that made them feel very two-dimensional with no lovable or interesting qualities.
With that being said, if this is the first book out of a series, it is a promising one. Especially after reading the short story at the end, I definitely would buy the sequel. Additionally, having read the A/N saying this book was written when she was 18 explains the way this book was written. I am never going to say poorly written because I could never write a book with emotional depth like this book when I was 18. And this book was already this good without proofreading, are you kidding me? You can definitely see the author's growth in the short story, which is why I am so rooting for her and this world.
Recommended for people who love: magical realism, self-love, empowered women, religious stories
was it worth it reading percy jackson as a grown up?
2.11.2022
BLURB (BOOK 1): Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse - Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him.
When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from and that he go to the one place he'll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea.
Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends—one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena - Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods (Goodreads).
My name is Percy Jackson. I'm twelve years old. Until a few months ago, I was a boarding student at Yancy Academy, a private school for troubled kids in upstate New York. Am I a troubled kid? Yeah. You could say that.
Author: Rick Riordan
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Mythology
Goodreads rating: 4.28
Pages: 377
Publication: 2006 by Disney Hyperion
Source: Book Depository | Amazon | Popular | Google Books
Reading format: Paperback
Review type: Non-spoilery
My Goodreads review (click)
Hi. I never planned on writing a book review for this series because it's already a big name in the book and film industry, with huge followings. But with the TV show coming, I kind of feel the urge to promote the series. I just want more people to read the series because it meant so much to me, and I first read it as an adult too! Just a note, this is only a review of the first series, strictly only Percy Jackson & the Olympians, not including the Heroes of Olympus and the Trials of Apollo. There is a similarity in terms of the writing between this series to the other series, though. So here's my review of the series:
review
Let me begin the review by talking about the writing. It was written in first POV, meaning that we see the story from Percy's eyes. The writing itself was very easy to read and follow, there were no hard terminologies and you can easily read this even if your first language is not English since this series's target audience is middle-grade peeps. There was also no poetic bits, so it made a very easy and quick read. I never tried listening to the audiobooks, but that would actually be a good idea, since the writing was so engaging, as it was told as if Percy is telling a story to us! It made the reading experience even more fun because he was a funny narrator. And if you're only starting to read fantasy books, this book will be good for beginners!
The world-building and the magic system was also very easily understandable. You basically know all the basics within 50 pages of the first book. This series sets in a world where all the Greek mythology thingy was real. Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hercules, name any of them, they did exist in this world. And since this is a middle-grade book, no you don't need to have prior knowledge regarding Greek mythology because you'll learn everything from the series.
Plot-wise, in each book, the story would start with Percy and his friends having a new quest, them finishing said quest and the ending. Every book is an action-packed story with funny commentaries from Percy. And everything was also set in a short time period, which can feel very fast so if you're quickly burned out, I would not recommend binge-reading the books in a week despite how short all the books actually are. My experience binge-reading this was awesome but it was also tiring. There was also a very minimal romantic subplot and it only started on Book 3, I think? The series started when Percy himself was only 12 so that made sense.
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| Sure, the adaptation sucks but these three did such great jobs portraying the characters. If we can age down humans I would've cast them for the TV show. |
I apologise for the fangirling that is about to happen but now, I'm going to talk about the (beloved) characters. In this series, we have three important characters; Percy, the main character, his best friend, Grover and Annabeth, the only reason both Percy and Grover were still alive by the end of the series. I loved all of them. I think that it's not a secret that this series was applauded for its diversity, in that the majority of the characters in this series were with ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and were also dyslexic. I think that there is more diversity in the latest middle-grade books, but it wasn't very common during the time this book was first published. It was a very interesting and new perspective for me when I started reading this book because my reading list wasn't exactly filled with lots of diversity back then.
I'm not ashamed to say that I turned 10 when I started reading this and Percy Jackson became my ultimate comfort character in a heartbeat. I can cry talking about him. He's like a little brother that I'm really rooting for. He's just an overall a very nice kid. He's not perfect but he has a heart of gold. I loved being inside his head because he thought of the funniest things during the most inconvenient times. He's just a very lovable character. And his character development... CHEF'S KISS!
With Percy comes Grover, the ultimate sidekick. If Percy was funny, Grover was the utterly hilarious character. He's supposed to be Percy's guide but he was just as clueless as Percy was. Nonetheless, he was a very persistent character throughout the series. I don't want to say more about him because it will be a spoiler but I just know that everyone that reads the book will definitely love him.
I'm saving the best for the last. Obviously, Annabeth was the 'mom' character. She was the smartest among the three, intelligent, had a wonderful strategic mind. I loved her with my absolute being, her 12-year-old self was even smarter than the 19-year-old me. She also shows great character development; by the end of the series, she was just as courageous and genius as she was at the beginning of the series, but she learned to open up more. And I'm not kidding when I said that THEY WOULD ALL DIE WITHOUT ANNABETH.
So... was it worth it reading the book as a grown-up?
Absolutely yes. I don't think there's an age limit for reading middle-grade books, by the way. Technically, I was just entering my adulthood when I first read this so I really was still a kid at heart, but I've heard a lot of people in their 30s and even 50s reading this series and loving it (read this Reddit thread for more reviews) As for me, when I was reading this book, the whole world was quarantining and I was stuck at home. I only lived through Percy's adventures with his friends. This book became my escape from the repetitive four walls of my room and kept my sanity. Each respective book in the series was also short and it made a quick enjoyable read. The plot wasn't complicated and there were not a lot of frustrating things, so you can expect to just relax by reading this book. Especially if you're a beginner to fantasy, I would recommend picking up middle-grade as a starter, since the writing and story are much easier to read.
For the people who want to introduce this series to their little ones...
If you're asking when, for English users, I would say 8 is fine. Earlier is also fine, if said child is interested. For the kids with lower English proficiency levels, I would say around 10 to 12. But I think, in some countries, there are translated versions of the books. For my fellow Malaysians, if you're interested to introduce this series to a kid, the series does exist in Indonesian. I haven't read that version, but I'm just mentioning it here, in case. The series was written for kids, so there was nothing that shouldn't be read by a child. There were a lot of fighting scenes since this is a series about kids fighting monsters, though.
Just a suggestion, for parents, buy the audiobook. Audiobook CDs are very costly, I know, but this series is something you'll come back to again and again. Trust me. Or use Scribd and listen to them for a cheaper option. There are also public libraries that provide the audiobook, you can check on Libby for that. You can play the audiobook in the car to listen to with your children! I know I would've loved this during road trips as a child.
While we're here... books from Rick Riordan Presents are just as great and more diverse, from own-voice authors!
RICK RIORDAN: Basically, our goal is to publish great books by middle-grade authors from underrepresented cultures and backgrounds, to let them tell their own stories inspired by the mythology and folklore of their own heritage. Over the years, I’ve gotten so many questions from my fans: “Will you ever write about Hindu mythology? What about Native Americans? What about Chinese?” I saw that there was a lot of interest in reading fantasy adventures based on different world mythologies, but I also knew I wasn’t the best person to write them. Much better, I thought, to use my experience and my platform at Disney to put the spotlight on other great writers who are actually from those cultures and know the mythologies better than I do. Let them tell their own stories, and I’ll do whatever I can to help those books find a wide audience (Source).
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern | Book Review
10.25.2021
BLURB: The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.
But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.
True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.
Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart (Goodreads).
The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.
Author: Erin Morgenstern
Genre: Young Adult, Magical Realism, Historical Fiction
Goodreads rating: 4.03
Pages: 490
Publication: September 13th 2011 by Vintage Books, Random House
Goodreads rating: 4.03
Pages: 490
Publication: September 13th 2011 by Vintage Books, Random House
Source: Preloved Carousell
Book links: Book Depository | Amazon | Google Books
Reading format: Paperback
Book links: Book Depository | Amazon | Google Books
Reading format: Paperback
Review type: Non-spoilery
review
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OHHHHHH OH OH THIS BOOK IS SO BEAUTIFUL, THIS IS THE MOST BRILLIANT BOOK I'VE EVER READ, MY FAVOURITE MAGICAL REALISM BOOK EVER, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO READ IT. I'm speechless. I don't know what to say, my brain is gone. What I'm currently feeling is totally indescribable. It's not possible to write a review that does justice for this book.
This book is so hauntingly beautiful and magical in ways that have never been done by all the magics I've read about before. It's a fairytale with a haunting vibe I can never describe. The ending of this story made me feel the way I felt when I watched the final episode of The Haunting of Hill House; those bittersweet and other kinds of feeling. The prose was so beautiful but it didn't confuse me even a bit. I did sometimes get confused when the circus performances were described but none of them was truly un-understandable. Everything was magic in this book that I want to go to Le Cirque des Rêves just to witness the magic happen with my own eyes.
I was truly scared that I wasn't going to like this book at first-, because I felt like the first 100 pages were a bit slow-paced. However, as I was reading the book, I saw that the slow pace was needed for the world-building, in order to truly suck the readers into the story as it proceeded. I grew to not mind the pacing so much because the writing was so beautiful and I was so sucked in that it felt like I was dreaming as I watch these things happen in the book.
The finest of pleasures are always the unexpected ones.
The characters were, needless to say, the most wonderful characters. Despite this book being not exactly character-driven (but compared to plot-driven, it's more character-driven), which is usually the main reason I like a book, all of the characters still find their way to be glued to my heart. I love all of them. They are all magical beings to me. Although there were so many characters, I wasn't confused with who's who at all, since each of the characters was characterized with unique qualities, so they were really easily distinguished. But the main character wasn't one of the characters, but the circus itself. Like I said, the story was magical and it was mainly because of how full of life the circus was (which is a weird thing to say about inanimate stuff). It captivated me and left me with this longing of wanting to be one of the lucky people who get to visit the place.
You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone's soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows what they might do because of it, because of your words.
I won't recommend this book to people who want a fast-paced read but I will recommend it to people who want to be captivated by beautiful prose with a detailed narrative, whimsical stories, who wants a dreamy read, fantastic world-building and a book that touches your soul.
Misfit in Love by S.K. Ali | Book Review
9.01.2021
BLURB: Janna Yusuf is so excited for the weekend: her brother Muhammad’s getting married, and she’s reuniting with her mom, whom she’s missed the whole summer.
And Nuah’s arriving for the weekend too. Sweet, constant Nuah. The last time she saw him, Janna wasn’t ready to reciprocate his feelings for her. But things are different now. She’s finished high school, ready for college…and ready for Nuah.
It’s time for Janna’s (carefully planned) summer of love to begin—starting right at the wedding.
But it wouldn’t be a wedding if everything went according to plan. Muhammad’s party choices aren’t in line with his fiancée’s taste at all, Janna’s dad is acting strange, and her mom is spending more time with an old friend (and maybe love interest?) than Janna. And Nuah’s treating her differently.
Just when things couldn’t get more complicated, two newcomers—the dreamy Haytham and brooding Layth—have Janna more confused than ever about what her misfit heart really wants.
Janna’s summer of love is turning out to be super crowded and painfully unpredictable (Goodreads).
Throughout our lives, pain visits us in turns. There isn't a human alive that hasn't been touched by pain. We all carry scars and wounds, but only some rise to the surface to be seen and commented on. Simply put, the story of pain is common to us all.
Author: S.K. Ali
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance
Goodreads rating: 4.00
Pages: 301
Publication: 2021 by Simon & Schuster
Goodreads rating: 4.00
Pages: 301
Publication: 2021 by Simon & Schuster
Review type: Non-spoilery
review
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I should just say that S.K. Ali is one of my favourite authors by now. She always manages to craft a lighthearted, fun story with some important discussions in her book and I will always love her for that. This is a sequel to her debut, Saints and Misfits which was one of my favourite books of all time. In this book, we enter Janna's story again; her brother, Muhammad is finally getting married and she might start her own love story after all! Compared to the first book, the topics in this book were much lighter and the vibe was much more fun. I highly anticipated this one, not just because I loved the first book but also because this sets around a wedding, AND I LOVE BOOKS ABOUT WEDDING because with weddings come chaotic fun and huge familial themes that will make me smile and laugh, and we've established that I love me some good laughings.
Let there be all kinds of love. And taking first steps. And changing my world.
Yes, romance is one of the subgenres of this book. Yes, it revolves around love. But it's so much more than that (which is always the case with S.K. Ali's books). I thought it was only going to be another cute halal romance as I saw in her second book, Love From A to Z. I would not say that this is a romantic book per se, but relationships and love were discussed, and in a much deeper way than I expected. We follow Janna as she tried to start 'something' with Nuah, which has been one of her closest friends and also gets to know dreamy Haytham and brooding Layth. Sounds like a love triangle drama, but I promise you, it wasn't. But there were a lot of other dramas, mainly familial, which was everything I wanted (seem diabolical but I WASN'T, OKAY).
Besides the drama in Janna's love life, she was also dealing with her mother finding love after divorce and her father's prejudice towards Nuah. This book also discusses racism, eurocentrism, prejudice across cultures in the Muslim community, which I don't personally see a lot.
I was a Nuah-Janna shipper since book 1, so it was so disheartening when I saw that ship slowly dissolve in this book. But it was also fun getting to know Layth and Haytham; at one point, I wasn't sure who I shipped Janna with😂 The Janna's love life plotline was very well-crafted, in my opinion. Some people argued that young teens that read this might get more confused about love while reading this, but I think that's the whole point. LOVE IS CONFUSING, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE A TEENAGER. You won't know what you want from the get-go. You might think you like someone, and then question your feelings for them after getting to know someone else. You might like someone and thought they also share the same feeling for you but you did not end up together. Love, lust, admiration are interchangeable especially in the teenage phase of one's life, and in Janna's case, she reached the perfect conclusion, which is summed up in the quote below:
But, I ask my stupid heart, do you actually like him in that way?No, I don't, my stupid heart answers. He's cute but we're on different wavelengths.Then why make a narrative, a love story, a world in your head? If your heart isn't officially ready to participate in one in real life?
I can relate, Janna, I can relate. And I'm sure a lot of teenagers and young adults can too. Why force a love story just for the sake of having a love story, if you're not actually ready?
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| NGL I had a little epiphany moment when I was reading those lines. |
As mentioned above, the discussion of prejudice across cultures in the Muslim community was constantly shown in the book. The most apparent one was, of course, the prejudice of one of Janna's family members towards her love interest, Nuah, which was a Black Muslim. The root of the prejudice across cultures, how common it actually is, the way people avoid the discussion of racism when it is done by the closest ones were discussed and described very nicely from conversations between Janna and Nuah, another separate discussion with her mom, and discussions with the other characters. It makes me think whether I can see a similar pattern happening in my own culture (yes it does, and I have to learn more about this to stop being blind).
To sum it up, I love this book so much, as much as I loved the first one although this one was much more fun for me due to the wedding setting. I cried a few times, laughed a lot, felt very seen, loved the ending and everything. I would give every star in the world to this book if I could.
Recommended for people who love: a story set around a wedding, self-discovery of a teenager trying to find love, accurate Muslim representation, a diverse set of characters with diverse representations of Muslims, heavy familiar theme and loveable characters.
Puteri Bunian Bulan oleh Aliff Mustafa | Ulasan Buku
11.07.2020
BLURB: Alam raya ini bakal menyaksikan perubahan keramat menjelang era pengakhiran akhir zaman. Maka satu per satu khalifah di Nusantara pun mula dibangkitkan. Bukan di alam nyata sahaja, malah di dunia sebelah sana juga.
Ini ialah kisah kelahiran seorang puteri yang suatu hari nanti bakal mengubah status hierarki beraja di seluruh alam. Lahirnya di sebuah pulau dari Pantai Timur Malaysia.
Ini juga kisah seorang putera yang sangat sayangkan maruah umat manusia sehingga sanggup menghancurkan segala-gala dengan bara apinya.
Dua manusia berdarah istimewa ini akan melaga keazaman mereka, kepercayaan mereka, tekad dan raksa kersani mereka demi satu matlamat agung untuk membebaskan tanah kelahiran mereka dari terus jahil di dalam permainan syaitan. Kesudahannya akan membuka mata semua makhluk bernyawa. Mereka ialah bukti hidup yang segala-galanya ada di sekeliling kita!
Kita masih manusia kerana kita mengharungi ujian. Manusia yang hidup tanpa ujian sama sahaja seperti mati, hati tidak akan terasah untuk menghargai. Apabila kita kehilangan sesuatu, kita akan sedar yang kita sayangkan sesuatu tu lebih daripada apa yang kita pernah tahu. Tapi untuk kau, dan juga aku, yang sudah lahir ke dunia ini bersama dengan tanggungjawab untuk menjaga Laila, harus lebih daripada itu. Kita ada amanah, dan kita sanggup mati kerananya.
Penulis: Aliff Mustafa
Genre: Fantasi, Mitologi Melayu
Rating Goodreads: 4.00
Pages: 401
Penerbitan: 2020 oleh Mahakarya (Imprin Patriots Publishing)
Sumber: Shopee
Format pembacaan: Paperback
Jenis Reviu: Tanpa spoiler
ulasan
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This review was long due, aku habis baca buku ni dalam dua minggu lepas tapi balik-balik tangguh taip reviu buku dan hujungnya, dek kesibukan awal semester, hari ini baru dapat aku ada motivasi dan masa sikit untuk post reviu ini. Sedikit disclaimer, ini reviu buku pertama aku tulis dalam Bahasa Melayu dan post di blog, jadi kalau bunyi janggal sikit, faham-fahamlah ya hehe.
Puteri Bunian Bulan mengisahkan seorang remaja perempuan, Laila Dahlia yang kehidupannya berubah 360 darjah pada malam ulang tahunnya yang ke-17. Buat pertama kalinya, Laila bertemu dengan makhluk ghaib selain hantu, yang mendedahkan kebenaran tentang identiti Laila dan kewujudan kerajaan ghaib yang ada kaitan dengan identiti Laila. Trope ni biasa nampak dalam novel-novel fantasi macam Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, basically majoriti novel fantasi yang aku pernah baca dan penggunaan trope ni dalam Puteri Bunian Bulan tidak kurang hebatnya dengan novel-novel fantasi Bahasa Inggeris yang aku pernah baca. Tambahan lagi sebab cerita ni berkisar tentang cerita mitologi Melayu dan aku sendiri membesar dengan cerita-cerita rakyat yang lebih kurang dengan tema buku ni, rasa macam lebih real dan dekat dengan diri aku sendiri haha. Yang lebih menarik, disebabkan latar masa untuk cerita ni. Bayangkan prosa tradisional yang biasa kita baca dalam KOMSAS Bahasa Melayu dulu-dulu tapi dalam dunia moden. A modern take of Malay traditional prose. Disebabkan aku masih kurang baca novel fantasi Melayu, ini ialah benda baru bagi aku jadi aku rasa cerita ni sangat unik dan menarik.
Gaya bahasa dan olahan cerita oleh penulis tip top. Cerita-cerita tentang makhluk ghaib di Alam Melayu selalunya ditulis dengan gaya naratif macam dalam prosa tradisional yang agak sukar untuk difahami dan perlukan masa dan fokus lebih untuk fahamkan ceritanya dan kenal satu-satu watak yang ada. Tapi, dalam Puteri Bunian Bulan, meskipun gaya penceritaannya bukanlah santai macam novel kontemporari yang selalu aku baca, tetap mudah difahami. Dan yang paling aku suka, mudah faham dan keindahan bahasa masih terserlah dalam penulisan. Teknik penceritaan buat aku tak boleh berhenti membaca dan cerita ni juga penuh dengan aksi, membuatkan aku dapat habiskan lebih separuh buku ini dalam masa sehari. World-building dan sistem magisnya pun mudah difahami, tak pening. Kesalahan tatabahasa dan ejaan yang aku dapat tangkap pun hanya sikit, itu pun bahagian belakang-belakang dan bukan kesalahan major. Aku boleh terima kesalahan sikit-sikit sebab faham yang syarikat yang menerbitkan buku ni bukan syarikat penerbitan yang besar. Malah patut dipuji sebab dengan syarikat kecil pun dapat terbitkan buku berkualiti macam ni, story, editing and writing-wise.
Dan sekarang sampai ke bahagian yang aku paling suka untuk tulis dalam semua reviu aku; tentang watak-watak buku ni. Watak utama buku ni ada dua, Laila Dahlia dan Putera Andika dan bagi aku, both of them are solid main characters. Laila is hands down, salah satu watak utama perempuan yang paling aku suka in my history of reading. Dia sangat bijak merancang strategi dan tak buat keputusan terburu-buru dalam situasi genting, dan ciri-ciri ni hanya kadang-kadang aku nampak dalam watak utama seumur Dahlia (I'm looking at you, Clary Fray). Dia juga ialah seorang yang amat baik, tinggi kepemimpinannya dan penyayang. Putera Andika, watak utama yang kedua, juga sama hebatnya dengan Laila. Walaupun dia lebih agresif dan bertindak lebih teburu-buru berbanding Laila dan nampak macam watak antagonis dalam buku ni, setelah mengenal sisi lain Andika, barulah nampak yang rupanya dia juga salah satu watak protagonis. Andika ada visinya yang tersendiri dan semangatnya untuk mencapai visi tersebut amatlah tinggi. Dia sanggup lakukan apa sahaja untuk capai visi tersebut dan jika Andika ialah watak jahat sebenar dalam cerita ni, dia patut digeruni. Dinamik Laila dan Andika amat menarik, tapi aku tak rasa dan nampak sangat interaksi antara mereka berdua. Chemistry itu sudah ada, it just need to be explored more. Aku ship Laila dan Andika tapi aku tak tahu nak ship both of them as a possible couple or friends haha. But I know that I'm rooting for them as co-leaders! Dengan sikap penyayang Laila dan tekad Andika, they can totally kick their enemies' butt.
 |
| That Laila and Andika's fight scene reminded me to one of the fight scenes in Mr & Mrs Smith |
Watak-watak sampingan juga solid. Tema kekeluargaan, persahabatan dan percintaan semuanya ada tapi yang paling jelas aku nampak ialah tema persahabatan. Persahabatan antara Salmi dan Laila yang ternyata ada kisah di sebaliknya, persahabatan antara Laila dan Elfa, Laila dan Izma, semuanya ada keunikan sendiri dan aku teruja untuk lihat perkembangannya di novel sekuel.
Another bonus point for this book for how well the relationship between the fantasy element and religious element is done. Elemen fantasi dan keagamaan selalu diasingkan dalam cerita-cerita fantasi Barat sebab lebih selamat untuk tak kaitkan agama langsung dalam cerita fantasi, dan aku selalu tertanya-tanya macam mana pula dengan novel fantasi Melayu, sebab umum sedia maklum yang agama sememangnya sukar dipisahkan daripada mana-mana cerita Melayu, apa lagi cerita-cerita tentang makhluk ghaib. Jika diasingkan, akan terasa sangat ganjil tapi untuk kaitkan juga susah sebab isu agama sangat sensitif dan jika ada satu perkataan yang salah, satu buku boleh salah terus. Tapi buku ni menjawab persoalan aku dengan sangat baik sebab elemen fantasi dan keagamaan digabungkan dengan sangat baik dan tak bercanggah dengan apa yang aku tahu. Novel ni tetap fantasi yang sudah pastinya tak boleh percaya macam benda ni ialah nyata, tapi elemen agama digunakan dengan sangat baik.
Tabik dan tahniah kepada penulis dan semua yang terlibat, berjaya menghasilkan penulisan dan cerita yang unik, menarik dan berkualiti. Tak sabar untuk baca novel seterusnya!
3 months long hiatus reading update
9.05.2020
My first catch-up post would, of course, be my reading update. With the number of bookish posts I posted for the last few months, I may as well turn my lifestyle blog into a book blog. Nah I'm not gonna have a fixed niche, that would be too much pressure on my lol. It was an undoubtedly three slow reading months because of all the assignments and exams and classes we needed to cover but I managed to read 7 books, which are better than zero! I also managed to complete my Goodreads reading challenge (40 books this year) which is an accomplishment I look forward to each year. I actually thought of increasing my reading challenge to 50 books but since my semester starting again in October, I want to read books with no pressure at all with this one remaining month.
the 7 books I managed to finish during my hiatus:
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Remarks: After my medium feeling about My Plain Jane, I didn't have a high expectation for this one. In fact, I accepted the fact that My Lady Jane would be my favourite book out of the three because I know that the era that My Lady Jane sets in is my favourite era. So, the fact that I liked My Calamity Jane was actually surprising to me and I'm delighted that it surprised me!
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Remarks: Just like her previous book, this book was unapologetically Malaysian and it was really nice to see a Malaysian representation in Middle-Grade. It is a story about a girl who's only friend was a pelesit (a kind of ghost in Malay mythology) that she inherited from her witch grandmother and made a haunting read that gave me chills the whole time I was reading it. Accompanied by the author's beautiful writing and friendship as the main theme, this was a very heartwarming read for me. If you're interested in knowing more, here's my review of this book.
The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐|⭐⭐⭐⭐|⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Remarks: If last year was my Cassandra Clare year in terms of my bookish year, this year is definitely Rick Riordan's. After finishing Percy Jackson & the Olympian and Heroes of Olympus series, I just couldn't get enough of his stories in my system. I tried starting Trials of Apollo but I was tired of reading about Greek Mythology (watching Greek gods screw up, again and again, does get tiring after ten books) so I opted for The Kane Chronicles and guys, it was a very enjoyable read. I grow up reading stories of pharaohs so it was really interesting to see how Riordan make those stories his own.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Remarks: I was trying to diversify my read and this was the first book that came up in my recs and so without reading the synopsis and just looking at the author's name, I decided to read this book. IT WAS NOT WHAT I EXPECTED. It was about a woman who sought validation through intimate relationships and the premise seemed very promising at first. I wanted to see how her character grows past that and to be honest, the ending didn't achieve what I wanted to see. It felt like the author had so many messages to include in this book but couldn't express everything she wanted with words (?).
My rating: ⭐⭐
Remarks: I was sent a digital review copy by the publisher a few years ago and I wasn't planning to read this book ever because I read the first one and the story wasn't for me. I love the world, I mean come on, multiple types of shapeshifters living in a town? That is an amazing idea. However, the story focused too much on the romance and the romance was so physical and too much alpha male-ish which isn't the type of romance that I like. I only read this one because I'm planning to finish all the eARCs I ever got lol.
books I'm currently reading:
Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak
Progress (by September 1st 2020): 39%
Remarks: I'll be honest, I was expecting something The Book Thief-ish when I bought this book. Everyone kept saying that this book is disappointing but I'm stubborn and was curious to see what I think about this book. The first few 100 pages were boring, I admit. It gets better when you get to page 150 or so, at least for me it did. Penelope Dunbar's chapters were definitely my favourite, seeing those are the one with historical fiction elements.
Gantung by Nadia Khan
Progress (by September 1st 2020): 26%
Remarks: I seriously need to finish this book, I believe the last time I continued reading this was in May. I keep putting off to continue my read because the ghosts are creepy and I'm a chicken. This book was a real hype during my secondary school years and it deserves all the hype it gets. Even 26% in, I can see why everyone says it's good. It's so different compared to all other Malay books I read.
The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan
Progress (by September 1st 2020): 30%
Remarks: It's so fun seeing Apollo panicking because he's a mortal (maybe) now. Greek gods are annoying and it's nice to see one of them in a vulnerable state. I would love to see Zeus cursed into being a mortal or something because he's the most annoying but seeing Apollo that way is good enough.
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Progress (by September 1st 2020): 66%
Remarks: By the time this post is up on the blog, I'm most probably going to be finished with this book already. It's nice to reread and see all the Easter eggs that are so obvious but I missed before and most of all, it's really nice to see the characters that I love so much after so long. I'm rereading this before continuing with Call Down the Hawk because I feel obligated to do so hahaha but I'm actually really invested with the story because I forgot like 30% of the story already.
reading plan for September:
○Finish a few more ARCs. I won't specify which books I want to because every time I list my TBR, I ended up reading the book like 2 years later due to my unknown internal issue.
○Finish rereading The Raven Cycle and start reading Call Down the Hawk.
○Finish all the books in my currently reading list on Goodreads.
○Get to 50 books (?).
How about you guys? Do you mind sharing your reading plan or TBR for September?
The Girl and the Ghost by Hanna Alkaf | eARC Review
9.04.2020
BLURB: I am a dark spirit, the ghost announced grandly. I am your inheritance, your grandmother’s legacy. I am yours to command.
Suraya is delighted when her witch grandmother gifts her a pelesit. She names her ghostly companion Pink, and the two quickly become inseparable.
But Suraya doesn’t know that pelesits have a dark side—and when Pink’s shadows threaten to consume them both, they must find enough light to survive . . . before they are both lost to the darkness (Goodreads).
Suraya is delighted when her witch grandmother gifts her a pelesit. She names her ghostly companion Pink, and the two quickly become inseparable.
But Suraya doesn’t know that pelesits have a dark side—and when Pink’s shadows threaten to consume them both, they must find enough light to survive . . . before they are both lost to the darkness (Goodreads).
I am a dark spirit, the ghost announced grandly. I am your inheritance, your grandmother’s legacy. I am yours to command.
Author: Hanna Alkaf
Genre: Middle Grade, Paranormal, Horror
Goodreads rating: 4.38
Pages: 288
Publication: August 4th 2020 by HarperCollins
Source: Edelweiss
Reading Format: Kindle
Standalone/Series: Standalone
Get this book at: Book Depository | Amazon | Kinokuniya | mphonline | Google Books
Review type: Non-spoilery
Review type: Non-spoilery
review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Happy 1 Month to this book! Thank you to Hanna Alkaf and Edelweiss for sending me a digital review copy. I actually pre-ordered the paperback version from Book Depository but it usually takes a month or more for the parcel to arrive at my address and I was really anticipating this book so when the author opened a Google Form for eARC request, I couldn't help but submit a request. I got the digital copy about 4 days after my request but due to the exams and assignments that were piled up that day, I decided to delay my read. Besides, I wanted to be able to focus on this book and this book only when I read it because I knew it would be a very enjoyable read.
With that said, The Girl and the Ghost were more than just an enjoyable read. THAT ENDING THAT ENDING THAT ENDING. Was I the only person who didn't anticipate that ending? Am I that oblivious? Well if I am, thank God I'm oblivious because that ending was very impactful for me. The heartbreak, the bittersweet feeling; you would never think a middle-grade book could affect you that way. This would've been my favourite book if I read it as a child.
As a Malaysian myself, I had no trouble imagining Suraya's world. In fact, the story sounded too real for me that it literally crept me up. I had chills the whole time I was reading it. I kept thinking about all those Malay horror movies I watched before. At first, I thought that the theme of this book was too dark for a child to read but then I think about how the first Harry Potter book was just as dark and if that was okay then this book would be more than okay for middle-grade children to read. Worry not, it wasn't dark for like the whole book, it wasn't scary the whole time, there were some funny moments, warm moments, sad moments. It would be quite monotonous if it's just scary the whole time. This story was full of life despite its dark theme, very engaging and I couldn't take my eyes off my screen.
With friendship being the key theme of this book, it brings the reader along through a journey of friendship between Suraya and Pink, a pelesit that Suraya inherited from her grandmother. Pink was Suraya's only friend since she was 5 and everything went okay between them until one day when Suraya befriend Jing Wei. Pink was not her only friend anymore and that sparked a fit of jealousy, which significantly affected their friendship. This book shows love, jealousy and forgiveness between two friends. I was also obsessed with Suraya and Jing Wei's friendship. I love how pure their friendship was, I love how they not just tolerated but also believed each others' stories and went through great lengths to support each other.
But when she looked back on the moment she met Jing Wei, she would say that, much like the little boy made of wood, this was the moment that she felt like she became real.
With only 288 pages, I got a lot of important messages from this book. It's magical that a book this short can contain a story with a fantastic plot, characters with great character development and also such important messages. If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would. Although my review is way past the due date, it can't be said how thankful I am that I was given the chance to have an eARC of this book.
Recommended for people who love: Malay mythology/superstition, a girl who's a friend with ghost, horror stories, a beautiful friendship
about the author
Ever since graduating with a degree in journalism from Northwestern University, Hanna Alkaf has worked as a copywriter in online B2B marketing, a senior writer at a major fashion & lifestyle magazine, and a communications manager at a non-profit organization in education. She’s written everything from profiles to press releases, from corporate annual reports to long-form investigative features, from social media posts to email newsletters, and her work has appeared in the Malaysian iterations of Marie Claire, Esquire, Shape, Female, Her World, and more.
Hanna has lived in Malaysia her entire life except for the six years she spent studying and working in and near Chicago. She currently lives near Kuala Lumpur with her husband and two children, and attempts to write books while juggling her never-ending to-do list (this works on some days better than others).
Her critically-acclaimed debut Young Adult novel, THE WEIGHT OF OUR SKY, was published in February 2019 by Salaam Reads, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. Her debut Middle Grade novel, THE GIRL & THE GHOST, was published by HarperCollins in August 2020, and she is also part of the MG anthology ONCE UPON AN EID. Her next novel is the YA murder mystery QUEEN OF THE TILES, set at a Scrabble tournament in Malaysia (Hanna Alkaf's website). Photo by Lim Eng Lee.
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