Mirror, Mirror on the Wall…, a novel by Poppy D. Chusfani

Karin feels plain of herself. Even too plain comparing to beautiful and clever sister. Her aspiration becoming a soprano and her dream to get the coolest guy at school’s attention, Andre seem never done because she’s to shy to do anything. Until one day come unexpected helps,like a gift from her ancestor.

Karin faces two choices: listening to people who love her but can’t help her, or let herself be guided to success to top of the world by uncontrollable power. Power which suppose to be Kesultanan’s dark secret since hundreds of years ago.

Old story with new costume. Magic mirror of Kesultanan Banten. One of Poppy’s good book. The main character here has two guards, I think one is angel and the other is devil. Those two guards formed in tigresses.

It’s an ordinary teenager story. Bullied high school girl likes the coolest guy at school, become a star because of her magic mirror then that guy likes her in the end but unfortunately she rejects him (I think she choose her Netherland bestfriend).

Because of the common things inside, the story is good. I can’t write ordinary story like this. I always think the most complicated or weird plots and never finish it. No matter how hard I’m thinking, I can’t find simple and probably-happen-in-your-lives plot. Maybe one day, that idea will show itself before my eyes (my brain, actually).

Perfect Strangers, a novel by Robyn Sisman

Can you fall in love with someone you've never met?

Suze Wilding is impetuous, impatient and NEVER wants to get married.

Lloyd Rockwell is complicated, cautious and contemplating marriage to the eminently suitable Betsy.

Although Lloyd and Suze both work for the same company, their lives are worlds apart - three thousand, four hundred and forty miles apart, in fact. But when they job swap and apartment swap for six weeks and Suze discovers that Lloyd's power-suited deputy, Sheri, is plotting to get rid of him, the two begin communicating long-distance and fate steps in to take a hand ...

A novel that is utterly romantic, laugh-out-loud funny and achingly true.

It’s quite interesting reading story like this. Usually, the themes are around a guy and a woman met in the beginning of the book, had relationship or already had then there are problems with them. But this is… I can say out of the box: a guy and a woman being friends without knowing each other’s face. They never met until the very last time and they realized they loved each other at the few last pages of the book.

Can it really happen? I mean, can we love someone whom we never met? We only hear his voice from the phone, listen to her sadness being dumped by her damned boyfriend and see his/her photos. Suze and Lloyd surely can. That’s one of the mystery of love.

Sisman wrote two different cultures in one book, (East) American and British. She described the differences between London and New York: the streets, the houses, the downtowns. Even the characteristics of two strangers like heaven and earth. One is very organize, neat and love the aristocracy of England. One is spontaneous, messy and brave.

It’s a good book. But a little too thick, I think.

Love unites them without plan. Just listening to the voice, noticing the furnitures inside the house knowing the ordinary things h/she does. They felt they’ve known each other. How sweet…

Bookends, a novel by Jane Green

Catherine Warner and Simon Nelson are best friends: total opposites, always together, and both unlucky in love. Cath is scatterbrained, messy, and -- since she had her heart broken a few years back -- emotionally closed off. Si is impossibly tidy, bitchy, and desperate for a man of his own. They live in London's West Hampstead along with their lifelong friends, Josh and Lucy, who are happily married with a devil-spawn child and a terrifying Swedish nanny, Ingrid.

All's well (sort of) until the sudden arrival of a college friend -- the stunningly beautiful Portia, who's known for breaking hearts. Though they've grown up and grown apart from Portia, the four friends welcome her back into the fold. But does Portia have a hidden agenda or is she merely looking to reconnect with old friends? Her reappearance soon unleashes a rollicking series of events that tests the foursome's friendships to the limit and leaves them wondering if a happy ending is in store.

Fortunately, Cath has plenty to take her mind off Portia's schemes -- like her gutsy decision to leave her job in advertising to fulfill her dream of opening a bookstore. And then there's James, the sexy real-estate agent who keeps dropping by even after the bookstore deal is done. With his irresistible smile and boyish charm could he be the one to melt Cath's heart?

Friendship. That’s the main point in the book.

I’m touched reading the relations of the characters. They are bound to each other even after ten years and one of them is married. Green draws this beautifully. As if nothing can compare to their relations, even family.

Through this book, I know HIV/AIDS more than before. The therapy, the communities, the difference betwee HIV and AIDS (most people think they’re same). They are bound to each other too.

One thing made me annoyed is too much tv series I don’t know. Cath and her friends compare themselves to the characters in tv series. I can’t catch the irony or the insulting in the dialogs because I don’t get it. I can’t smile or laugh.

I like Josh (from the middle of the book; not in the beginning when he was 20’s). He reminds me of Luke Brandon (from Shopaholic series). He didn’t know anything his friends think he did. Cath and Si think Josh has affair, not one but two affairs! First with Portia, then with Ingrid. And guess what! Portia and Ingrid are lesbian couple. I’m shocked because Green wrote it in the end of the book before Si’s confession. Weuw!

Alex's Wish, a novel by Elcy Anastasia

Subject: Federic Sawa a.k.a Eric. Born as Prince of Darkness, the heir of Devil Kingdom, Malvera's throne. Caught in the act doing the biggest sin for devil: doing the good thing. Punished coming to the earth. His duty is getting a teenage girl's life with her own intention.

Target: Alexandra Alfarez, people call her Alex, 15 years old. Her hobby is riding her sport motorcycle and join illegal racing. Frustrating with her sucking life. She doesn't has father and makes her mother cross everyday. At school, nobody sees her important, including her love, Kian.

Situation: Alex being persuaded by Eric to sign her death contract, with three wishes successfully. But there is one small problem Eric doesn't see. One problem affects to his mission. Problem which can cancel the death contract and make Alex gets her life back.

It's a good story. The morals are very common in our life, but it doesn't feel teaching us do this, do that OR don't do this, don't do that. It comes in smooth way. I like the ending. Eric becomes real angel as her parents, with white stuffs all around him.

I guess this is Elcy's first novel (sorry if it doesn't). The writing and the language seem like that. My novel is like that, too. I still can't write in good flow so reader can read it comfortably. So don't worry, we are the same. I call myself as amateur writer.

The Saga of Darren Shan: Lord of the Shadows & Sons of Destiny, novels by Darren Shan

Perfecto!

It’s the best ending for time travel things. It’s true that you’re better don’t change the past to effect the future. In other books, it said that if you change the past, you will change the future. If you don’t look what you will do and be careful, you will be the cause your parents didn’t meet and there weren’t you in the future.

It’s different in these two last Darren Shan saga books. You can change the past but the future will always happen as the destiny said. For example, you kill Adolf Hitler to avoid World War II, but there will be another Adolf Hitler to trigger the war. Same event with different person.

In Darren Shan’s case, he is modified to be one of Mr. Tiny’s dwarf (what’s it called in here?) and got back to his past. He gave his own diary to Mr. Tall so the tall man can give it to adult Darren Shan in the past. Darren hoped that diary will give other effect of his future although the destruction of mankind will still last.

It’s cool enough, huh?

I prefer book 12 than book 11. Darren looked cool when he chose his future: made Steve killed him then with his last effort, took Steve with him drawn in the river. He sacrificed himself to avoid Steve or him became Lord of Shadows who will terrorize the world. Of course, Mr. Tiny got big angry. I can’t imagine how Mister-always-smile-and have-high-confidence-of-himself-in-taking-control was angry. Maybe his face reddened, smoke came from his head, his glass broken or he crumpled his heart-shaped pocket watch incidentally. Ha-ha-ha…

Darren Shan: The Lake of Souls, a novel by Darren Shan

Darren and Harkat face monstrous obstacles on their desperate quest to the Lake of Souls. Will they survive the savage journey? And what awaits them in the murky waters of the dead? Be careful what you fish for...

Shocking! I couldn’t say a word when I knew Harkat Mulds is, – was – the vampire traitor *spoiler alert* Kurda Smahlt. If Harkat is Kurda, how could Harkat and Kurda be together in the same place and time? I was confused, too, as Darren and Harkat himself as well. Then mister-everything-in-the-world-is-my-business, play-with-human’s-fate Desmond Tiny said he traveled to the future and brounght Kurda’s soul to the past to get redemption.

This was time travel thing. I can’t never understand novel or film that have time traveling – time warps or whatever you call them – thing. When we read – watch – something connecting with TIME, it’s God’s job. I can’t solve the mysteries of someone from present time (who has duty, e.g to save the world from extinction) appear in the past, saw his/her ancestor then ran away from the bad guys. Besides, h/she can change the past accidentally. It’s thrilling if it really can happen. I’m always thinking about it when and after I read/watch time travel novel/film.

I’m almost at the end of Darren Shan’s adventure. It’s the 10^th book. Two more and I know the whole story. I think the end is simple: Darren and his vampire clan win from the neverending battle with vampaneze. But what’s between them? That’s interesting thing I must read.

Darren, wait for me in the next two books!

The Bookaholic Club, a novel by Poppy D. Chusfani

Des is a witch. Tori is a nervy and nerd. Chira can see ghosts. Erin is extraordinary beautiful and popular. This four teenage girls who is seemingly different, have common thing: feeling isolated and love books. Accidentally, they become friends.

Accidentally? That’s what they thought. There is someone has a plan meeting them for duty them must face. Terrible duty that will bring them to life-or-death situation, nightmare-become-reality. Four of them who call themselves The Bookaholic Club, will do something far dangerous than disccussed a book.

Four main characters, four point of views in sequential plots. It’s told in turn based story. This book has socialite setting: party, having fun, sports car, sophisticated gadgets, high class designed fashions. Phiuh, I feel tired only reading these behaviors.

Bellin and Andes tricked me. Bellin is the new guy in school. Handsome like a god (except his black hair), rich, basketball player so I like him. But, TA-DA! He is the Shadow’s assistant. And the worse is, Andes, the transexual cheerleader coach is the Shadow himself!

Poppy wrote four characters that different in ever way except books. The four of them like books very much. They visit an ancient book store in chinatown. I don’t even know there is one in Indonesia (or the story is not in Indonesia?) Poppy didn’t tell where the setting is. Just like me. I don’t fond telling the city that the story takes place. I prefer the readers imagine that for themselves.

Betsy and the Emperor, a novel by Staton Rabin

Fourteen-year-old English girl Betsy Balcombe and her family have an unusual houseguest: Napoleon Bonaparte, former emperor of France and the most feared man on earth. Once lord and master to eighty-two million souls, now, in 1815, Napoleon is a captive of the British people. Stripped of his empire and robbed of his young family and freedom, he is confined to the forbidding, rat-infested island of St. Helena. The one bright star in Napoleon's black sky is Betsy, a blazingly rebellious teenager whose family is reluctantly housing the notorious prisoner. Betsy is the only foreigner Napoleon's ever met who is not impressed by him -- and Napoleon is more than intrigued. An unexpected alliance is formed. And a remarkable friendship between emperor and girl spawns gossip, and inspires Betsy to hatch a daring and dangerous scheme that could threaten both their lives and shake entire empires to their foundations.

A different teenlit from the other, full of adventure, history and happiness-sadness in teenage life. it’s guaranteed, this book can make you laugh and cry at the same time!

It’s semi historical novel about Napoleon Bonaparte’ exile in St. Helena. I always think Bonaparte is egoistic-mad-dictator-eccentric-and-love-war-very-much person. He was, indeed, but behind all these, he brought a lot of good aspects of life: science (Rosetta stone, Napoleon Museum), law and constitution, infrastructures (bridges, highways, streets and roads), industries (windmills, water supplies).

Besides his madness about uniting the whole world in France’s hands, he was a good person. He gave respects to old people, fought for justice, liberty and rights equivalence. Of course he did those with his style.

Reading this book, I know good sides of him. He wasn’t that bad – like all stories and history books told. Rabin told from the perspective of Elizabeth “Betsy” Balcombe. She was a really exist teenage girl at that time. With some additions and modifications, Betsy and the Emperor is based on true story book in teenage style: written in dexterious thoughts of a teenage girl.