Dog Handling, a novel by Clare Naylor

Yesterday, Liv Elliot had it all: a great flat in London’s Notting Hill, an actual career (okay, as an accountant), and a coveted fiancé. Every girl’s dream, right? But then Tim declared that the wedding was off—leaving Liv shell-shocked. Luckily, she’s got her best friend’s fab Australian beach house in which to recuperate.

The restorative powers of the Sydney sun, sand, and sea soon have Liv feeling wonderfully anti-accountant. Then she runs into old flame Ben Parker. It’s been years since they fooled around during a summer fling, but Liv never forgot that genetically blessed face. Raring to help her land beautiful Ben, Liv’s friends teach her the Rules of Dog Handling: Treat a man like a dog and he’ll be eating out of your hand. But surely this can’t actually work? Liv is about to find out that it can—but she’s hardly prepared for the results.

Treating men like we playing with dogs. It’s interesting and I never think about it. Before, I hate when I read the male character throw the female protagonist (or women, commonly) away like rubbish. In this story, women take control.

We can look Liv’s character develop. She’s just broke up, very desperate and do her job halfheartedly. She goes for vacation, have fun with her friends, have relationship with wrong guy again and learn how to treat them like dogs. She make her business well. She’s successful but not in her love life. There’s no one good point in lying – though it’s white lie.

I can imagine Australia in Liv’s point of view. The market, pubs, Mardi Gras parade, the beach. It’s like traveling promo to attrack tourists. And I can’t believe Ms. Naylor put homosexual characters. But, it’s ok. I think they make the story alive and even funnier. I laughed when I read Dave and James transformed to Cher or whoever they wanted to. I imagine handsome and tall guys (yeah, make me happy) but they wear and do women stuff (wig, makeup, waxing, OMG!) It’s look like my eyes hopped out of its place. Make me “Wow!”

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Septimus Heap: Magyk, a novel by Angie Sage

The 7th son of the 7th son, aptly named Septimus Heap, is stolen the night he is born by a midwife who pronounces him dead. That same night, the baby's father, Silas Heap, comes across a bundle in the snow containing a newborn girl with violet eyes. The Heaps take this helpless newborn into their home, name her Jenna, and raise her as their own. But who is this mysterious baby girl, and what really happened to their beloved son, Septimus?

A different magical world from the one that stuck in our head (Harry Potter sagas). Wizards and witches live with human, ghost and soldiers in ancient country which was lead by a queen. They live in castle, tower or barracks. They wear robes and tunics and hunt animals for food. The spells are unique. We hold the charm and then say the incantation. It’s in English, tends to poem style with modification in writing. For example: Magyk for Magic, Darke for Dark. Half Harry Potter, half Chronicles of Narnia. This story is full of imaginations.

Good story, but I feel a little bored especially before Boy 412 started to talk. After that, the intensity grow bigger and bigger. A child knows nothing about magic and he doesn’t realize there is super magic inside of him. I can’t stop reading. I see their world, I see their journey, I see many weird creatures. In the end of the book, Ms. Sage gives us surprise (actually I can gues what it is and I’m right).

I can’t wait to the second book, Flyte.

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Shopaholic and Baby, a novel by Sophie Kinsella

Becky’s life is blooming! She’s working at London’s newest big store, The Look, house-hunting with husband Luke (her secret wish is a Shoe Room)...and she’s pregnant! She couldn’t be more overjoyed—especially since discovering that shopping cures morning sickness. Everything has got to be perfect for her baby: from the designer nursery…to the latest, coolest pram…to the celebrity, must-have obstetrician. But when the celebrity obstetrician turns out to be Luke’s glamorous, intellectual ex-girlfriend, Becky’s perfect world starts to crumble. She’s shopping for two…but are there three in her marriage?

Ms. Kinsella is genious. What Becky thinking of is different than Luke’s. Readers are influenced to think like Becky and wondered what is happening with them. She thinks like that because Luke is mysterious. And with affair symptoms, Becky’s suspicious is complete. When I think it is clear, the antagonist is back.

Becky have to face problem she had made and the consequence is her marriage. I like the ending (although The Brandons still don’t have their own house). I let my tears flow when Becky feels Luke has cheating on her (thank God he is not).

All the female characters are brand-minded, though not so crazy as Becky. They help and support Becky when her husband is not around with their own way. Luke is the best male character from all the book I’ve read (so far). Very kind, gentle, caring, dedicated to his work, clever and rich. Perfectly perfect. I will be very happy being his wife.

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Behaving Badly, a novel by Isabel Wolff

All men are beasts…

…or so Miranda Sweet believes. As an animal behaviourist, she can get inside the heads of deluded Dalmatians and introverted iguanas, but she can’t work out why the men in her life behave so badly. Animals are braver kinder and a lot more reliable. So Miranda’s given up on love to open her own clinic and work her magic on neurotic pets and their grateful owners.

But can she keep the whole male species at bay for ever? Her best friend, Daisy, an incurably romantic wedding-planner, doesn’t think so. When a delicious photographer comes into her life, even Miranda starts to wonder if she’s been a bit hasty. But, just when she’s letting her guard down, her past starts to catch up with her. Now, she has to face up to her own behaviour, which hasn’t always been as sweet as she’d like to pretend…

It’s a good story (with very few sex scenes , I like it). The main character is not too cheerful, yet not too shy. She’s average. Miranda is a pet psychiatric and she receives email from her patients that asks about their pets. From the story, now I know pet’s behavior. Why my dog likes bulying other dog, why my cat likes water, etc. I’m sure pet lovers love this book. Ms. Wolff also wrote about photography. Though a little, I know what they’re doing in the dark room (is it its name, isn’t?). I know they go to places and takes landscape photos, feel the wind and see themotion of the cloud and capture the dawn or twilight.

Miranda’s guilt makes her brave. She look for the one she wants to see, she finds him and she asks for forgiveness. I can say the story is rather black because Miranda tell readers she did bad thing in the beginning of the book. Readers know Miranda’s feeling and how she can’t tell the truth. Nevertheless, Miranda hates her ex-fiance, so her feeling is more stress than before.
The story is so me. When I read it, I realize, “Wow, it’s me”. No, no. I never do bad things like Miranda. But what they say, feel, think, do; their behavior, their relationship, it’s like me. The book is my other life that people can consume. I feel like I’m the role model of the character. Yeah.

The rarer action is in virtue, than in vengeance…

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Vampire according to... (3)

Twilight Saga (Stephenie Meyer) – 2005-2008
- Nomads and hunt people, except The Cullens who live in Forks and hunt animals
- Gods-like human
- Don’t sleep in coffin, even don’t sleep at all
- No need ordinary food though they can
- Sunlight doesn’t hurt them but make their skin sparkling. Not afraid of cross and garlic
- Live forever
- Pale, cold and hard skin
- Can run fast and have strong power
- Don’ turn into bats
- Charmed people without purpose and they don’t even know they do that
- Many of them has special ability. Mind reader like Ewdard and precognition like Alice
- The color of their eyes change according to their mood
- Werewolves are their enemies ... End

The Tales of Beedle The Bard (J.K. Rowling)

Out Now!

The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a Wizarding classic, first came to Muggle readers’ attention in the book known as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Now, thanks to Hermione Granger’s new translation from the ancient runes, we present this stunning edition with an introduction, notes, and illustrations by J. K. Rowling, and extensive commentary by Albus Dumbledore. Never before have Muggles been privy to these richly imaginative tales: “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot,” “The Fountain of Fair Fortune,” “The Warlock’s Hairy Heart,” “Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump,” and of course, “The Tale of the Three Brothers.” But not only are they the equal of fairy tales we now know and love, reading them gives new insight into the world of Harry Potter.

The stories are accompanied by delightful pen-and-ink illustrations by Ms. Rowling herself, featuring a still-life frontispiece for each one. Professor Dumbledore’s commentary—apparently written some eighteen months before his death—reveals not just his vast knowledge of Wizarding lore, but also more of his personal qualities: his sense of humor, his courage, his pride in his abilities, and his hard-won wisdom. Names familiar from the Harry Potter novels sprinkle the pages, including Aberforth Dumbledore, Lucius Malfoy and his forebears, and Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington (or “Nearly Headless Nick”), as well as other professors at Hogwarts and the past owners of the Elder Wand. Dumbledore tells us of incidents unique to the Wizarding world, like hilariously troubled theatrical productions at Hogwarts or the dangers of having a “hairy heart.” But he also reveals aspects of the Wizarding world that his Muggle readers might find all too familiar, like censorship, intolerance, and questions about the deepest mysteries in life.

Scholastic Inc.

Vampire according to… (2)

The Saga of Darren Shan (Darren Shan) – 2000-2003
- Have organization with princes as the leaders and have many generals
- Almost look like human (not always good looking)
- Sleep in coffin
- Cut the victim’s skin (not only human, but animals as well) and drink their blood they need to then seal the wound with their saliva. Still eat ordinary food
- Have marks in finger tips. They change human to vampire with flowing their blood into human’s and vice versa
- Afraid of sunlight, but not cross and garlic
- Live longer than human but still can be killed with knife, wood stake, guns or fell from high ground
- Have human-sized canines
- Strong and can move fast, have better senses
- Can’t change into bats although bats (and rats) like them
- Vampaneze is vampire’s enemy. Vampaneze is vampire’s counsin with purple skins, red eyes and love killing people for blood ... Continued

Star Craving Mad, a novel by Elise Abrams Miller

Maddy Braverman is addicted to celebrities. She spends her free time (at thirty and single, she has a lot of it) reading and fantasizing about famous people. A teacher at an elite Manhattan private school, Maddy nearly falls in a faint when she finds out that Lola Seabolt, daughter of her biggest movie star crush, Nick Seabolt, will be a student in her class this year. Maddy manages to keep her wits about her most of the time because she knows she doesn't have a chance - Nick is happily married to another Hollywood superstar, Shelby. With help from her scruffy but handsome teaching assistant, James Wilkins, Maddy is able to separate doing her job from her celebrity passions. Then Nick begins to make moves toward becoming more than just friends. Will Maddy achieve her dreams of landing a celebrity lover? Or will she realize that true love is closer than she imagined?

The book tell us Maddy’s madness about celebrities. She dreams life (and fall in love with celebrity) that she can’t have. She searched too high and fell from above. She doesn’t see what’s in front of her: friends (and a man) that care for her. They give her pure love, not fake one and vanish after the director said “Cut”.

Ms. Miller is author, actress and ex- elementary teacher. She wrote this story according to what she felt and faced. She really knows how to teach 5 years old kids. She really knows what happened behind the scene of films. And she really knows the power of copyright. Maddy Braverman faced those and I can feel I almost know those. At least, I’m writing novel. So I try to save my stories well.
I know how hard to publish books through publishing house. We have to wait few months for response. If they accept, we’re happy. If they say “No”, we have to send other story or try again to other publishing house. But Maddy is very lucky. Publishing house published her first story after she faced complicated conditions. Even without her sending it.

I want that too. Not the complicated conditions, but my story being published. My books are displayed in book stores. What a long way to see that…

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Love, Hate and Hocus-Pocus, a novel by Karla M. Nashar

Hate at first sight. Exactly those are words to describe Troy Mardian and Gadis Parasayu. They are good partners – as good as their rivalry.

According to Gadis: Troy Mardian is a perfect human figure who forgets his roots. He is Indonesian, but why he acts like western people? Brunettes, speaks English, brand-minded and do whatever he can to show himself as metrosexual people so The Indonesia Most Eligible Bachelor is still him.

According to Troy: Gadis Parasayu is the funniest name he ever heard. He spent most of his life in America and there are no crazy parents named their daughter Beautiful Face Girl. So narcissistic! Yeah, her face is exotic and her body is as perfectly as JLo, but she is local minded, isn’t she? Come on, that’s not cool!

They have one in common. Don’t believe in hocus-pocus, fortune telling, psychic, astrology, tarot card, feng shui or whatever in world of fortune reading.

But what happen when they woke up in a sunny Sunday and got themselves in the same bed like Adam and Eve expelled from Eden – naked, ring in their fingers and blurry memories from their marriage 13 days before?!

It’s very funny story. I can’t just smile. I laughed a lot at Gadis’s and Troy’s life after their sudden marriage. They are so different. One of them is Indonesian minded, the other is western-style minded. The woman doesn’t care with body treatment while the man do care so much. He has his own cosmetic bag. Ckckck… All I say is “Oh. My. God.” I can’t imagine there is a man like him. So narcissistic and he do realize he has the look and brain to get fans.

It’s an interesting and amusing story. After reading this, I guarantee tears come out of our eyes because of too much laughing. Unfortunately, I read this book after incidentally, I watched TV movie few weeks before. That film had the same theme and plots. I think it is “Jamu something” with an old man as medicine man instead of gypsy woman in the book.

Actually, it’s decreasing my 4-star rating into 3-star rating. If he production house wanted to make this book into film, why didn’t they ask the writer or the publishing house? Why they imitate the story? This is plagiarism, isn’t it? *shake head* But, maybe the production house had asked permission and Ms. Nashar or the publishing house didn’t say OK. So they did this. Who knows?

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Gerhana Kembar, a novel by Clara Ng

Lendy, book editor on big publishing house got bit surprise when she found old manuscript and letters in her grandmother’s cupboard. Now, her grandmother’s is dying because of cancer in hospital. Lendy read the story as if she go inside the locked world. The deeper she read, the more concern she felt about the story that it is a true story. Story that her grandmother kept for a long time. Story that involved her grandmother’s past and as the link to her existence in the world. With the story, Lendy learned her life and her relationship with her mother: try to be honest to herself, feel free to forgive and be friend with the past.

The story is the journey of the heart. Story about family: bravery, power and toughness. Love story that will never lose its meaning though it is between two women.

I feel I was being cheated. When I read the synopsis on the back of the book, I thought this story is about fantasy world mixed with real world. In few chapters, I realized and sure this is homosexual story. Wow! Ms. Ng is brave to write novel with sensitive theme. I kept on reading because I wanna know the ending. It flowed smoothly. And my sympathy to them is increasing a lot, especially to Diana and Selena in this story. It’s not they want to become like that. They struggle between themselves and family. And the family win. They sacrifice their life and they don’t insist to get what they really wants.

I have to confess: I thrilled when I read and imagined how Diana and Selena showed their love. They have to play hide and seek. In our society, life and relationship like this is not normal. But I don’t care with what they do (it’s their life and I can’t step forward to play as judge or to be their heroine with joining homosexual organizations). My head is spinning and I have to stop for a while to calm down myself. I said, “This is what they feel, this is what they face everyday for the rest of their life, this is their world.”

The story consist of two sections: (1) Lendy is looking for the truth from manuscript she found and (2) Diana’s writing, told by turns per chapter to the ending of the story. The story is beautiful. Diana’s and Selena’s fighting to be together is hard. Separated in different continent, they can be together again after 47 years (although it only happened in story written by Diana).
NB: I prefer not to read such story anymore. One is enough knowing their feeling.

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Midnight Sun is Postponed?!

Ms. Meyer said in her website that Midnight Sun is postponed. The manuscript of the story was illegally posted on the internet. Oh, no! Who did this? I can’t believe I may not read Twilight from Edward’s perspective.

“So where does this leave Midnight Sun? My first feeling was that there was no way to continue. Writing isn't like math; in math, two plus two always equals four no matter what your mood is like. With writing, the way you feel changes everything. If I tried to write Midnight Sun now, in my current frame of mind, James would probably win and all the Cullens would die, which wouldn't dovetail too well with the original story. In any case, I feel too sad about what has happened to continue working on Midnight Sun, and so it is on hold indefinitely.” – Stephenie Meyer on stepheniemeyer.com, August 28, 2008.

"For all intents and purposes, 'Breaking Dawn' is the last book," she told MTV News. "It might easily happen that I quit here. There'd be a lot of good reasons for doing that, so I don't know if we need to get into all the future possibilities and speculations, 'cause I'll just go crazy, and I'm so close already!"

Is there a chance that Meyer will change her mind after a break from the Cullen universe? We'll wait and see. - Sabrina Rojas Weiss

Midnight Sun is officially postponed. Or is it possibly canceled?

Vampire according to… (1)

We know vampire is fictitious figure. Good looking immortal human-like with canines and love human bloods. But recently, vampire is not like that anymore. Many authors describe new class of vampire of their own.

Dracula (Bram Stoker) – 1897
- Father of vampire clan
- Good looking
- Live in castle in Transylvania
- Sleep in coffin
- She-vampires as his servants
- Drinks and sucks human blood. If drinks til dry, the human will die. If drinks a little, the human will be vampire within few days.
- Afraid of sunlight, cross and garlic
- Immortal, unless stab with wood stake through the heart or cut the head off
- Pale skin
- Sharpened longer canines
- Turn into bats or vanish in the smoke Continued...

Wanderlust, a novel by Chris Dyer

The only novel written in email form I know. I don’t see other novel in this form. It’s very exciting. I’ve read novel in diary form (Princess’ Diaries, of course) and SMS form (I forgot what the title is, wait, I think I remember, soulmate.com by Jessica Huwae, yeah, that’s it).

I followed Kate’s journey around the world (exactly it’s half around the world because it’s US-Europe journey) looking for life and love. The author asked us to join Kate with flashback style. She told her friends and mom what had happened to her via email, so it’s like to be told by her. That’s flashback, right? I enjoyed Kate’s talking and her relationships with two men.

But it made me bored soon. All the characters used email as their dialogs. No ordinary dialogs. No real conflicts. Just the story of their doings, their works, their problems. I really can’t get into Kate’s mind. I don’t know what her intentions are or what she was thinking or what to do to her confusing love. No clues about what happen next at all. It’s like pulling trigger from far away. Nobody knows who he target is unless the bullet had got him/her. There is one other minus thing with this novel. The time setting is jumping around within emails. Sometimes they emailed 3 times a day. Sometimes they emailed once in 3 days. I don’t know what happen in those gaps. And I feel uncomfortable with that.

After all, it’s funny writing novel in email form. This is what people are looking for, UNIQUENESS.

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Autumn in Paris, a novel by Ilana Tan

Love doesn’t always as beautiful as our imagination. Sometimes, love is forced to fall when it blooms. How can bitter past life destroy love? Can past life be changed?

Tara Dupont, half France, half Indonesian like autumn in Paris. She has everything in life. She lives with her father and works as radio announcer. Tatsuya Fujisawa, Japanese architect who hates autumn in Paris. He meets Tara and it changes his thought about autumn in Paris. They become closer and spend their times going to beautiful and romantic places in Paris together.

Unfortunately, fate don’t do it right and make them in dilemma. Slowly but sure, their past will destroy their love. Tara and Tatsuya don’t realize the link connecting their past. A secret that break hope, feeling and faith. When the truth is revealed, desperation and powerless are floated too. Reality that push one of them to finish life.

“As long as she is happy, I will. Just as simple as it is”

Ilana Tan’s second book. This time, it’s about Tara Dupont and Tatsuya Fujisawa. Tara is Han Soon-he’s cousin (Summer in Seoul female lead). The beginning is good. Tara met Tatsuya and they became close. The story is sunny and cheerful. But, the Pandora box is opened too fast. In the middle of the book, Tara cried and felt desperate. As if , her life and Tatsuya’s are so cruel to them. Ms. Tan wrote their feelings so blue. They can’t work. They can’t smile anymore. They do anything feelingless. I cried a lot reading their sadness. I felt life is so unfair to them. And all I can say is: there are more tears in the end. I was shocked reading the ending.

Yeah, that’s life. We can’t blame our life. If we stuck at something, find another way to live our life again. If we have to run around the world, if the things are worth it, then go and grab them.

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Shopaholic and Sister, a novel by Sophie Kinsella

What’s a round-the-world honeymoon if you can’t buy the odd souvenir to ship back home? Like the twenty silk dressing gowns Becky found in Hong Kong…the hand-carved dining table (and ten chairs) from Sri Lanka…the, um, huge wooden giraffes from Malawi (that her husband Luke expressly forbade her to buy)… Only now Becky and Luke have returned home to London and Luke is furious. Two truckloads of those souvenirs have cluttered up their loft, and the bills for them are outrageous. Luke insists Becky go on a budget. And worse: her beloved best friend Suze has found a new best friend while Becky was away. Becky’s feeling rather blue—when her parents deliver some incredible news. She has a long-lost sister! Becky is thrilled! She’s convinced her sister will be a true soul mate. They’ll go shopping together, have manicures together.…Until she meets Jessica for the first time and gets the shock of her life. Surely Becky Bloomwood’s sister can’t…hate shopping?


The fourth episode of Becky Brandon (used to Bloomwood) “shopping without thinking” life.

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Summer in Seoul, a novel by Ilana Tan

Ilana Tan is a fan of Korean drama. That’s what I thought first. I don’t know whether she is or not. The story focused on Jung Tae-woo and Han Soon-he (Sandy). I don’t know how Ms. Tan can write 200 pages book and tell their story only. There were other supporting characters, such as Kang Yoon-mi and Mr. Kim. But Ms. Tan kept the line on those two.
Ms. Tan hid the link that connecting Tae-woo and Soon-he from the past as well, so that I can’t guess what happened few years ago. When they became closer to each other, the reality spread in their face. I like Soon-he’s and Tae-woo’s finishing way. They chose the best thing to survive their relationship without hurting others.

Keep up the good work, Ms. Tan.

Jung Tae-woo, Korean singers reappeared after 4 years under the radar. Han Soon-he (Sandy), half Korean, half Indonesian knew him but acted with no admiration at all. He asked her as his fake girlfriend only in media. Sandy agreed if her face is off from camera.
Tae-woo took Soon-he’s help without suspicious and Soon-he convinced herself many times so as not to regret it. Summer days as Tae-woo’s “girlfriend” started. In the mean time, their feelings changes. But, they didn’t realized the truth about what happened 4 years ago, chased them.

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New Moon, a novel by Stephenie Meyer

Legions of readers entranced by the New York Times bestseller Twilight are hungry for the continuing story of star-crossed lovers, Bella and Edward. In New Moon, Stephenie Meyer delivers another irresistible combination of romance and suspense with a supernatural twist. Passionate, riveting, and full of surprising twists and turns, this vampire love saga is well on its way to literary immortality.



Poor Bella. I almost cried when Edward left. She was so desperate and down. I feel more pity to her because Ms. Meyer used first point of view. Her suffers seemed so terrible and she had to do extreme things in order to hear Edward’s angelic voice. *blinking eyes to clear the tears and sobbing a little*

I saw the story was so grey and cloudy and windy. Even her friends left her. Why Ms. Meyer wrote story like this? I know that’s good to drag our readers to get “the feel” to the characters, but… I don’t know what to say anymore. I think it’s too cheesy. Ups, sorry Ms. Meyer, sorry everyone. Don’t be mad at me. It’s just my opinion.

This is a good book. Although Edward left, I kept on reading. New Moon didn’t run out of its charm. It HYPNOTIZED me… Bella has Jacob and Bella-Edward-Jacob relationships became more complicated and dangerous. Vampire versus werewolf. Old enemy met again in new era, in teenagers form.
After all, I love New Moon. I’m proud to say I’m a huge fan of Edward Cullen. I must read Eclipse, immediately.

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, a novel by J.K. Rowling

The heart of Book 7 is a hero's mission--not just in Harry's quest for the Horcruxes, but in his journey from boy to man--and Harry faces more danger than that found in all six books combined, from the direct threat of the Death Eaters and you-know-who, to the subtle perils of losing faith in himself. Attentive readers would do well to remember Dumbledore's warning about making the choice between "what is right and what is easy," and know that Rowling applies the same difficult principle to the conclusion of her series. While fans will find the answers to hotly speculated questions about Dumbledore, Snape, and you-know-who, it is a testament to Rowling's skill as a storyteller that even the most astute and careful reader will be taken by surprise.

It's hard to imagine a better ending than the one she's written for her saga after 10 years, more than 4,000 pages and close to 400 million copies in print. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows may be a miracle of marketing, but it's also a miraculous book that earns out, emotionally and artistically. …I cried at the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It's that rare thing, an instant classic that earns its catharsis honestly, not through hype or sentiment but through the author's vision and hard work. - The Washington Post - Elizabeth Hand

Hurray! Lord Voldemort is dead. At last. The best ending I can think of. JK. Rowling heard what I was saying: don’t kill Harry Potter. This book is the most complicated than others. I have to think and rethink, read and reread, open and watch the prequel to get what they meant. Phiuh! It need big efforts to understand all. When I’ve finished it, one word came out from my mind. AWESOME! I can’t say anymore. SUPER DUPER AWESOME! I can’t believe someone has ever written such a superb saga. My eyes won’t blink because of the charm, even once. Up til now, if I imagine Harry Potter and his friends. I really enjoyed the flow of the story. The magical world pulled me and made me look from the inside. As if I was one of the witch (of good side, of course, not Death Eater). I’m waiting another book of JK. Rowling.

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Listening to People

Sometimes, no, many times I thought I had wrong major in college. Yeah, I am thinking about I right now. I like watching people and study their personalities. Maybe I should take Psychology instead of Information Technology *sigh and shake head*When my boyfriend and I went out with his friends, I tended to listen. Their talks, their body language, their thoughts. I interrupted them once or twice with my opinions or jokes. That’s all. What can I do? I’ve graduated and I don’t wanna go to college anymore. Now I’m writing novels. I used this hobby – watching and listening to others – as one of my research to make characters and story. I think if I’m not getting people disturbed with my weirdo, that’s fair enough.

The Saga of Darren Shan, a novel by Darren Shan

This saga follows the story of Darren Shan, a normal human boy who is coerced by the vampire Larten Crepsley into becoming his assistant and a half-vampire.


In the first trilogy, known as Vampire Blood, Darren learns about and comes to accept his vampirism.
1. Cirque du Freak
2. The Vampire’s Assistant
3. Tunnels of Blood


In the second trilogy, known as Vampire Rites, Darren learns about the vampire clan and seeks their acceptance.
4. Vampire Mountain
5. Trials of Death
6. The Vampire Prince


In the third trilogy, known as Vampire War, Darren learns he may have a larger role to play in the fate of the vampires (and of the world) than he had ever thought.
7. Hunters of the Dusk
8. Allies of the Night
9. Killers of the Dawn


In the fourth trilogy, known as Vampire Destiny, Darren is forced to make some difficult decisions, finally taking his destiny into his own hands and dealing with the consequences.
10. The Lake of Souls
11. Lord of Shadows
12. Sons of Destiny



So far, I’ve read 8 of 12 books. The author is the main character. It’s like we read his diary. Inside the story, Darren Shan did write diary. I think 12 books are too much. These series divided into 4 trilogies, 200 pages each. If each trilogies merged into a book, we get 4 books instead. I think it would be better.



I like Darren Shan’s character. He was adult in child’s body because of his vampire blood. He turned from half vampire who didn’t like human blood into vampire prince whom the existence of his clan depends on. Such a long journey, like vampire itself who can live hundreds of years.I think this story is segmented for young adult. Fights, wars and blood everywhere although it’s only in our imaginations. Losing eye, hand or any parts or the body is common theme in vampire world of Darren Shan.

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Novel to Movie Phenomenon

Last few years, Hollywood brought more novel worlds into reel. They chose good and best sellers novels, hired best crews and movie stars and got their money back immediately. Why do the producers pick such way? The scriptwriters are lack out of story? The producers don’t wanna take risks so they make movie form story people already knew?

I think so. It is of the reasons. Just as comic to movie and sequels, the producers will have more money easily. Most people who have read it, go to the movie. Plus, people who haven’t read it production house will get double.

Besides, I – as novel reader and OK, I’m a bookworm – feel curious, very curious with the world inside the book. The scenery, the costumes, the interactions between, the fight, the love scene. What will it look like? Is it bad, good enough or superb? Does it have to be directed by other person to make it better? And the most important, how does the main characters look like?

Sometimes, it’s better not to take it to reel. The authors have written it as good as they can and brought us such a wonderful world. Our imaginations are dancing when we read. Each of us doesn’t have the same imaginations. We can’t blame others if they have different imaginations because we can’t see their minds. It’s the best thing from novel.

We said book “X” is very good. Two thumbs up. In few weeks, it became one of best sellers of the year. The producer saw good opportunity in it and bla bla bla… the next year, the movie is on screen. People who have read it, wants to see the movie. But, what if – we feel – the director didn’t transform it well? We say the movie didn’t suit our imaginations. It is not the same with what we’ve thought. The movie will break the beauty of the novel.

I think you know what movies I mean. Should I mention them?

Sorry, no offense. This is just my opinion.

Confused

I’m sitting alone in cafe, waiting for my brother at the gym. Hungry and thinking the plots of my novel. I've written them in my journal. But I have to re-think to have a good story.
AAAHHHHH....!!! I'm sooo... confused.
Many ideas and many ways but I don't feel they fit in. I like reading novels and watching movies to get ideas for my own story.
I know what you're saying. It's not enough, isn't it? People say you have to keep writing to let your story flowing and you can have your own style. That is my purpose now.
It's easy to say but so hard to do. One thing in my mind, if we want something, we have to keep our mind focus and never give up. That's my promise.
Every time I go to bookstore - and I always go to bookstore whenever I go to mall, I always want to see one of my novels there. Of course, it's still in my dream. But I hope I don't have to wait too long *crossing fingers*

+++ sai with smile +++

Twilight, a novel by Stephenie Meyer

Bella Swan’s move to Forks could have been the most boring move she ever made. But when she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, her life take a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Bella.

Simple. That was the first thing in my mind. First love of a girl and a boy in high school. But once you read it, you can’t stop til you reach the core. Human girl-vampire “boy” forbidden love and the complexity of their existence. I’m so old school. I’ve just read this in mid October. Oh, poor me. I can’t hardly wait to read the sequel. Stephenie Meyer described Edward Cullen perfectly gorgeous. His face, his skin, his mysterious personality, his body, his angelic voice. Uh, make me melted to the very bone.

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Digital Fortress, a novel by Dan Brown

Whose gonna watch the watcher?

When the NSA’s most classified technological wonder – an invincible code-breaking machine – encounters a mysterious code it cannot break, the agency calls in its head cryptographer, Susan Fletcher, a brilliant and beautiful mathematician. What she uncovers sends shock waves through the corridors of power.

The NSA is begin held hostage… not by guns or bombs, but by a code so ingeniously complex that if released it will cripple US intelligence.

Caught in an accelerating tempest of secrecy and lies, Susan Fletcher battles to save the agency she believes in. Betrayed on all sides she finds herself fighting not only for her country, but her life, and in the end, for the life of the man she loves.

With a starting twist that leaves the agency scrambling to avert the biggest intelligence disaster in US history, Digital Fortress never lets up.
From the underground hallways of power, to the skyscrapers of Tokyo, to the towering cathedrals of Spain, a desperate race unfolds. It is a battle for survival – a crucial bid to destroy a creation of inconceivable genius… an impregnable code-writing formula that threatens to obliterate the balance of power. Forever.

Oh, I like this book. I am an Information Technology alumni so I understand the story. I can imagine how Susan and NSA tried to open a bunch of unclear words because I got encryption lesson in college. I feel the story walked smoothly in the beginning, faster in the middle and then in the fastest pace in the end when there weren’t so much time to avoid hackers from the whole world. This is a very good suspense novel.

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OATHS SWORN . . . loyalties tested . . . forces collide

Brisingr (Christopher Paolini)

Inheritence book 3

Following the colossal battle against the Empire’s warriors on the Burning Plains, Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have narrowly escaped with their lives. Still there is more at hand for the Rider and his dragon, as Eragon finds himself bound by a tangle of promises he may not be able to keep.First is Eragon’s oath to his cousin Roran: to help rescue Roran’s beloved, Katrina, from King Galbatorix’s clutches. But Eragon owes his loyalty to others, too. The Varden are in desperate need of his talents and strength—as are the elves and dwarves. When unrest claims the rebels and danger strikes from every corner, Eragon must make choices— choices that take him across the Empire and beyond, choices that may lead to unimagined sacrifice.Eragon is the greatest hope to rid the land of tyranny. Can this once-simple farm boy unite the rebel forces and defeat the king?
-- Amazon.com --

Out now!
Hurry up, buy it!

PS: I Love You, a novel by Cecelia Ahern

Some people wait their whole lives to find their soul mates. But not Holly and Gerry.

Childhood sweethearts, they could finis each other’s sentences and even when they fought, they laughed. No one could imagine Holly and Gerry without each other.

Until the unthinkable happens. Gerry’s death devastates Holly. But as her 30th birthday looms, Gerry comes back to her. He’s left her a bundle of notes, gently guiding Holly to her new life without him, each note signed “PS: I Love You”.

As the notes are gradually opened, and as the year unfolds, Holly is both cheered up and challenged. The man who knows her better that anyone sets out to teach her that life goes on. With some help from her friends, and her noisy and loving family, Holly finds herself laughing, crying, singing, dancing – and being braver than ever before.

Life is for living, she realizes – but it always helps if there’s an angel watching over you.

This is a very good novel. Cecelia Ahern described Holly’s weaknesses touchy and made her get up with head straight to the future very slowly. The story ran in the same speed from the beginning to the end. Friendship of Holly, Sharon and Denise, showed us that true friends always be there whenever we need them. I cried whne Holly is sad and I laughed when Holly and her friends and family are in comedic situation, like Holly’s birthday. This book make your emotions up and down. I don’t wanna watch the movie because I’m afraid I get my house flooded.

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Coraline, a novel by Neil Gaiman

The door once led to a room, but when the old house was converted into the flats the doorway was bricked up. That is, until the day curious little girl named Coraline sneaks the key from the distracted mother. Opens the door… and enters an alternate universe, where dogs eat nothing but chocolate, cats can talk, and she is greeted enthusiastically by her Other Parents.

Her Other Mother looks quite a bit like her own mother… except for her long spindly fingers and shiny black buttons eyes. – but it’s her disposition that is most remarkable. When her real mother always too busy for Coraline, her Other Mother is attentive and affectionate. She cooks delicious meals, showers the little girl with praise, and asks Coraline to stay with her forever.
But Coraline misses her real parents – tiresome as they sometimes are – and insists on returning to the real world. There, she finds her parents trapped in the hallway mirror, victims of the Other Mother’s evil spell. Now she must take a dangerous journey back into the other world… or risks never seeing her parents again!

Neil Gaiman played with our mind. He made us imagining what another parents and another flat looked like. This is a simple story, good versus evil but in fantasy of children’s form. Kids can open up their imaginations and make their own world of Coraline story. Hollywood is in the process of making this into movie, with Dakota Fanning as Coraline.

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