Tell It to Naomi, a novel by Daniel Ehrenhaft

Dave Rosen has a secret. “Naomi,” the wise, witty, always-on-target, female writer behind his high school’s hit advice column, is, well, him. A native New Yorker who likes secondhand CD shops, The Simpsons, and meatball heroes.

A kid like him doesn’t have all the answers. He doesn’t even have most of the answers. Dave only got himself dragged into this fiasco to help out his older sister, the real Naomi—and because he let himself be convinced that it might, in some lunatic way, enable him to meet his dream girl, the senior who gets his weak little sophomore heart racing: Celeste Fanucci. If he could get Celeste to write in and open up her soul to “Naomi,” he could use this secret knowledge to transform himself.

He could bridge the unbridgeable chasm between sophomore boys and senior girls. It’s a grand, grand scheme. And it’s about to go haywire.

This is teens story with adult language and thought. I mean, not the vulgar and negative one but in a good way. This book is about teenager with the way of thinking like an adult. The story is serious. I don’t think teenagers like this book. It’s because of – maybe – Dave is different than other boys. He talks and thinks like girls’.

On the other hand, the story is good. Typical teens problem with a little thinking reading. How to look good in front of someone they like, how to start talking to them. Problems like that in boys' heads.

Bras and Broomsticks, a novel by Sarah Mlynowski

What if all your wishes could come true? Blink your eyes, drink a fizzing pink potion, and poof! Life is perfect. That’s Rachel’s situation. Except she’s not the one who suddenly has magical powers. Her younger sister is. And as Rachel would tell you, spellbooks are wasted on the young!

Yes, yes, of course world peace and cures for horrible diseases are important. But so is dancing without looking like she’s being electrocuted, winning back her best friend, stopping her dad’s wedding, and finding a date for Spring Fling.

Rachel’s not bewitched. Yet. . . .

Teenlit books is so easy to read. The main characters usually non-popular girls, have no breast, have a crush on popular and cute boy, have problems with the parents. It is so cliché. But, it makes me laugh. Sometimes when I feel bored, I read one and it can make my mood up again.

This is the first book of Rachel Weinstein. It is written in her perspective. How she socialized with her friends, how she rejected her father’s new engagement, how she face her school and love life.

It is the same with other books, but Mlynowski wrote it with her style. I like it and I can’t wait to read the second one.

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).

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 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.

Princess Lessons, a princess guide by Meg Cabot

Everything you wanna know being a princess
or
live like a princess
by
Mia Thermopolis
a.k.a
Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo
from Genovia

This book is informative. Cabot told the readers many things to become a princess like Mia. Beauty, ettiquette, fashion, everything that can help us act like blue bloods (yeah, like we got one chance to do it; 1 to 1 millions).

But don’t worry. This book is not in formal form. There are many funny things and weird thoughts from Princess Diaries series: Mia’s writing in the middle of Granmere’s or Paolo’s tips. This book written by many people important to Princess Mia.

Overall, we can say this is self help book (guidance and tips) to be a better person (girl) in fictional point of view of Princess Mia, as a cover.

Ramalan Fudus Ororpus, a novel by Julia Stevanny

A weird old lady came one afternoon and mess Deryn’s life up. “FUDUS OROROR!” she said with her trembling scary voice. Her eyes widened and her hands moves wildly. “Up. Down. Straight. Broken... Oh, your fate is very bad, Child! You’ve been born without love-partner line. You’re meant to be alone forever!”

Being foretold like that, Deryn is absolutely mad. Besides, Rosaline, her bookworm-sister said that Fudus Ororpus is the most precise fortune telling in the world. Bloody hell! And the next sequences happened in Deryn’s life is exactly like what that old lady said.

Then, is it truly happen? Is Deryn have to be alone for all her life...? Oh My God...

From the title, I thought the story was interesting. I thought of many magic and fortune telling, but “Ramalan (fortune telling)” is just the title and the cause of the problems, not the core. The story and the characters’ emotions are too shallow. I don’t catch the climax well and the ending is dissapointing. It’s not as I expected (the publishing house give her "Talented Writer 2005" title).

The story is good but it’s too typical. High school setting, two bestfriends have a crush on the same person, one of them have to sacrifice her love and finally, finds her true love. It’s booooring.

I told this easily because it’s not me who wrote it. If I wrote it, I also would felt difficulty to describe the situation, and climax especially. It happen to me, too. I don’t feel my own characters’ emotions and I can’t tell the climax well. The fact is I’m writing that story.

Resep Cherry, a novel by Primadonna Angela

Becoming a Cinnamon Cherry is not easy. At home, she don’t lives calmly. There is Lavender Rosemary who is cleverer, more beautiful and be more loved. She doesn’t good in treating her customers. She wants to hit her tedious customer instead of being kind. Becoming a good bestfriend? Why does it look very difficult? Looking for the best guy? Cherry is having a headache because she fallsin love with father with a kid.

Once, how difficult Cherry’s life, she can share it with Eva. Unfortunately, since having a boyfriend, Eva keeps a distance from Cherry. When she found bruise in Eva’s body, can Cherry be still? And can she sacrifice her aspirations and her future when Kenichi Kobayashi propose to her?

The book is still full of recipes. And this is the second book of Cherry. I prefer this one than the prequel. Because the book is more thick, the story can flow smoothly. Cherry’s maturity appeared in facing her problems and Eva’s, clearly. How she treats Kaz, what she thinks about Eva and Aidan, how’s her feeling to Kenichi. The time setting is longer so I can see Cherry’s crush change to love.

I like Kenichi. He looks good, mature, kind but a little childish. He has to be a stalker—in smooth ways (moves to Basil’s ex-house) to attract Cherry’s attentions. It’s funny to imagine a guy in his age—middle 20’s—with performance like his, acts like falling in love teenagers. Sending flowers, chocolate, teddy bear. But I like him. He shows his will to get Cherry’s love although in a sudden proposing Cherry without having a good relationship, first.

The book told the end of Basil, too. I’m happy with that. Unfortunately, no Maya Renggo there. I wanna know what happen with her. Did her family become poor? Then what did she do?

Resep Cinta, a novel by Primadonna Angela

Ask Cinnamon Cherry testing the foods—before you finished your request, she asks another plates. Ask Cherry cooking—before you finished your sentences, she asks a favor.


But everything’s change when Cherry meets Basil.

Handsome and charming Basil, wants cooking expert girlfriend. It’s impossible Cherry refused Basil’s request to make him delicious cuisines.

Cherry who don’t wanna go to kitchen before, now meets the ingredients and foodstuffs. With simple recipes (but delicious) from her parents, Cherry tries to win Basil’s heart.


Her difficult struggles—because there is Maya Renggo who’s have a crush on Basil. Beautiful, the heiress of famous restaurants and culinary genious Maya. Before Cherry able to think this new threat, Maya challenge her to get Basil with cooking competition.



This book is full of delicious recipes—I’m hungry now! At the end of each chapter, she gave her family’s recipes. Her writing style reminds me of Meg Cabot with Princess Diaries series. Resep Cinta is cheerful and funny—teens characteristics, but too many detail of Cherry’s feelings (of course it does, it tells from first person point of view, stupid me!). So the story seems too slow to me. And it used hyperbols technic.

The book is good but too thin. I’m still enjoying the story, then it reach the ending. And I hate Basil. Gorgeous and perfect but he is a recipes thief. It’s true: Don’t judge a book by its cover. But it doesn’t affect to Divo. From the beginning of the book, Cherry knows him well. I have to try the recipes there. It looks like very, very delicious. Yummy!

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Aerial, a novel by Sitta Karina

“You’re familiar. Your blood scent is familiar.”
“I don’t know you at all.”
“You do know me, Princess.”

Sadira, the Princess of Sun and Hassya, the Prince of Darkness are enemies from two different lands; one uses sun as the energy of life, the other will burn if they’re affected by it. At first, Sadira thought the Darkness clan is a bunch of monsters. Until one day, she is saved by pale skinned, handsome, cold but having honest look in the eye, Hassya.

According to ancient prophecy, if they’re together, those two clans will face destruction. But Hassya wants to fight everything that stands between them and be Sadira’s protector.

Preventing that destruction, Antya, Sadira’s sister and Linc, the white pegasus try to call saviors from another world – Laskar and Sahika, students of Surya Ilmu High School – world which isn’t as beautiful as theirs and full of skyscrapers.

The world that will fully support Sadira’s dan Hassya’s love.

Classical Romeo and Juliet forbidden love in new form: Light and Darkness fall in love in far far away land as setting with the arrival of two outworld saviors. This book has two forbidden love stories: Sadira-Hassya and Laskar-Sashika as the minor one. Those two love stories is like Romeo and Juliet, two families that hate each other.

Sailendra and other characters from previous and next book show up a little, too. I feel surprised when two main protagonists are killed. I think they will live longer (that will happen IF I write this book). Afterall, writer has to dare doing anything to make readers touched by the moral of the story.

COOL! ASTONISHING! SUPERB! I don’t know anymore words that can describe this. Visualizing this book is challenging. What does Aerial look like? What does those two lands look like? Sitta Karina’s great imagination flows through my mind. My eyes are widened and I feel astonished. She is great in arranging and binding sentences. She is one of Indonesia’ J.K. Rowling, indeed.

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D’Angel: princess, a novel by Luna Torashyngu

Fika is sick, but actually as Genoid her body is stronger than ordinary human. When looking for cure in Japan, Fika finds new puzzles that brings her back to Indonesia.

In Indonesia, Fika was asked to act as President’s younger daughter’s private guard. Again, Fika is going back to high school as guard of Gayatri – prefer be called as Gya. But, the second first daughter is cold-hearted and introvert, also has no friends. Gya refuse Fika’s existence, and yet there are murder threats to all President’s family.

Fika tries to change Gya’s hard personality, also finds out the family puzzle and Genoid complicated problems. Fika’s problem becomes more complicated when she is sick, more than before and suddenly there is another Genoid with higher ability then hers. Whereas, she knows that she is the last Genoid in the world. When she fights this new Genoid, Fika asks herself, is this the end of her life?

The last part of D’Angel trilogy.

This last book is still good. Luna knew Indonesia’s secret service a lot, with their strict protocoler and has no sympathy or empathy to their object. Mission is the first. There are no other more. This time Fika doesn’t have to look for something. She has her object and she will do her mission with her way.

Genoid and hacker are still the background. Plus ilegal car race and a little karate kumite.

Finally, Andika reappeared. But, I don’t like his feeling. Who does he love? Ayumi or Fika? I hate when man can’t decide it clearly. The anticlimax is too short. Fika is dead but actually she fakes her own dead with Aditya’s help. Then she and Andika go in hiding. Oops, sorry spoiler.

I wanna read their love life a lot more. Maybe between Fika does her job in school, or Andika meet her in someplace. Not like this. I can’t see Andika’s real feeling. Overall, this is a good book. The tense is kept and the fighting is good. As if I see them all by myself.

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D’Angel: rose, a novel by Luna Torashyngu

Actually, Fika wants to forget her tore up life and choose to live a new safe life in Malaysia. But Indonesia’s intelligence bureau finds her and asks her to go back to Jakarta to help a mission finding corruptor’s daughter.

As if, Fika goes back to her old life. She goes to high school that corruptor’s daughter goes and uses Ista as her name. fika is soon cradled with her never-have-enough teens life. she gets new bestfriends, join volley ball interclasses competition and school president election.

But her undercover is blow up and Fika has to go back to reality and her mission. She has to face General Rastaji, the man who ruin her life. Besides, Rastaji brings a big surprise to Fika!

Second part of D’Angel trilogy.

More action and undercover part. I think it’s pure action book. Going dark to empty building that is her enemy’s base. Alone to save the hostages with no back-ups. One man show Hollywood movie.

A little love life to colour Fika’s high school days. She can’t continue her relationship she has. It’s just like another action story which tell the life of undercover agents who are afraid of endangering their family. It’s good book. So natural.

Luna thought the outline and wrote it into a book. Maybe. And publisher divided it into three part because it’s too long. Maybe. I think of it because the story is so clear and neat. There always are problems with solutions. She thought all of the possibility that can happen. That admires me alot.

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D’Angel, a novel by Luna Torashyngu

Is there a perfect girl? Commonly, if she’s clever in academic, she can’t do sports. If she’s beautiful, there’s no way she’s good in academic. But Fika does. She’s beautiful, clever and excellent in sports. In addition, she’s lucky in love. It’s impossible there is girl as perfect as she is.

But her luck and perfectness don’t stay long. When hanging out at the mall to celebrate her relationship with Reza, someone kidnapped Fika. It’s just not that, there are victims in that abduction incident.

Fika has to run with Andika who’s helping her. Andika said that, Fika can be so perfect so she will be kidnapped is because she is not human. Fika is Genoid, perfect created human. What the hell? Fika will more trust him if he said she has rich grandfather and will give her billions rupiah legacy.

This is the first book of D’ANGEL trilogy.

One word: COOL!

High school life, cell biology, millitary, spionage and science fiction. It’s like I see Hollywood action movie. Chasing car with helicopter, fighting and shooting sequences, superhuman, huge underground laboratory. A new breakthrough Indonesian teens literature.

I thought this is light novel. Perfect girl with popular boy with science fiction sequence in addition. But this is science fiction novel with high school student as main female character. I can’t believe it. DNA, nuclear reactor, many kinds of weapons, CIA, Indonesian police and military, OPM (Organisasi Papua Merdeka/Freedom Papua Organization), spionage and hacker.
Two thumbs up for the research and making this novel so tensing.

Writer gives us detail and very clear explanations. I can’t put it before I finished read this. After that, I’m still astonished.Up til now.

It’s very very Hollywood style.

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Nocturnal, a novel by Poppy D. Chusfani

Adel knows she is special. She is Nocturnal, half cat human and have nine lives. Her life in Jakarta is cozy and secure, and then she was called to Adlerland, her father’s homecountry. Adel whom have been hidden by her father for seventeen years in Indonesia have to go back there in order to obey the order of her grandmother, the Baroness. Being trained and prepared to be successor of her grandmother and the chief of family clan.

Adel’s dream being a professional ballerina is over since her duty to her family don’t allow her to have freedom. Adel’s life changes upside down because the heavy burden she has: being a backbone protecting her big clan and preventing country from big threats they can’t control themselves.

I imagined live in ancient Europe, with castles and knights. Far far away kingdom between Germany and Romania, having dinner with King and Queen, fighting with vampires from Transylvania. Wow! My imagination are flying to King Arthur and Count Dracula’s castle but with modern lifestyle. Planes and airport. Fashion and blackberry. Cool!

No Adel’s love life in this book. She crushes on Roland but he breaks her heart before Adel can realize her feeling. There is Felix, the new King. But no explicit paragraph of it. Adel is Baroness. She can’t have love life with the King. Make me unsatisfied.

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Circa, a novel by Sitta Karina

Being tired from playing tennis and finishing board magazine for next week dealine, Almashira Raiz came to Circa, cosmetic factory with high determination: one day she will become an awesome dermatolog.

That afternoon, Genta Ramya sasmitro arrived, with high confidence that he’ll pass Marketing Research in order to not being sign "stupid" – especially his bookworm enemy named Aldebaran Raiz, Alma’s older brother.

In Circa, Alma knitted her wants and imagined one day Sailendra, her partner-in-crime at scholl will stop treated her as best friend.

In Circa, suddenly Genta was attracted by an exciting and challenging but "danger" new play: having friend with Alma. Though he knew he broke promise he made with Alde.

In Circa, one new act of friendship, hostility and love is started…

Fiction based on something that really can happen to us. It is written as real as it is possible. But

I read it as smoothen soap opera. Too weird to happen, yet too real to be just story. But it is a sweet story. Alma, indeed is a tough girl. Strong thought and doesn’t give up easily.

There are tips in the beginning of each chapters. Simple but very useful, especially to girls that don’t too fond or have less knowledge with makeup.

I wonder, are high school student can have part time job like that? Or is it school project? I can’t imagine it cos I graduated from high school seven years ago and there are no such things. By the way, "Genta" seems too funny for me.

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Sweet Sixteen Princess, a novel by Meg Cabot

Sixteen is the magic number.
Mia doesn’t always have the best luck with parties, so even though it’s her sweet sixteenth, she doesn’t want a birthday bash. As usual, Grandmère has other ideas, and thinks a reality TV special is just the thing in order to celebrate royally. The whole scheme smacks of Lilly’s doing—Lilly whose own TV show is still only limited to local cable viewers. Will Mia be able to stop Grandmère’s plan? Will her friends ever forgive her if she does stop it, since it involves all of them taking the royal jet to Genovia for an extravaganza the likes of which would turn even Paris Hilton green with envy? Why can’t Mia get what she really wants: an evening alone with Michael?
With a little luck, this sweet sixteen princess might just get her wish—a birthday that's royally romantic. Her Birthday was amazing in a sky lounge.

The sequel of Princess Diaries book no. 7 ½ (seven and a half). Yep, half because it’s a short story, not long one as usual. And it happened between book no. 7 (Party Princess) and no. 8 (Princess on the Brink) beside book no. 7 ¾ (Valentine Princess). What a unique numbering.
It contains the same Mia’s madness facing Grandmere and Lilly, the same diary style with little IM (chatting) style. The language is light and funny. So teenager that can make me, not only smile, but laugh as well.

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One of Those Hideous Books where The Mother Dies, a novel by Sonya Sones

My name is Ruby
This book is about me.
It tells the deeply hideous story of what happens when my mother dies and I''m dragged three thousand miles away from my gorgeous boyfriend, Ray, to live in L.A. with my father, who I''ve never even met because he''s such a scumbag that he divorced my mom before I was born.
The only way I''ve ever even seen him is in the movies, since he''s this mega-famous actor who''s been way too busy trying to win Oscars to even visit me once in fifteen years.
Everyone loves my father.
Everyone but me.

What a very weird title. I was thinking a horror story with blood and murder when I first saw it at bookstore (my friends gave me this as birthday present – ha ha it’s so funny). But this is only an ordinary book for teens. Ms. Sones wrote from first point of view with poem style. No! Not in poetic language. Just ordinary story written in poem form – one chapter as one poem. There are also emails between the characters: Ruby to Lizzie, Ray and vice versa, and to her dead Mom!
It’s interesting but boring. It’s like we only read small part of the story because there are poems, not novel. I feel unsatisfied. In few hours, the book is finished. But it deserved to be bought and be read. It’s worth it (because of the writing style).

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