Easy - Tammara Webber

Title : Easy
Series : Easy series
Author : Tammara Webber
Publisher : Berkley Trade
Date of publication : November 6th 2012
Synopsis : Easy

Review : 

"Even broken clocks are right twice a day."

My friends recommended this book to me saying that it was a great book and I won't deny it yet I won't overstating it. As the heroine, Jacqueline has gone through the worst part of her life. As if getting dumped by her boyfriend wasn't enough, she was nearly raped as well. Nothing has gone right until she met Lucas, the guy who helped her escaped from her nightmare. 

Lucas is probably Jacqueline's type but he is certainly not mine. I'm perfectly fine with tattooed men. But long hair on men is a BIG NO for me. I prefer a short haircut for men or Korean hairstyle is acceptable as well. 

Before I read this book, I already know that this hair thingy will somehow bother me a bit. But seeing how gentle Lucas was, all hair thing is slowly vanished away. 

"Choosing to be with you isn't a difficult decision, Jacqueline," he breather, pulling back one final time to stare into my eyes. "It's easy. Incredibly easy."

Easy has a good start in the beginning but I kinda lost in the middle yet end it quite well and satisfied. I like this book because it's realistic. It doesn't tell you all sunshine and rainbows but all the bad things that could happen to anyone and the way to solve it. This book is something that you need to read to get into another level of your life. Most books that I read have messages to deliver to its readers. This book definitely has one.

When someone sexually assaults you, you need to report him right away. Don't be afraid that people will judge you or anything. What matter the most is your feeling not theirs. Stop thinking about what other people will think about you, start thinking and caring about yourself. 

IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT AND YOU ARE NOT ALONE.. 

Snow White and The Huntsman - Lily Blake + Secret Santa

Judul : Snow White and The Huntsman
Penulis : Lily Blake, Penerjemah : Dina Begum
Penerbit : Noura Books
Tahun : 2012
Tebal : 247hal
Sinopsis : Snow White and The Huntsman via goodreads
Review :

Cerita ini tentang Snow White. Tak banyak yang diceritakan ketika ia masih kecil kecuali ayahnya yang menikah dengan seorang wanita muda bernama Ravenna yang ia temukan sebagai sandera dalam suatu peperangan. Ravenna begitu cantik dan terlihat sangat keibuan sehingga Raja meminangnya untuk menjadi istri sekaligus ibu bagi Snow White.

Namun di hari pernikahan mereka, Ravenna malah membunuh sang Raja dan mengambil ahli kerajaan. Alih - alih dibunuh, Ravena memenjarakan Snow White demi kepentingannya sendiri. Kalau dari segi pandanganku, sebenarnya lebih asyik menelusuri karakter Ravenna daripada Snow White. 

Sebenarnya kalau Ravenna tidak tamak, dia tentu sudah bisa bahagia bersama sang Raja. Toh Raja tulus mencintainya. Tapi ya pada dasarnya manusia, selalu merasa tidak cukup, dan tidak puas akan hal yang mereka miliki, maka Ravenna pun tak pernah merasa puas dengan kecantikannya. Ia tak mau menjadi tua, tak ingin merasakan yang namanya memiliki keriput dan rambut yang memutih. Kejahatan Ravenna tak berhenti meskipun ia telah menguasai kerajaan sang Raja. Untuk menjadi tetap cantik dan muda, ia harus menyerap jiwa muda para gadis di desa. Namun, dari setiap sihir yang digunakan akan selalu ada harga yang harus ia bayar. 

“Sihir menuntut imbalan besar.” “Dan imbalannya semakin besar saja.”

Cerita ini bukan hanya sekedar tentang Ratu Ravenna yang jahat dan Snow White yang malang. Ada beberapa peran pendukung seperti Finn, adik Ravenna, para kurcaci yang siap membela Snow White, juga Pemburu bernama Eric yang tidak bersemangat semenjak istrinya terbunuh, dan pangeran William, teman masa kecil Snow White. Cerita ini lebih  mengarah kepada petualangan Snow White dalam mengubah nasibnya beserta klannya. 

Secara keseluruhan ceritanya ringan dan mudah dimengerti. Akan tetapi ada beberapa hal yang bagiku pribadi terasa janggal. Misalnya ketika Snow White yang dikurung selama sepuluh tahun keluar dari penjara, kok perasaannya biasa - biasa saja ya? Biasanya ketika orang terkurung lama di penjara, setelah keluar tentu banyak hal yang berubah dan orang tersebut biasanya mencoba memahami perubahan - perubahan tersebut dan itu tidak terjadi pada cerita Snow White ini. Selain itu, ceritanya diakhiri tanpa banyak arti, ibarat masakan yang dimasak tanpa dibubui bumbu penyedap.

Well, setelah membaca dan menonton filmnya, seingat saya tidak ada banyak perubahan yang terjadi.  Kali ini, buku dan filmnya bisa dikatakan sama - sama menarik. Hanya saja masih terpikir olehku kenapa harus Kristen Stewart yang memerankan karakter Snow White ya? #abaikan

Untuk Secret Santa yang sudah menunggu beberapa hari ini untuk posting review saya, saya ucapkan beribu - ribu maaf karena harus membuatmu menunggu. Seharusnya saya membaca buku lebih awal dari hari yang sudah dijadwalkan. Karena secara tak terduga, tanggal 30 saya masih harus kerja full-time, pulangnya langsung merayakan 30meh bersama keluarga dan tanggal 31 pagi sudah harus ke gereja dan mengunjungi keluarga saudara - saudara yang ada di Medan setelahnya. Mohon maaf ya Santaku yang baik hati.

Sebelumnya Santaku lupa menyelipkan riddle pada paket buku yang ia kirim. Saya sempat heran sejenak, apa yang harus saya tebak ya? Selang beberapa waktu, lewat pm di twitter, mbak Mia menyampaikan riddle dari Santa yaitu : love me or lose me, all in or nothing. 

Untuk siapa Santaku yang sebenarnya, aku menebak beliau adalah Sandra Cattelya (blog : http://pagebypage-sc.blogspot.com/) Kenapa? Tidak ada alasan sebenarnya (dan masih belum nemu sampai saat ini), hanya pure menebak. Dan tak jarang tebakan saya selalu meleset. Benar - benar nggak keren saya ini -.- #kemudiankenaketoksanta

Santaku, siapa pun engkau, tunjukkanlah dirimu yang sebenarnya :) 

Bitter Sweet Love - Jennifer L.Armentrout

Title : Bitter Sweet Love (The Dark Elements, #0,5)
Author : Jennifer L.Armentrout
Publication Date : December 1st, 2013
Series : The Dark Elements
Synopsis : Bitter Sweet Love
Review :

First of all, I worship Jennifer so much it hurts. She is the best author that I could ever ask for. She writes everything and it becomes something. Sometimes I wonder with all books that she has written and the upcoming books that she is about to write, does she even get enough sleep? Jennifer is a talented author and I doubt that I can ever get enough of her work. 

"Love would always be enough, no matter what."

No one would have ever thought that gargoyles could be so hot and beautiful. Although the statues of gargoyles in the real world are all ugly, which contrast to what Jennifer described on the book, but who cares actually. If the statues could speak, they would probably thank her for writing a very good book about them. She made gargoyles look sexy to be honest. 

This novella introduces us to the world of gargoyles where they lived under human's radar. It's about Jasmine and Dez who had a great love toward each other. They had been best friends since they were kids and Jas has loved him since his father brought him to their place after Dez's clans were burned down long time ago. 

Everything goes smoothly until Dez left. It turned Jasmine's world upside down. Took three years for her to accept that Dez won't ever come back. It's easier to think that he's dead. But he is not. Because he has returned now and want to be mated with Jasmine. 

"I loved you the night you brought me pudding and stayed with me until I fell asleep. That was eleven years ago and my love for you has never faded, Jas. Not for a second."

"And I'm just saying that by the end of these seven days or maybe a week from then, or a month, you'll say yes. He cupped my cheek and leaned in, pressing his forehead to mine. "And I'll be waiting. No matter how long it takes."

This novella isn't simply about romance. We have demons as well to be the bad guys. Bitter Sweet Love introduces us to the main characters in White Hot Kiss #1, Layla, Zayne and Roth, the Upper Level Demon. I can't hide my excitement that White Hot Kiss will be available in February. Layla is half demon and half gargoyle. She looks normal, but a kiss would kill a soul. Being surrounded by gargoyles doesn't make her life get any easier. Most of them will avoid her as if she never exists. But Zayne is very protective towards her and the Upper Level Demon Roth is curious about her existence. On the other hand, I am very curious and looking forward to this series. I bet it would be as awesome as Lux and Covenant series. 

It's a big fat FIVE STARS. 

Now or Never - A.J. Bennett

Title : Now or Never
Author : A.J. Bennett
Publication Date : June 19th, 2013
Synopsis : Now or Never (taken from Goodreads)
Review :

Twin sisters Grayson and Luna were born seconds apart but they have different personalities. Luna is always more outgoing, and Grayson is the shy one. Things changed when Grayson met her boyfriend Josh. She thinks she has met the one. Because they have lived together and getting into deep relationship than ever. But is it love when your boyfriend is so jealous of other guys he decided to hit you? He can't bear to see you talking with another guy, he gave bruises on your hand? is it love? if it's love then I don't want to fall in love. 

It takes a long time for her to finally realize that it's not love. It's the anxiety that she feels, the feeling of being verbally and physically abused by the one you love and trust, IT IS NOT LOVE. I REPEAT, IT IS NOT LOVE. 

Grown up as the shy one doesn't make her truly vulnerable, Grayson choose to run away, make her own way to cherish her life to the fullest. She moved back to her mother's house but then she met another trouble, a guy she met at Starbucks, Derrick. Maybe, a fresh start with a new guy isn't so bad at all. But what if he just want to be her friend with benefits?  

Note to myself : 

1. No matter how handsome and sexy your boyfriend is, if he attacks or hits you for whatever the reasons are, LEAVE HIM NOW. Be with someone who adores you, not the one who hit you. 

2. Don't get involved with anything that you can't handle.

3. Family comes first. 

I like the concept that the author used. But I think it could be better at some parts. It isn't the path that I would want to walk in, but sometimes life can take you to places or people that give you either a blessing or a lesson.

"You're only young once Grace. Learn to enjoy it before it passes you by and you're my age." - Grayson's Mom

Time never goes back. Unless you have time machine which you don't, because it only exists in fiction and fantasy novels, it will never give you back your past. So enjoy what you do and what you have now, be happy about it, so you will have good memories when you recall it.  

The Truth About You And Me - Amanda Grace

Title : The Truth About You And Me 

Author : Amanda Grace

Publisher : Flux

Publication Date : September 8th 2013

Synopsis : The Truth About You And Me
Review :

The theme is about forbidden love between a teacher and a student. It is not my first time to read this kind of theme, but I haven’t found what I want to read yet so far. It hasn’t met my expectation yet but I'm so determined to finish this one. So here we go,,, 

Madelyn Hawkins never thought that she would fall in love with her biology teacher, Mr Bennett. She is still sixteen but she has managed herself to be in college whereas her friends are probably still enjoying their high school fun. Although I myself don't believe in love at first sight, it is as if Madelyn has known him forever and found the spark between them. 

No one knows that the age gap is nine years, not even Mr. Bennett. Madelyn kept the secret by herself and it seems she is ready to bury the secret with her. The feeling is mutual but will it last long while you have the strictest parents ever? 

Points : 

1. Being smart in high school/college doesn't necessarily mean you're smart in building a relationship. 

2. Never lie to someone who trust you. 

3. As a child, we can’t give all the blame to our parents. When they’ve failed on something, they will try as hard as possible to not make us experience the same way as they had gone through. It's a good thing though. But it can be wrong as well depends on how they lead and raise their kids. 

"See, Bennett, the sad thing about expectations is that if you fail them – by an inch or a mile, it doesn’t matter – you disappoint people. And my parents, they don’t set the bar low. And my brother, he just kept right on raising it."

"Well, that's just how it is in my house. You have to be perfect, and if you aren't well, you better fake it pretty damn well." 

The root of the problems is parents are too demanding. Forcing Madelyn to be the perfect daughter. No one is perfect,though. I can’t even imagine if one person has no flaws at all. It must be so boring. It sure feels good to be on top, but if we never be on the bottom, never taste how it feels to be failed, we would never know how far we can go. It isn’t the succeed that so important. It is the process that we went through over and over again before we could be on top.

“You were my escape route. My doorway to another world, a reflection that looked more like the me I wanted to be than the one I was forced to be.”

I guess we just have to be honest to ourselves. We don't always know what do we want and we don't always get what we want as well. We just need to be more open-minded and contemplate what other people might have suggested to us.

I only have two things to love about Mr.Bennett. 

1. The fact that he named his Golden retriever dog with Lord Voldemort. 

2. He never lose his patience. It has been said that patience is a virtue, that good things come to those who wait. But maybe it doesn't always work for everyone. 

Overall, I can't say that I like it, but it was okay.