688#Love Note ~ [Book Review] The Wrath and the Dawn

I AM SO GONNA BUY THE SECOND BOOK!
So much feels when I read this book. It has been a long, long time since the moment I set my eyes on it. But I had no money :'( Then recently I found one on Carousell, BacaandTulis account. It's new and in good condition. If you would like to buy it, you can just go to BacanadTulis IG. It's RM30 including postage, totally affordable ;)

Read: From February 18 to 23, 2016

Rating: 4.8/5

One Life to One Dawn.

In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad's dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph's reign of terror once and for all.

Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she'd imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It's an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid's life as retribution for the many lives he's stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?

Inspired by A Thousand and One Nights, The Wrath and the Dawn is a sumptuous and enthralling read from beginning to end.

Shahrzad al Khayzuran volunteers herself to be Caliph of Khorasan's next bride, even though she knows she would be killed at dawn after the wedding night. She wants to seek revenge for her dearest friend, Shiva. She manages to escape the first dawn by telling a story to Khalid Ibn al Rashid, the boy-king of Khorasan. In his cold and emotionless features, Shahrzad sees something in the amber eyers. After a twist turn of event, she wants to know what's the reason he killed his previous brides, what's the reason Shiva has to die?
Shahzard is a stubborn and badass heroine. Even though sometimes I dislike her actions, but I know she doesn't want to betray her family when she starts to fall for Khalid. I can't really describe what I have felt when reading this book but it's a really really good book! As a retelling of Arabian Nights, which I have yet to read the original one, you could understand the story. 
My favourite characters are Despina, Shahrzad's handmaiden and Jalal, Khalid's cousin and the captain of the palace guard. Despina helps Shahrzad to be at ease at the cold palace while Jalal accepts her even though he is suspicious of her at first. I like when Jalal helps to defend Shahrzad when he knows the reason why Shahrzad came to the palace, he doesn't want Khalid to blindly judge her actions without hearing her explanation first. 
The secret is revealed later in the book, so you don't left hanging till the second book. I never expect it. I hope Shahrzad could help Khalid to find a solution for his secret. The magus tells Shahrzad has some kind of power lies dormant in her blood. Seems like I have to wait for the next book.  I don't really finished the book because I left the last two chapters unread. Suraya advised me to not read the last two chapters if I do not want to suffer before the second book being released. The Rose and the Dagger, the second and final book would be out this May 3rd. It's a duology, not a long series. 
My Quotation Keeper app almost gets full with the quotes from this book. Renee Ahdieh is a really good writer. I wonder what she would write after The Wrath and the Dawn series comes to the end. Maybe she could write an original story or retellings again? I would like to share some of my TW&TD quotes with you later :)
Till then. Wassalam.

687#Love Note ~ [Book Review] The Sugar Queen

After I've got captivated by Sarah Addison Allen's The Girl Who Chased the Moon, which I read thrice, I always in search for another books written by Allen. Thankfully I found one during the previous BBW; The Sugar Queen. I also found her debut novel entitled Garden Spells which garnered much interests during its publication. But I have yet to read Garden Spells.

Read: From February 7 to 10, 2016

Rating: 4.5/5

Josey lives an uneventful life in her mother's house, her only consolation the sugary treats and paperback romances she escapes to in her hidden closet. But one day she finds it harbouring none other than local waitress Della Lee Baker, a tough-talking, tenderhearted woman who is one part nemesis and two parts fairy godmother.

Josey Cirrini is like a modern Rapunzel. Being trapped by her own mother who doesn't love her. A mother who doesn't want to let her go, befriends people just for the sake of taking care of her. I dislike Josey's mother, Margaret. It's not like as a daughter Josey cannot take care of her aging mother, but the way Margaret treats her make me despise that woman. She never tells Josey she's beautiful, even though in her heart she does admit Josey looks beautiful in her favourite red cardigan. As a chubby and low self-esteem South Carolina belle, Josey never thinks she is indeed beautiful. Poor soul :(

But everything changes when one day Josey found Della Lee Baker in her closet where she keeps her sweets and paperbacks in secret. She struggles to get Della Lee out of her way but little does Josey know that Della Lee comes to save her from being entrapped forever by her mother. In her own ways, Della Lee gives Josey advices. 

I love Josey's friendship with Chloe Finley. The sandwich shop's owner is her first friend due to Della Lee's constant requests for Josey to buy her a sandwich from Chloe. Chloe further helps Josey to step out from her small world. Step-by-step, Josey gains confidence to even ignore her mother's objection from going out late at night just to help Chloe who desperately needs her help. Sure disobey your own mother is not a right thing to do, but if Margaret's reason is just to keep Josey in her palms, I think it's not right either. 

Josey's budding romance with the mailman named Adam is cute too. For three years (or four? I forgot sorry) Adam comes to Cirrini's doorstep to deliver mails. Adam is not an ordinary mailman as he actually was a lawyer and lived in Chicago before deciding to not leave Bald Slope after the incident which costs him his adventurous life. He could not longer go skiing, but he doesn't want to leave Bald Slope which famous with its ski resort either.

I'm satisfied with the ending for both Josey and Chloe. They deserve it even though I need more explanation about Margaret. There's many quotes that I love too. If only I could have a life like Chloe. When books keep on appearing magically when you need one, without having to buy them :p

Till then.

Wassalam. 

686#Love Note ~ Kesibukan

Nampak gaya lepas ni kena buat scheduled posts, tak menyempat nak blogging. Walaupun jadual kelas tak adalah pack sangat, tapi sebab dah start FYP tak payah nak mimpilah nak tidur awal bangun tengok Running Man. Tajuk tak finalise lagi. Tadi jumpa supervisor, bila beritahu pasal rough idea untuk tajuk yang Hana nak, supervisor kata macam susah. Boleh aje buat tapi agak renyahlah. So sekarang kena fikir tajuk baru. Bersyukur sangat dapat supervisor yang memahami, tak paksa nak buat tajuk yang susah susah.

Sekarang ni memang kena bergelumang dengan previous papers yang senior buat dan jurnal jurnal yang sepatutnya. Dahlah nak faham ayat dalam jurnal tu bukan main susah. Dengan terms yang memang tak tahulah nak kata level apa haha sabar ajelah. Kan best kalau all those thesis papers dalam bentuk cerita yang menarik? :p

Till then.

Wassalam.

685#Love Note ~ 25 Things That Make Me Happy

Thank you Kim Chaa dan Budak Vanilla sebab tag Hana untuk game ni :) Sekarang baru menyempat nak buat. Seronok juga baca apa yang korang tulis tu hehe :)

Rules

• Create a new post and insert the theme picture above.
• List 25 things that make you happy most of the time, it could be in any language.
• Mention the blog(s) that have tagged you.
• Tag another five bloggers and make sure they know about this!
• You might share your favourite quotes of the weeks if you want it :)

Bolehlah kita mula sekarang :p Seronok juga dapat main game macam ni. Kalau rajin bacalah ya haha.

• My family
• My friends yang satu kepala suka buat drama tapi tak susahkan orang
• Jamer's presence in my life even sekejap :')
• Kacau adik bongsu
• My precious collection of books!
• Bila ada duit lebih untuk beli buku baru :p
• Duit banyak dalam bank account even tak selalu hahaha
• Dapat hadiah tak kira masa :p
• Ada geng nak borak pasal buku kegemaran
• Kelas tak ada waktu pagi boleh sambung tidur
• Balik rumah setiap kali cuti
• Jalan jalan cari makan 
• Tengok binatang atau apa apa benda yang comel 
• Tengok video kucing yang comel geramnya nak cubit pipi tu!
• Baca online manga
• Tengok anime
• Fangirling tengok drama Korea/Jepun lagi lagi dengan kawan kawan
• Dapat makanan free orang belanja :p
• Dark chocolate and cakes!
• Freshly cut apple dan jambu sedapnya!
• Internet yang laju!
• Bau roti dan pastri from a bakery
• Chatime!
• Daydreaming~
• Bila pergi kelas tak payah gosok tudung dan baju

Actually Hana tak tahu nak tag siapa. Sesiapa yang teringin nak buat tu buat ajelah ya :) Lepas tu bolehlah share ramai ramai :)

Till then.

Wassalam.

684#Love Note ~ Pening Dengan FYP

Agak lama menyepi lepas previous post pasal Jamer tu :'( Sedih memang sedih tapi takkan asyik nak menangis aje kan? Agaknya kalau Jamer boleh bercakap pastu datang dalam mimpi mesti dia bising sebab asyik sedih aje. Kenalah terima yang dia dah pergi :'( Bukannya tak boleh teruskan hidup pun.
Insya-Allah, hati ni boleh kuat.
Minggu ni Hana sibuk dengan FYP juga sebenarnya. Dah jumpa supervisor tapi sekarang masih pening nak pilih tajuk apa. Yang penting supervisor nak buat pasal cell culture dengan cancer cells. Semester ni Hana akan sibuk dengan FYP1, more to propose the title I would choose sebelum sibuk masuk lab semester depan untuk FYP2. FYP2 ni pula mulalah kena main masak masak dalam lab tu dengan semua jenis alat untuk dapat results. Sabar sabar, tiga semester aje lagi sebelum Hana grad dengan jayanya insya-Allah.
Kim Chaa ada tag Hana. Insya-Allah Hana buat weekend ni ya :) Nak review buku juga. Nanti Hana balas kunjungan sebelum ni ya?
Till then. Wassalam.

683#Love Note ~ Jamer Pergi Tak Kembali

12 Februari 2016.
Tak sangka pada tarikh 12 Februari ni, Hana ada satu kehilangan lagi. Tahun lepas, arwah Tok Wan Hana meninggal pada tarikh ni. Tahun ni pula, Jamer menyusul pergi pada tarikh yang sama. Tak tahulah apa yang boleh Hana cakap tapi terkejut dan langsung tak boleh terima bila housemates kata Jamer pergi sebab kereta terlanggar dia. 

Masa Jamer first time tinggal dengan kitorang.

Pagi semalam, macam biasa Hana bangun pagi beri Jamer makan. Macam biasa juga, bila Hana turun dari tingkat atas Jamer excited nak makanan dan ikut Hana ke dapur. Hana nak beri wet food, kononnya nak gemukkan dia lagi dan juga rasa bersalah sebab dua hari lepas dia membuang atas cadar housemate Hana, Hana yang basuhkan lepas tu macam merajuk sikit dengan Jamer sebab dia buat hal. Jamer excited sangat masa Hana letak wet food tu dalam bekas makanan dia. Dia siap berpaut kat tong gas, tengok kat Hana dengan bunyi meow dia tu. Bila Hana bawa makanan tu ke sangkar dia, dia mula berlari nak gigit gigit kaki pastu nak geselkan kepala.
Lepas Jamer makan, biasanya dia akan keluar dari rumah waktu pagi. Sebab kelas Hana pukul 10 pagi, Hana sarapan dulu. Ada bunyi Jamer bergaduh dengan kucing lain kat luar, tapi sebab dia tak masuk dalam rumah balik so Hana anggap dia tak apa-apa. Lepas tu Hana naik bilik sebab nak siap-siap pergi kelas. Tak sangka keluar aje dari bilik mandi tu, roommate Hana suruh Hana relaks dan kata Jamer dah tak ada. Jamer accident masa Hana naik tingkat atas. Housemates kata dia menggelupur lepas tu seorang housemate Hana pergi tenangkan Jamer, tunggu dia sampai dia dah tak ada. 

Malam pada hari Hana baru sampai Ahad lepas. Jamer jadi peneman sebab housemates keluar dan ada yang balik kampung cuti CNY

Hana turun bawah dengan rasa tak nak percaya. Hana keluar dari rumah tengok Jamer dibaringkan kat halaman rumah. Housemates Hana dah tutup dia dengan kain. Tubuh dia panas lagi masa Hana sentuh. Nampak darah kat bahagian kepala dan mulut dia. Hana menangis kat situ juga. Lembut sangat bulu dia. Sedih bila tengok ada semut kerumun Jamer. Hana ambil kolar dia, ada darah kat kolar tu. Syukur sebab anggota tubuh dia tak ada yang hancur.
Nak tak nak, Hana kena pergi kelas juga. Hana langsung tak boleh nak concentrate dalam kelas. Walaupun tak nak menangis tapi air mata tetap mengalir dalam diam. Lepas kelas Hana tak boleh terus balik, tunggu housemates jumpa FYP supervisors masing masing. Kat depan lecture hall tu jugalah berkali kali Hana usap air mata, teringat kat Jamer. Sebab kitorang lambat sangat, dua orang housemates Hana pergi kuburkan Jamer dulu. Kesian pula sebab makin banyak semut hurung Jamer.

Kubur Jamer

Balik aje dari kelas bila masuk rumah tu, sebak sangat bila tengok sangkar Jamer, bekas makanan Jamer dan tempat dia suka tidur. Housemates ajak pergi tengok kubur Jamer tapi Hana tak sanggup, tak sedia lagi nak pergi. Memang mengalir air mata bila baring dalam bilik. Asyik teringat kat Jamer aje.  
Apa yang Hana kesalkan, ada banyak benda lagi Hana nak buat untuk Jamer. Dahlah baru aje mandikan dia petang sebelum pagi dia accident. Malam tu, Hana tidur lambat. Entah kenapa rasa nak main aje dengan Jamer. Memang Hana spent masa main dengan Jamer aje sebelum tidur tapi masa pagi Hana beri dia makan tu, Hana tak peluk Jamer langsung, tak main langsung dengan dia. Tambah lagi lepas Jamer makan dia terus keluar dari rumah.
Tak sampai seminggu pun Hana jumpa Jamer lepas semester break hari tu, dia dah pergi. Kami jaga dia tak sampai empat bulan. He's family. Jamer bukan hanya seekor kucing tapi family kami. Yang selalu buat sebak sekarang ni bila duduk kat tingkat bawah sebab Jamer suka main kat situ. Masa Hana simpan pellet dia yang tak habis sebab nak cuci bekas makanan dia petang tadi, memang tak boleh tahan langsung sebak nak menangis. Rasa tak percaya Jamer dah tak ada. Walaupun mungkin ada kucing lain nanti tapi tetap tak boleh nak ganti Jamer. He's so special. 

The last picture of him yang Hana ambil dua tiga hari yang lepas

Sekarang Jamer dah tak ada untuk teman Hana stay up, dah tak payah tutup pintu dapur sebab nak elak Jamer main sampah, dah tak ada Jamer sambut setiap kali balik kelas atau bangun tidur. Jamer, thank you for the short moment of happiness. Hana harap sangat Jamer bahagia aje masa kami jaga dia. Tolong doakan kami. Insya-Allah, kita akan jumpa lagi.
May you rest in peace.
Till then. Wassalam.

682#Love Note ~ [Book Review] This is a Love Story

With the obvious title, I bought Jessica Thompson's debut novel. As a new author and the one I've never read before, the cover and synopsis are the important things that would encourage me to but the book. Good reviews also help in this matter.

Read: February 25 to March 23, 2015

Rating: 4.3/5

This is a love story.

Boy meets girl and girl falls for boy - that much is true.

But when Sienna meets Nick it's not the way it happens in love stories. It's because of a squirrel on water skis...

She sees Nick's dangerous brown eyes and thinks,

Don't.

Fall.

Into.

Them.

Who will be there to catch Siena when she falls? She is so fragile. She has so many secrets, and he is not that serious.

Funny and sad, this is the story of two people destined never to come together in the great love affair they crave more than anything else.

Sienna is a young lady with a secret. A secret she would definitely wouldn't want to tell. On her way to her new workplace, she meets Nick. She doesn't know that the man would be her colleague. Talking about fate. While falling in love instantly with Nick, she keeps her distance by becoming one of Nick's bestfriend. Their friendship is to be adored, while Sienna loves Nick, she doesn't know that Nick also loves her. They don't express their desire to be an item as both do not want to be hurt and risk their friendship.

I love Sienna's interaction with the homeless man. Sorry I forgot his name, has been a long time since reading it. It is Paul? Or Pete? I really couldn't remember it. She and the homeless man would talk about their love story; Sienna would talk about Nick and the homeless man would talk about his dead wife. Sienna also is a good daughter to her father. Her mother abandoned her years ago and left her with her father. Nevertheless, their bond is still strong. Sienna doesn't blame her father for her mother's departure from their life.

Thompson tackles different issues in this book. From Sienna's secret which involves her father, love and friendship with Nick and the homelessness that comes from a devastating point in life. Even though they are not the professional written ones but we still could take one or two main points from the issue. Starting from this book, I read her second and third book and were satisfied with them. Have yet to buy her latest book but I would soon.

I have a FYP workshop this evening. Couldn't get to you guys till tonight. I would visit your blogs soon :)

Till then.

Wassalam. 

681#Love Note ~ [Book Review] The Girl Who Chased the Moon

I want to review the book that I've read three times so far. I don't know how to describe my attachment to the book but even though I've read it so many times, I still love it. The Girl Who Chased the Moon is my first book of Sarah Addison Allen. I bought her other book, The Sugar Queen during BBW last year. Currently I'm reading the book.

Read: September 4 to 5, 2015 (my second/third time reading, I don't remember)

Rating: 4.6/5

Emily Benedict came to Mullaby, North Carolina, hoping to solve at least some of the riddles surrounding her mother’s life. Such as, why did Dulcie Shelby leave her hometown so suddenly? And why did she vow never to return? But the moment Emily enters the house where her mother grew up and meets the grandfather she never knew—a reclusive, real-life gentle giant—she realizes that mysteries aren’t solved in Mullaby, they’re a way of life: Here are rooms where the wallpaper changes to suit your mood. Unexplained lights skip across the yard at midnight. And a neighbor bakes hope in the form of cakes.

Everyone in Mullaby adores Julia Winterson’s cakes—which is a good thing, because Julia can’t seem to stop baking them. She offers them to satisfy the town’s sweet tooth but also in the hope of rekindling the love she fears might be lost forever. Flour, eggs, milk, and sugar . . . Baking is the only language the proud but vulnerable Julia has to communicate what is truly in her heart. But is it enough to call back to her those she’s hurt in the past?  
 
Can a hummingbird cake really bring back a lost love? Is there really a ghost dancing in Emily’s backyard? The answers are never what you expect. But in this town of lovable misfits, the unexpected fits right in.

In the reality of life, there's a bit of magical elements happen in Mullaby. From Emily's grandfather being a giant (a very tall man), the Mullaby Light that always comes near her but runs away when she approaches, changing wallpaper in her bedroom and a neighbour who bakes cake hoping the scent would reach her loved one.

Emily comes to Mullaby after the death of her mother. She doesn't know why her mother didn't want to come back to her hometown. Having no one else to take care of her, Emily finds shelter from her estranged grandfather who she only knows recently. After coming to Mullaby, Emily always finds weird stares from the people and a strange encounter with a boy her age named Win Coffey. Soon, Emily finds out her mother left Mullaby after a big incident happened involving Win's deceased uncle. The incident makes the people of Mullaby hate her mother, including Emily. 

I adore both Emily and Julia. Emily is a curious but endearing girl while Julia, I don't know how to describe her but she's a really sweet woman. She works hard to call back to her past. Julia was a troubled teen. Even though her history with Emily's mother during high school was not a pleasant one but she welcomes Emily and helps her to adjust to Mullaby's life. Being a great baker, Julia longs to search for her beloved by the sweet scents of the cakes. Baking comforts her.

Win and Grandpa Vance Shelby are my favourite male characters in this book. Win is not the typical teen who rebels against his father. He is in different level when it comes to that. He still has his manners but he doesn't want to keep on following his father's ridiculous rules. Coffeys, one of the wealthiest families in Mullaby together with Shelby family, are not allowed to be outside after dark till dawn.  The townspeople thought it's the way the Coffeys preserved their elite status. No one knew why until the night before Emily's mother left Mullaby. 

Grandpa Vance, Emily's grandfather is a giant with a kind heart. He regrets his actions of always giving money to Emily's mother after his wife died and didn't give his only daughter proper love and care. He doesn't want to repeat the same mistake and want to keep Emily in safety. But when Emily is too eager to find out about her mother, what could he do? What if the history is repeated? 

Seems like I would get the rest of Allen's books. I own a copy of The Sugar Queen and Garden Spells, both are written by Allen. I would review the books too, am curious whether I would love them as much as I love The Girl Who Chased the Moon or not.

Till then.

Wassalam.

680#Love Note ~ Cuti Chinese New Year @IOI City Mall Putrajaya

Memandangkan semalam public holiday sebab Chinese New Year, memang sah sah tak ada kelas. Hana duduk kat rumah sewa guling guling dengan Jamer aje kerjanya. Kesian Jamer makanan dah habis haha kena makan roti dan keropok. Sorry ya Jamer.
Lepas Asar, Hana ikut housemates dan kawan lelaki kitorang keluar makan. Dah tak tahu nak pergi mana, kitorang pergi IOI Putrajaya ajelah. Ingatkan tak ramai orang, rupa-rupanya ramai sangat. Yalah, manalah tahu semua pakat balik kampung ke. Sesak betul dalam mall tu. 
Sebab masing masing dah lapar kitorang makan di Chicken Rice Shop dulu. Hampir semua restoran penuh dengan orang. Nasib aje ada tempat kosong. Siap makan kitorang jalan jalan ajelah kat dalam mall tu. Nak balik rumah, bosan pula tak tahu nak buat apa. Masuk ajelah mana mana kedai tengok apa yang menarik. Bukannya nak shopping sangat pun. Hana masuk Tesco kejap cari wet food untuk Jamer. Keluar nak bersuka ria pun kena ingat lagi anak kat rumah tu haha. 

Hana berpecah dengan kawan kawan sebab masa Hana ke Chatime beli air, diorang masuk Parkson. Takkanlah nak bawa masuk air pula dalam tu. Sudahnya Hana duduk aje kat Chatime tu isi masa baca my current read. Kalau tak mahu terkebil kebil duduk seorang diri depan Parkson haha. Lama jugalah tunggu diorang datang. Entah apalah yang menarik sangat dalam Parkson tu :p

Lepas tu, kitorang turun ke The Symphony Walk. Nak tengok musical fountain kat situ. Terhibur betul rasanya haha. Selama ni datang IOI Hana tak pernah singgah lagi tengok musical fountain tu. Siap ambil video dan hantar kat group WhatsApp family lagi. Tak boleh pula nak upload kat sini :( 

Dekat pukul 10 malam baru kitorang balik. Masing masing dah penat dan mengantuk. Hari ni cuti lagi. Esok baru ada kelas. Lusa Hana ada FYP workshop dari pukul 2 sampai 5:30 petang. Penatnya rasa haha macam tak puas cuti lagi ni.

Macam mana cuti CNY korang? :)

Till then.

Wassalam.

679#Love Note ~ Bermalas-malasan Dengan Jamer

Semalam tinggal Hana seorang aje kat rumah sewa. Ramai yang balik rumah sebab cuti CNY lepas tu ada yang ke PD dan keluar makan. Sebab mengantuk dan penat tak hilang lagi travel balik Kajang tengah hari semalam, Hana duduk rumah aje layankan si Jamer tu main.
Jamer dah makin manja sekarang haha dah kurang dah pasif dia tu. Bagus bagus. Azam tahun baru ya Jamer? Makin syok la nak mengacau si bulu oren ni.

Baru nak tengok movie dia dah datang mengacau nak duduk atas laptop

Oh I'm sleepy~

Jangan ganggu please 

Biar pun kucing tak boleh balas apa yang kita cakap tapi syok bercakap dengan kucing ni. Jamer tengok aje dengan muka malas nak campur tapi bila dah kena peluk memang tak boleh nak larilah :p Kerja si gendut ni makan tidur main. Tak payah nak risau masalah lain.

Cuti CNY ni memang relaks ajelah kerjanya. Hana bangun solat Subuh lepas tu turun bawah bagi Jamer makan. Lepas layankan budak gendut tu naik atas sambung tidur balik haha mengantuknya tak tahulah nak kata macam apa. Lepas bagi Jamer makan (lagi sekali ya), jemur baju barulah boleh breakfast. Itu pun Jamer tengah bising sebab pallet dia dah habis kitorang lupa belikan semalam. Nasib baik ada wet food dua plastik kecil. 

My favourite choco milk. Sedap, lemak lemak rasanya ;)

Malam semalam meriah dengan bunyi fireworks. Jamer nak keluar buat pelaburan sendirian berhad kat belakang rumah tu terkejut, terbantut terus hajat dia hahaha. Lawak bila ingat balik muka terkejut dia tu. Sorry eh Jamer banyak mengata pula dalam ni haha.

Happy Chinese New Year to all Chinese bloggers!

Till then.

Wassalam.

678#Love Note ~ Kembali ke Kajang

Lepas tiga minggu semester break + seminggu lagi cuti sendiri akhirnya sampai juga Hana kat Kajang ni balik :p Ingatkan dah tak nak jejak dah, nak duduk aje kat rumah tapi kena sedar diri semester ni dah start dengan FYP. Tak boleh nak mengada sangat.
Sebab flight Hana tadi pukul 8 pagi, memang kena awallah pergi airport. Punyalah berangan nak tidur awal sebab tak nak mengantuk, sekali tu blackout dari pukul 12 tengah malam sampailah masa Hana nak ke airport pun elektrik tak ada lagi. Tak tahulah nak kata tidur macam apa semalam. Asyik tersedar aje sebab panas. Tapi berjaya jugalah tidur dengan lena dua jam sebelum pukul 6 pagi tu. Ingatkan taman perumahan aje yang blackout, rupa-rupanya kawasan kat jalan raya pun gelap tak ada elektrik. Agaknya dekat 1 KM atas jalan tu baru jumpa rumah-rumah dan tiang-tiang elektrik yang ada cahaya sinar menyinari alam hahaha :p
Mengantuk sangat dalam flight tadi, memang tidur aje kerja Hana. Sampai aje KLIA2 terus cabut dari arrival hall sebab lapar nak cari makan. Biasanya Hana makan kat Texas Chicken atau Uncle Lim's Cafe tapi kali ni rasa nak makan kat tempat lain pula. Singgahlah kat Wendy's.

Sebab masa tu baru pukul 9 pagi lebih, ada breakfast menu aje. Hana pilih set nasi ayam, ada nasi ayam, hash brown dengan pilihan air sama ada teh panas atau iced lemonade. Nasi ayam Wendy's sedap :) Lembut aje ayamnya tak ada nak risau sudu dan garfu plastik tu patah :p 

Alhamdulillah Hana sampai Kajang dalam pukul 12:30, transit ERL kat TBS lepas tu tukar KTM ke Kajang. Penat memang penat. Even dah tidur lepas Zohor tadi pun rasa mengantuk lagi ni. Nanti bila free Hana jenguk blog korang ya? 

Till then.

Wassalam.

677#Love Note ~ [Book Review] All the Bright Places

I notice that from last year, the theme about depression and psychological problems have been the main in Young Adult books. But now I want to talk about this book which I personally prefer than The Fault in Our Stars despite the comparisons between them. 

Read: From February 20 to 25, 2015

Rating: 4.7/5

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

This debut YA book by Jennifer Niven is one of my favourite YA till now. I like both Finch and Violet. Okay even though Finch's first name is Theodore but he uses his surname. Both of them meet when Violet wants to committed suicide (or try to) while Finch is thinking to jump from their school bell tower.

Finch is viewed as weird by his schoolmates and he doesn't has many friends. He comes from a broken family. Even his mother and siblings do not try to understand him. Meanwhile, Violet comes from a decent family. Both of them are totally and completely opposite but they find comfort by being in each other's side. 

Violet is able to overcome her sister's death and start to be happy again with Finch's support but what Violet doesn't know is Finch is desperately holding on her as he struggles to keep on living while makes precious moments to Violet.

I think Niven is good in portraying the depression among teenagers. If I'm not mistaken someone from the author's family committed suicide (or relatives, I read in her bio but couldn't really remember it) so writing this book might be difficult to her. However, she comes up with a great book. Niven addresses the issue as a whole by not simply makes the readers to just sympathise with the characters but to understand and be in their shoes too. 

I do not fond of the idea when people romanticise the idea of depression and suicide. It's not something to be viewed as romantic as it could bring uneasiness to the people involved. Even though I have read some books about depression but I do not romanticise them so I object when people say we, the readers of the theme, romanticise the idea. It's not, really. 

Till then.

Wassalam.

676#Love Note ~ Bila Dah Nak FYP

Tengah hari semalam ingatkan nak tidur lepas Zohor sebab mengantuk, tapi bila dapat WhatsApp daripada housemates yang kata students of batch September 2013 dah boleh tengok senarai nama untuk FYP supervisors, tak lena tidur dibuatnya. Lagi lagi bila subjects tak ada lagi kat student portal. Tidur tidur ayam la jadinya :( Setiap kali bangun mesti bukak phone.

Akhirnya bila dah nak dekat Asar tu ada housemates hantar gambar senarai nama tu. Alhamdulillah Hana dapat lecturer yang Hana nak :) Senarai nama tu ikut susunan nama students dalam batch dan bermula dengan Dean hinggalah lecturer biasa. Hana dapat Miss Isnida, lecturer yang ajar Cell Biology dan Genetic masa Year 1 dulu :) Bila tanya senior, katanya Miss Is suka buat cell culture.

Actually I couldn't believe I would start FYP soon :p Semester ni baru FYP1 yang involve paper writing and presentation, masuk FYP2 ni barulah kami masuk lab. Memang tak boleh nak percaya tapi kena percaya juga :p Macam baru semalam aje masuk MESTECH alih alih batch kami pula jadi batch paling senior. 

Doakan semuanya berjalan dengan lancar ya? :) Yang pasti memang Hana akan bertambah sibuk lepas ni. Tengok senior sebelum ni pun sibuknya kemain (-_-')

Till then.

Wassalam.

675#Love Note ~ [Movie Review] Blind

Semester lepas Hana ada layan satu Korean movie entitled Blind. Mula mula usha movie ni sebab minat hero dan heroine movie tahun 2011 ni. Sebab ramai kata movie ni best memang Hana tak tunggu lama untuk tengok. Sempatlah tengok dua kali movie ni hehe :p 

Genre: Suspense, Thriller, Blindness

Plot:

A missing person case involving a female university student and the victim in a hit and run case appears to be related. Detectives look for a witness.

Into the police office walks Min Soo-Ah (Kim Ha-Neul). She used to be a promising cadet at the police academy, but after a horrific car accident which killed her brother, Soo-Ah's police career ended. Min Soo-Ah also lost her eyesight in the car accident. Min Soo-Ah reveals to Detective Jo (Jo Hee-Bong) at the police station that on the night of the hit and run case she was picked up by a taxi cab driver. Soo-Ah believes the taxi driver may be the perpetrator of the crimes. Initially, Detective Jo doesn't take Soo-Ah's claims seriously because she is blind, but when Soo-Ah displays her acute senses the detective starts to believe her.

Detective Jo and Min Soo-Ah then work together to find the taxi cab driver, but all their leads turn up empty. Then another witness comes forward Kwon Ki-Sub (Yoo Seung-Ho). Kwon Ki-Sub is a motorcycle delivery boy who claims to have also witness the hit and run incident. Kwon Ki-Sub also emphatically states that the car in question was not a taxi cab, but rather an imported sedan.

Meanwhile, Min Soo-Ah finds herself being stalked by a mysterious man ... 

Walaupun Min Soo Ah kehilangan penglihatan lepas kemalangan, tapi dia cuba juga untuk teruskan jadi polis. Suatu malam, dia syak teksi yang dia naik terlibat dengan kes langgar lari. Lepas kena assault dengan pemandu teksi tu, Min Soo Ah ke balai polis untuk bantu kes tersebut. Pada masa tu, Min Soo Ah juga syak pemandu teksi tu terlibat dengan siri kes kehilangan beberapa orang perempuan sebelum ni. She teams up with Detective Jo to solve the case.

Meanwhile, Kwon Ki Sub is the sole witness of the hit and run case. Mulanya dia beri info sebab nakkan reward tapi lepas Min Soo Ah bantah kenyataan Kwon Ki Sub pasal kereta itu bukannya teksi, dia terus malas nak beri info lain. Lepas beberapa lama, Kwon Ki Sub hampir jadi mangsa bunuh oleh lelaki yang stalk Min Soo Ah.

Bagi Hana movie ni best bukan sebab Kim Ha Neul dan Yoo Seung Ho yang memang pandai berlakon, tapi tema dan penyampaian setiap scene yang menarik. Seeing the blind Min Soo Ah cuba pertahankan diri daripada stalker tu memang suspense. Ada dua parts yang jadi favourite Hana dalam movie ni; masa Kwon Ki Sub nak selamatkan Min Soo Ah masa Min Soo Ah terperangkap berdua aje dengan stalker tu kat underground subway dan masa mereka berdua nak fight stalker tu dalam rumah anak yatim yang gelap. 

Kalau korang suka movie yang penuh dengan psycho-suspense macam ni, memang Hana recommend sangat-sangat untuk tengok Blind :)

Till then.

Wassalam.

674#Love Note ~ [Review Buku] Gadisku, Wan Adnin

Sebab dah lama tak review buku tempatan, kali ni Hana nak review karya Noor Suraya berjudul Gadisku, Wan Adnin. Hana memang peminat buku-buku keluaran Jemari Seni (termasuk Jemari Seni Adiwarna). Sebelum ni pernah baca Jaja & Din karya Kak Su masa zaman sekolah menengah dulu. Jaja & Din memang best :) 

Read: From April 3 to 7, 2015

Rating: 4.8/5

cinta itu kurniaan Allah

jatuh dalam hati-hati hamba-Nya

Wan Adnin satu-satunya cucu perempuan Wan Suhaidah. Neneknya itu wanita aristokrat yang hidup dalam zaman yang salah. Dia mahu tentukan pasangan hidup Adnin. Dia mahu Adnin mendapat suami yang sedarjat. Satu per satu pinangan orang Wan Suhaidah tolak sehinggalah hadirnya Ahmad Akhtar...

Jadi apa yang Adnin pilih? Ikut rasa Tok Bondanya, atau ikut kata hati! Tapi kata peribahasa lama pula, ikut rasa... binasa, ikut hati... mati!

Adnin hidup menumpang kasih Tok Bondanya sejak dari kecil lagi. Tok Bonda memang asuh Adnin untuk jadi perempuan Melayu terakhir. Dengan sopan santunnya selalu berbaju kurung dan bertudung bawal, pandai hal-hal rumah tangga dan juga menekat benang emas. Tak pernah Adnin langgar kata-kata Tok Bonda walaupun dia selalu juga memendam rasa.

Bila timbul isu siapa yang layak menjadi suami Adnin, Tok Bonda memang tegas. Tok Bonda cuma mahukan lelaki yang berketurunan darah biru sama sepertinya juga. Bagi Tok Bonda lelaki daripada keturunan marhaen langsung tidak layak untuk Adnin walaupun Adnin lebih mementingkan hati budi. Bila Akhtar muncul, sekali lagi Tok Bonda cuba menghalang lelaki keturunan marhaen seperti Akhtar meminang Adnin. Tapi Akhtar bukan sebarangan lelaki. Tok Bonda tersilap langkah.

Masa baca buku ni, memang Hana rasa geram sangat dengan Tok Bonda. Tak kisah pun kalau Tok Bonda nak pentingkan adat dan tradisi, tapi bagi Hana patutnya Tok Bonda pentingkan perasaan Adnin sebagai cucu kesayangannya. Bukannya sebarangan memberi arahan yang memang Adnin tak akan bantah.

Selain Akhtar, Raja Izhar turut nak meminang Adnin. Tok Bonda memang berkenan pada Raja Izharlah sebab keturunannya. Walaupun Hana suka Akhtar dengan Adnin tapi Raja Izhar pun lelaki yang baik. Walaupun Tok Bonda yang memilih Raja Izhar, tapi kalau Adnin disatukan dengan Raja Izhar pun tak mengapa. Alahai. Akhtar dan Raja Izhar dua-dua lelaki yang baik :) Betullah, lelaki yang baik untuk perempuan yang baik. Adnin memang bertuah.

Pada masa yang sama, Adnin terjumpa surat-surat lama dari zaman Kedah berperang dengan Siam dalam teratak Tok Bonda itu. Rasanya kalau jelaskan lagi kisah Wan Yusuf penulis surat-surat itu lagi best :) Walaupun sekejap aje, tapi rasa sangat Wan Yusuf pernah hidup pada zaman perang Kedah-Siam itu.

Berbalik pada kisah Adnin, siapa sangka ada halangan besar untuknya disatukan dengan Raja Izhar. Semuanya berkaitan dengan kisah lama Tok Bonda dengansalah seorang ahli keluarga Raja Izhar. Adakah selepas semua ini, Akhtar mampu menawan hati Tok Bonda untuk membenarkan dia meminang Adnin pula? Bagaimana pula dengan Tok Bonda? Adakah beliau akan berubah? Boleh dapatkan buku ni kalau nak tau :p

Till then.

Wassalam.

673#Love Note ~ Masam Si Celagi, Manis Si Kelapa

Masa Hana ke Pasar Siti Khadijah kelmarin, ada jumpa orang jual buah celagi. Sebab dah lama tak makan belilah satu plastik harga RM5. Ingatkan nak beli buah keranji juga tapi mama tak bagi sebab masam sangat haha tak elok makan benda masam banyak banyak :p Tapi buah keranji tu favourite tau.

Buah celagi sedap ;)

Buah celagi atau mungkin lebih dikenali dengan asam jawa atau tamarind ni memang sedap makan macam itu aje. Rasanya masam manis. Sesiapa suka masam masam ni memang wajiblah makan buah celagi ni. Lagi best kalau ambil sendiri daripada pokok. Kat depan rumah arwah Tok Mek Hana dulu ada pokok celagi besar. Tak taulah dah berapa belas atau puluh tahun pokok tu. Ada since Hana kecik lagi :)

Gula-gula kelapa tradisional

Ini pula gula-gula kelapa yang dibuat secara tradisional. Wrapper memang warna warni macam ni meriah betul tengok :) Ada kacang dalam gula-gula ni. Kalau buka wrapper tu kena hati-hati sebab ada tepung putih dalam tu, tak nak kasi gula-gula melekat kat wrapper masa tengah panas. Rasanya tak adalah semanis gula-gula kelapa yang macam candy biasa tu tapi sekurang-kurangnya kandungan gula tak adalah tinggi sangat :p

Sekejap aje kalau nak habiskan dua benda ni. Itu pun nasib tak bukak agar-agar keras untuk dimakan juga. Bekalan yang Hana nak bawa balik Kajang dah asingkan siap-siap nanti habis pula :p Bab makanan ni memang laju.

Till then.

Wassalam.

672#Love Note ~ [Book Review] True Love (and Other Lies)

I received True Love (and Other Lies) as an early birthday present from one of my best friends, Najwa way back during my high school days. I read a few chapters but because I was annoyed with the protagonist, Claire Spencer, I didn't finish the book till now, even though I'm still dislike Claire.

Read: From January 25 to 30, 2016

Rating: 4.3/5

Travel writer Claire has kissed enough frogs (snakes and toads) to know, without a shadow of a doubt, that fate, love at first sight and 'The One' do not exist.

So when she ends up sitting next to sexy American ex-pat, Jack, on a flight from New York to London and he asks her out, she figures there must be a catch. Or maybe after years of dating disasters and bozo boyfriends, Claire has finally met the man of her dreams. But just as she's about to start believing in destiny, Claire discovers that someone else got to Jack first, and she can't believe who it is...

This book is hilarious and a light read so why I dislike Claire? 

I know protagonists are not to be perfect from the start. I don't have problems with protagonists who have flaws but in some cases I just couldn't ignore it. Claire has problems with her self confidence, maybe her self confidence is only within one to two centimeters range. She always underestimate herself and I do not like that.

Claire's character development is too slow. Even when Jack is being honest about his feelings and his impression about her, she only gets it when it's near the end of the book. I would love it if her character development is progressing even for a bit in the middle of the story.

The overall of the story is good and funny but I couldn't really like Claire. It's just my opinion but since I'm not in her shoes, my opinions might couldn't be received well. You could read it if you're an easy-to-please reader, more than I am.

Till then.

Wassalam.

671#Love Note ~ Day Out with Mama @Pasar Siti Khadijah

Semalam dah keluar berjalan kat KB Mall, hari ni pun Hana keluar lagi. Tapi hari ni keluar dengan mama pula :) Kami pergi Pasar Siti Khadijah dengan misi membeli bekalan makanan untuk Hana bawa balik Kajang hujung minggu ni :p Yalah bukan senang nak cari makanan dari Kelantan kat sana. Nanti kempunan pula.
Sebab dua dua tak pandai drive, kami cadang nak naik bas aje ke Kota Bharu tapi alang alang ada pak cik prebet kami naik prebet ajelah. Nasib baik jalan tak jam macam semalam. Hana dan mama sampai dekat area Parkson KB pun dah dekat pukul 10:30 pagi. Tapi itu pun boleh tahan ramai dah orang kat sana.
Mula-mula kitorang pergi ke tingkat 2 Pasar Siti Khadijah tu. Kalau nak cari makanan macam serunding, keropok keping dan macam macam lagi makanan kering bolehlah cari kat sana. Nak cari budu dan sos pencicah yang sedap pun boleh :p Mama belikan serunding, agar agar kering (sedap!), kismis dan gula gula kepala (yang tradisional punya). Itu pun mau habis RM50 sebab beli banyak. 

Lebih kurang macam ni lah kedai kedai kat tingkat 2 Pasar Siti Khadijah
Siap beli barang, kami ke kedai Mak Su Hana yang dekat bawah pasar. Mak Su asalnya berniaga kat Arked Uda, tapi sebab tempat tu kena renovate ke apa entah Mak Su pindah sini. Sibuklah tengok ramai orang datang beli emas dengan Mak Su hehe. Yang paling best mestilah sebab Mak Su belanja macam macam :p Dahla semalam Mak Su dah datang rumah bawa tomyam dan paprik sedap :p Dasar anak sedara kuat makan haha.

Ni antara guard pemalas kat kedai Mak Su. Tidur aje kerjanya.
Dekat pukul 12 tengah hari tu, Hana dan mama gerak ke stesen bas sebab nak balik rumah. Tapi mama ajak singgah Zon Ria kat area stesen bas tu. Merasalah dapat baju baru haha thank you mama :) Semalam masa kat KB Mall dah nak beli blaus tapi macam mahallah pulak. Blaus yang design lebih kurang Hana nak beli semalam dapat harga kurang 50% kat Zon Ria tu. Kalau kat tempat lain memang dalam RM40-RM60 harganya. Banyak pilihan pakaian, beg dan kasut kat situ. Bolehlah lain kali ajak mama ke situ lagi. Kalau tak fikir nak kena save duit untuk kolej memang shopping banyaklah tadi :p
Balik rumah memang penattt tapi puas hati :p Teringat zaman berhingus mama bawak naik bas kalau nak ke KB masa weekday sebab abah kerja. Even dah besar tapi tetap kenangan tu :) 
Till then. Wassalam.