720#Love Note ~ [Review Buku] Jika Aku

Hana baru aje review Hello, It's Me so sekarang nak share pasal Jika Aku pula. Like I've mentioned in my previous post, Jika Aku ni ada kaitan dengan Hello, It's Me. Duta akan muncul untuk selesaikan masalah dalam Hello, It's Me. But Duta is not the hero here. You'll meet Maliq ;)

Tajuk: Jika Aku
Penulis: Anna Lee
Terbitan: Prolog Media
Muka surat: 341

Jika aku mind reader, adakah ia satu keistimewaan atau ketulahan?”                                                                                                       
Teja, gadis mind reader yang terpaksa memecilkan diri kerana kelebihan itu membuatkan dia takut hendak mendengar setiap pemikiran orang lain yang ada saja menyakitkan hati. Sehinggalah hatinya terpikat pada seorang jejaka. Jejaka yang penuh misteri dan sering menimbulkan tanda tanya. Tetapi, demi untuk tidak mengecewakan diri sendiri, cukup dia meminati lelaki itu dari jauh. Namun, lain yang dirancang lain pula yang terjadi. Demi menghalang sebuah jenayah berlaku, Teja terpaksa mendekati lelaki itu. Sudahnya, kehidupan Teja yang menjadi huru-hara. Semakin dia mengenali lelaki itu, dia semakin keliru. Ada rahsia disembunyikan. Ada rahsia perlu dirungkaikan. Antara realiti dan ilusi, yang manakah kebenarannya? Yang pasti, dia perlu cari kebenaran itu. Kerana... Hanya kebenaran jalan keluarnya.

Teja gadis yang tiada kawan kerana kebolehan mind reader miliknya. Hidupnya hanya pergi kerja dan balik kerja. Sampailah dia terjatuh hati dekat Maliq, a man she meets in the KTM. Sejak hari tu hidup Teja bahagia tapi dia takut nak dekati Maliq sebab dia tak berani. Sampailah dia fikir ada jenayah akan berlaku so dia kenalah bertindak sebab nak halang jenayah tu.

To be honest, Jika Aku is so much better than Hello, It's Me and Mesej, my top favourite books by Anna Lee. Jika Aku terbahagi kepada tiga bahagian dan bonus. Memang confuse bila dah sampai akhir Bahagian 1. Bila baca Bahagian 2, makin confuse jadinya. Hana asyik terfikir apa yang jadi tu ilusi ke? Sampailah Bahagian 3. Akhirnya terjawab juga semua persoalan.

Gaya bahasa, pace cerita, plot dan twists memang superb. Bila dah sampai akhir buat Hana teringat Detektif Conan pula hahaha serius best walaupun boleh mengelirukan. Bab psikologi pun banyak bila dah masuk Bahagian 2. I love the ending. It makes me smile and believe that everyone can change if they are being sincere towards their loved ones.

Maliq sama saja seperti Duta, tapi rasanya Maliq lebih sarkastik kot hahaha kesian Teja asyik terkena aje dengan Maliq ni. I love him for being protective when it involves Teja. Betullah kata Maliq, walaupun dia tak dapat mengubah dunia tapi sekurang-kurangnya dia boleh mengubah dunia Teja.

Apa yang akan mengelirukan:

• Rahsia Teja sebagai seorang mind reader
• Identiti sebenar Maliq dan Puan Lola
• Apa yang sebenarnya berlaku di airport

Bacalah kalau nak tahu ;) Memang tak menghampakan.

One customer saw me reading this book lepas tu dia tanya best ke buku Anna Lee? Senyum aje Hana masa cerita pasal buku-buku Anna Lee. Katanya dia selalu nampak buku tulisan Anna Lee tapi tak berkesempatan nak beli lagi. I asked her to try one and hope it'd suit her. Harap sangat kakak tu baca. Katanya nak cari kelainan dalam bahan bacaan.

Tahniah, Kak Jue. Buku ni memang best. Words can't describe my feelings when I read this book. Menanti sekuel Mesej pula hehehe cepatlah terbit.

So, my rate is...

Till then.

Wassalam.

719#Love Note ~ [Review Buku] Hello, It's Me

Sebelum ni Hana dah review tiga buku terbitan Prolog Media. Ada lagi buku yang Hana belum review macam Rooftop, Parut dan Magisial. I just finished reading Hello, It's Me written by Anna Lee. I'm a fan of Anna Lee since her books aren't the typical local books. Semua buku Anna Lee masih berfokuskan cinta dan keluarga tetapi biasanya elemen urban fantasy and suspense tetap diterapkan. Cumanya untuk Hello, It's Me ini daripada romantic comedy bertukar kepada action thriller. Dan dekat bab akhir ada urban fantasy sikit, itu pun as a prolog for Jika Aku, her next book.

Tajuk: Hello, It's Me
Penulis: Anna Lee
Terbitan: Prolog Media
Muka surat: 319

Apa yang anda sanggup lakukan jika 'nyawa' anda berada di tangan orang lain? Telefon adalah nyawanya, rahsianya, gambar, idea, manuskrip, nota, diari, password... Akaun sosial media, segalanya di telefon pintarnya. Tiya dan Duta tertukar telefon. Dalam sebesar dan seluas dunia macam mana telefon yang sama jenis, sama warna, sama casing, sama password dan sama wallpaper, boleh tertukar? Mustahil! Tetapi itulah yang terjadi pada Tiya. Mulai detik itu kehidupannya yang aman damai mula huru-hara. Tiya bukan saja terperangkap dalam masalah cinta dan jodoh Duta tetapi dia juga terperangkap dalam masalah lain yang lebih besar. Yang menyebabkan kehidupan Tiya berubah 360 darjah. Yang menyebabkan dia terpaksa melawan diri sendiri. Ada rahsia yang tersembunyi. Ada jiwa yang akan terseksa. Ada hati yang akan terluka. Masih wujudkah happily-ever-after dalam hidup Tiya?                                                                                              "Hello... it's me."

Macam tak masuk dek akal bila dua orang bertukar phone model yang sama, wallpaper, password, dan susunan apps yang sama. Bila dah dua hari barulah Tiya perasan, itu pun sebab Duta call. Rasa nak gelak guling guling baca buku ni sebab memang kelakar habis Tiya, Tiya. Dah dapat macam macam mesej daripada orang yang dia tak kenal takkan tak syak apa apa lagi? Dahlah tersilap balas mesej mama Duta hehe.

Awal awal Duta sarkastik dengan Tiya sebab salah faham. Memang kena sebijiklah dengan Tiya sebab it's Duta's fault. Padan muka Duta. Judging someone by something he doesn't hear properly.

And then, Duta and Tiya start to conversing frequently. Phone masih tertukar sebab Duta kat Holland. When Duta updates Tiya's Instagram with beautiful photos of Holland and sweet captions, I was melting hahaha Hana boleh bayangkan betapa cantiknya Water Village kat Holland tu. It only mentions Steenwijk but I believe the water village is Giethoorn which is located in Steenwijk.

Tiya has agoraphobia. What happens after the phone swapping lead her to embrace her fear without growing doubts. Bila Duta ajak Tiya ke Holland, I smiled from ear to ear. Duta encourages Tiya to face and befriend her fear, to make something better from her fear. Tapi apa yang jadi kat Holland memang agak mengejutkan. Kat situlah turning point from romantic comedy to action thriller.

Duta is a mysterious guy but he is kind. Memang hero-hero buku Kak Jue ni boleh kasi orang melting ke? :p

Plot twist memang best. Apatah lagi apa yang Duta rahsiakan ada kaitan dengan Jika Aku. There's a brief appearance of Jika Aku's main character and I believe Duta and Tiya will make appearances in Jika Aku too.

Dekat akhir memang ada sedih, tambah lagi bila Hana sangka Tiya teruskan rancangan dia. Memang mengalir air mata baca bab Duta ke rumah Tiya tu hahaha macam lawak aje bila fikir. Nasib baik ending best. Kalau tak best rasa nak baling aje buku ni kat dinding sebab dah main-mainkan perasaan Hana letih kot dok gelak gelak lepas tu sedih aje.

And, brace yourself for page 216. Hana rasa nak lempang lempang aje Tiya sebab decide something tanpa fikir panjang. Nasib baiklah Tiya ni memang tak wujud, kalau tak Hana tak taulah apa yang Hana akan buat :p Sebab tak tau nak lepas geram macam mana, Hana mesej FB Kak Jue hahaha kenalah lepas geram kat author kan kalau lepas geram kat social media nanti risau bagi spoiler kat orang lain pula. Nasib baik Kak Jue layan aje geram Hana ni :p Kalau tak nak Hana lepas geram macam ni lagi kena pos Cosy, Rebel dengan Qabu ke sini. Boleh peluk peluk diorang, reda sikit geram tu.

Buku ni sebenarnya misteri sejak awal lagi. Banyak sangat persoalan yang muncul bila dah mula baca.

Kenapa phone Duta dan Tiya tertukar?

Siapa Duta sebenarnya?

Apa yang Duta sorokkan daripada Tiya?

Macam mana Tiya atasi fobia dia?

Hana menyeru korang semua baca buku Hello, It's Me kalau teringin nak tahu apakah yang berlaku sebenarnya.. Kalau tak nak mula dengan buku ni pun, mulalah dengan mana mana buku terbitan Prolog Media. Insya-Allah, tak akan mengecewakan ;)

So, my rate is...

Till then.

Wassalam.

716#Love Note ~ [Book Review] Anna and the The Swallow Man

I took almost two months without reading any books because I wanted to catch up on some Korean dramas, movies and new anime. Anna and the Swallow Man is my first book in September 2017 and I enjoyed it so much. I bought this book during my trip to Kuala Lumpur early August. It costed me RM10 since I bought it from SunMag at eCurve. SunMag is one of my favourite used bookstores.

Anna and the Swallow Man tells the story of a 7 year old girl during the beginning of World War II. It's been ages since my last read which centered around any war. Unlike The Storyteller which centers around World War II and The Girl You Left Behind which focuses on World War I, Anna and the Swallow Man didn't depress me with the war context. 

Title: Anna and the Swallow Man
Writer: Gavriel Savit
Published by: Bodley Head
Pages: 240

Anna and the Swallow Man is a stunning, literary, and wholly original debut novel that tells a new WW2 story. Kraków, 1939, is no place to grow up. There are a million marching soldiers and a thousand barking dogs. And Anna Lania is just seven years old when the Germans take her father and suddenly, she’s alone. Then she meets the Swallow Man. He is a mystery, strange and tall. And like Anna's missing father, he has a gift for languages: Polish, Russian, German, Yiddish, even Bird. When he summons a bright, beautiful swallow down to his hand to stop her from crying, Anna is entranced. Over the course of their travels together, Anna and the Swallow Man will dodge bombs, tame soldiers, and even, despite their better judgment, make a friend. But in a world gone mad, everything can prove dangerous . . . 

This story starts when Anna Lania being left by his father to one of his friends. Anna's father is a professor and speaks several languages effortlessly, which Anna learns too. Little does Anna know that her father has been escorted to a concentration camp which involves a group of academicians. Professor Lania leaves Anna to Herr Doktor Fuschmann, a German man who owns a pharmacy in their city. The pharmacist refuses to bring Anna to his home and ushers her out when she comes again after spending a night without her father. I believe his new behaviour is due to some German soldiers in the city. Even though Anna's origin isn't being told specifically, I believe she is a Jew. Being around even a Jew would lead to a disaster during the time.

 Anna meets a thin man outside of Herr Doktor Puschmann's pharmacy. She is enticed by the strange vibe emitting from the thin man. When the thin man speaks Bird and a swallow flies down from the sky and the thin man shows Anna the swallow to reduce her sadness, Anna knows she would follow wherever the man would go. The thin man speaks many languages like his father, and he even speaks Bird. 

So, their journey begins.

Anna's childlike innocence isn't being robbed away during the midst of the war. The Swallow Man (he doesn't tell Anna his real name with reasons a name would make him to be found) protects Anna with his own methods. The Swallow Man is an interesting character. He knows how to answers Anna's questions with great analogies and tells her what he would deem important. The Swallow Man seems like he knows all the secrets of the universes. His identity remains a mystery even though there's a bit of revelation at the end of the book. I won't spoil the details here.

“I know it's not good for a girl to be without a father these days. But is it any better for a father to be without a daughter?”

“A river goes wherever the riverbank does. It never had to ask which way, but only flows along. Yes?”

This book is so poetic. I think it has the least dialogues among all the books I've read but the narration is simple due to Anna's childlike mind.

The ending leaves me hanging. If it is possible, I want the author to write the sequel and from's The Swallow Man's point of view. I really hope to know what happens next to Anna, the Swallow Man and their new journeys. However, I believe to stay alive during a war is not an easy task. They are alive yet the journey is still continued to a new future, a future we wouldn't know.

“Men who try to understand the world without the help of children are like men who try to bake bread without the help of yeast.”

“The practice of lying is concerned with attempting to overlay a thin paper substitute atop the world that exists in order that it seems to suit your purposes. But the Swallow Man didn't need the world to suit him. He could make himself suit whatever world it pleased him to agree existed.”

So, my rate is...

Till then.

Wassalam.    

709#Love Note ~ [Review Buku] Naskah Terakhir Laura Isabell

Kali ni Hana nak share satu kisah cinta yang epik. Naskah Terakhir Laura Isabell bukan sekadar berlatarkan masa sekarang, tapi ada kisah tersimpan yang terjadi pada tahun 1911. Kisah yang membawa kepada pertemuan Laura dengan Dean untuk membongkar kisah moyang mereka.

Naskah terbitan Prolog Media ini tidak bertemakan urban fantasy seperti Nadi dan Mesej. This is just a love story. Apa yang lain dan menariknya terletak pada naskah milik Laura Isabell menceritakan kisah cintanya dengan Megat Alam dan pencarian jalan hidup tanpa berkiblatkan manusia dan harta. 

Tajuk: Naskah Terakhir Laura Isabell
Penulis: Anna Lee
Terbitan: Prolog Media
Muka surat: 292

Cinta itu anugerah. Sudah tertulis sebelum roh ditiup bahawa dia akan menjadi milik kita.

1911

Naskah Terakhir Laura Isabell telah menimbulkan tanda tanya kepada pewarisnya. Catatan kisah cinta yang menyentuh hati itu telah membuatkan setiap pewarisnya berkelana ingin mencari kesudahan kisah tersebut.

2008

Dean, waris terakhir yang diwasiatkan memikul amanah itu. Namun, amanah yang dipikul datang bersama sebuah tanggungjawab yang berat.

Laura Isabell. Sepasang nama yang sering membuatkan diri si gadis Melayu jati itu disalah faham. Namun dia tidak menyangka, ada rahsia yang tersimpan berabad lamanya di sebalik nama itu.

Mampukah Dean melaksanakan amanahnya? Dan apakah rahsia di sebalik nama Laura Isabell?

Segalanya bakal terungkai di dalam Naskah Terakhir Laura Isabell... cinta yang merentasi batas waktu.

Laura Isabell yang tinggal pada tahun 2008 bertemu dengan Dean di Heathrow Aiport sebelum kembali ke Malaysia. Tanpa disangka mereka bertemu lagi di bumi Melaka. Dean dalam pencariannya mencari waris yang memegang amanah terakhir Laura Isabell. Membaca catatan wanita yang hidup pada awal tahun 1900 itu, Dean mengembara untuk menyelamatkan hidupnya. Ada perkara penting yang boleh dia lakukan dengan warisan itu.

Tetapi, di mana Megat Alam? Jika sudah meninggal, di manakah kuburnya?

In my opinion, Naskah Terakhir Laura Isabell is a good story. Pada bahagian yang menceritakan kisah Laura Isabell dan Megat Alam pada tahun 1911, ianya diceritakan dengan baik. Latar masyarakat pada tahun itu dan penerimaan mereka terhadap orang asing.

Hana rasa kagum dan respect pada Megat Alam. I could vividly imagine how Megat Alam learned to navigate Captain William's ship, his passion to be on the sea and see the world. Walaupun Megat Alam mencintai wanita berlainan bangsa dan agama, his unfaltering faith to his religion and God weren't deemed as obstacles. Dia mengajar Laura Isabell tentang agama dan jalan hidupnya.

Kisah pasal karamnya kapal Titanic juga ada di dalam kisah ini. Jelas penulis banyak melakukan kajian sebelum menulis kisah hebat ini.

But, this book isn't Anna Lee's best work. I would opt for Mesej more. Malah Aku, Dia & Pinky Promise lebih hebat daripada buku ini. But I'm still satisfied with Naskah Terakhir Laura Isabell.

So, my rate is...

Till then.

Wassalam.

706#Love Note ~ [Review Buku] Mesej

Mesej bukanlah buku pertama Anna Lee yang Hana baca. I read her Aku, Dia & Pinky Promise as a start tapi tak sempat tulis review lagi. Dari awal baca Aku, Dia & Pinky Promise lagi I was hooked right from the start. Anna Lee is one of the author known for her good writing, brilliant plot twists and ideas that are not cliche. Jadi kepada sesiapa yang belum pernah baca buku beliau, Hana menyeru anda semua untuk memulakannya hahaha sorry ayat skema sikit.

So, I want to review this book yang buat Hana tak duduk diam habiskan buku tebal ni. Let's get started. 

Tajuk: Mesej
Penulis: Anna Lee
Penerbit: Prolog Media
Muka surat: 536

Hidup Aria huru-hara apabila rumah yang disewanya berhantu. Tetapi, benarkah rumah itu berhantu? Pertemuan Aria dan Jason sangat pelik. Tak tercapai dek akal manusia normal. Namun pertemuan itu telah membawa keduanya menjelajah dunia cinta yang luar biasa. Ada rahsia di sebalik MESEJ untuk anda bongkar. Berani?

Aria gadis urban kota metropolitan Kuala Lumpur yang terpaksa tinggalkan kondominium berlatarkan menara KLCC untuk berpindah ke sebuah apartment baharu. Itu pun sebab kawan-kawan serumah pakat pindah ke rumah lain. From the start, dia dah fikir dia dikacau hantu. Hantu Perancis pula tu! And then she meets Jason, well, not technically, dan mereka mula berkawan baik. Lepas tu muncul pula bos garang bernama Nik.

So, betul ke rumah tu berhantu? And siapa Jason dan Nik?

Mesej bertemakan time travel. Aria di Kuala Lumpur boleh berkenalan dengan Jason yang tinggal di Paris. Masa mereka turut berbeza. So macam mana boleh jadi? What's the connecting portal between them? And who is Nik?

Banyak perkara yang tak dijangka-jangka berlaku dalam Mesej. Bila Hana fikir mungkin macam ni apa yang jadi nanti, rupa-rupanya cik penulis pusing ke arah lain. Banyak plot twists yang langsung tak membosankan. Makin teruja nak baca adalah. Walaupun Mesej ni tebal, percayalah susah anda anda semua nak letak buku ni dan mulakan kerja lain.

What Jason has been going through made me feel sad. Tapi Dia tak akan uji kita tanpa kemampuannya. Jason's turning point is there tapi susahnya hati mahu beristiqamah dan fikir positif bila perkara yang tak dijangka berlaku.

Mesej is so far the best book from Anna Lee. Anna Lee dah keluarkan buku baharu berjudul Jika Aku. Itu kisah pasal mind reader pula. Buku tu masih selamat kat rak, entahlah bila sempat nak mula baca. Kalau korang minat The Lake House lakonan Keanu Reeves dan Sandra Bullock tu, silalah baca buku ni. Jangan risau, ini bukan karya ciplak. Both The Lake House and Mesej are different in terms of plots, cuma tema time travel aje sama. 

Jika anda berani, Mesej adalah untuk anda.

So, my rate is...    

Till then.

Wassalam.

703#Love Note ~ [Review Buku] Nadi

Dah lama tak review buku kat blog ni. Biasanya tulis review kat akaun Goodreads. Cepat dan mudah. But I want my blog to have book reviews too so hari ni nak share satu buku best daripada Prolog Media. I've read most of Prolog books tapi nak mula review buku ini dahulu ;)

Buku-buku terbitan Prolog Media memang best. Kalau nak cari yang rare, boleh cuba buku-buku mereka. Setakat ni Hana berpuas hati dengan yang Hana dah baca.

Tajuk: Nadi
Penulis: Pasha
Terbitan: Prolog Media
Muka surat: 288

Sinopsis:
~JIKA HARUS MEMILIH~
“Apa yang akan kau buat jika suatu hari ketika kau sedar dari tidur, segala yang normal selama ini bertukar menjadi sesuatu yang... luar biasa?”
Rutin hidup Jasmin tak ada bezanya dengan majoriti warga Kuala Lumpur yang lain. Bangun pagi-pergi kerja-balik kerja dan perkara yang sama diulang selagi Tuhan izinkan dia bernyawa. Namun, tanpa disangka perkenalan dia dengan seseorang telah mengubah rutinnya 180 darjah! Hidup yang selama ini biasa-biasa, tiba-tiba jadi luar biasa dan Jasmin suka!
Namun keseronokan itu tanpa sedar membawa dia ke dalam sebuah konflik yang melibatkan hidup dan matinya satu nyawa. Dan untuk kekal hidup, Jasmin harus memilih...
Nyawa dia... atau lelaki yang disayanginya!

To be honest, Nadi adalah naskah yang ringan tetapi ada kelainan sendiri. Jasmin adalah seorang gadis yang bisu tetapi kekurangan diri tak menjadi penghalang dia untuk hidup dengan gembira. Adam pula seorang lelaki yang kasar pada luarannya tetapi baik hati. Both of them are involved in an incident dan koma. Tapi, sebaik sahaja sedar they realise that they are not where they thought they would be. Kenapa tiba-tiba KL yang sibuk hanya nampak beberapa orang sahaja? Ke mana orang lain pergi? Ada alien datang tiba-tiba ke?

It took me almost 10 hours to finish it. Perjalanan cerita smooth aje. Tak lambat sangat atau cepat sangat. Setiap tanda tanya dijawab dengan baik. Penulis pandai susun jalan cerita and I was not bored at all while reading Nadi.

Isu buku ni lebih menjurus kepada peluang kedua. Second chance in living and you either making it useful or not. And then weaknesses. It taught me that weaknesses can be used as our strength instead of letting them drag us down.

Good job Pasha. Menanti buku yang seterusnya. So my rate is...

Till then.

Wassalam.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

669#Love Note ~ [Book Review] Something from Tiffany's

I bought Something from Tiffany's by Melissa Hill because I loved her since The Charm Bracelet. But because I left the book at my home, not bringing them to college so I ended up not reading it. Well since I didn't bring my to-be-read books from college, I mean the fictional ones, I managed to read Something from Tiffany's after almost three years of keeping it safe :p

Read: From January 17 to 23 2016

Rating: 4.4/5 

Doesn’t every girl dream of getting… something from Tiffany’s?

On 5th Avenue in New York City, two very different men are shopping for gifts for the women they love.

Gary is buying his girlfriend Rachel a charm bracelet. Partly to thank her for paying for their holiday-of-a-lifetime to New York. But mainly because he’s left his shopping far too late.

Whereas Ethan’s looking for something a little more special – an engagement ring for the first woman to have made him happy since he lost the love of his life.

But when the two men’s shopping bags get confused, and Rachel somehow ends up with Ethan’s ring, the couples’ lives become intertwined.

As Ethan tries to reunite the ring with the woman it was actually intended for, he discovers this isn’t that easy. Does fate have other ideas for the couples? Or is there simply a bit of Tiffany’s magic in the air…

I really enjoyed reading Something from Tiffany's due to the humour and all the fun stuffs happened in this book. Well even though I rather spend money on food and books instead of jewellery but I got the feeling of wanting something from Tiffany's too, look at what the author did to me :p

Ethan is so desperate to get his twenty thousand dollars ring back from Gary after realised about the terrible mix-up. He tries really hard but luck is not by his side. I couldn't believe Gary is so stupid to think that the ring falls from the sky and doesn't make a police report or anything about it. I know he doesn't want to upset Rachel but dude doesn't you know that you would make her more upset because you're not being honest after all the wedding charade?

My favourite character is Terri :) She's really a good friend who doesn't want her best friend Rachel being ended up with a self-centered guy like Gary. Terri also helps Ethan to retrieve the ring after knowing the truth about the ring from a seriously drunk Gary. I love it since she has her own happy ending :) She totally deserves it. 

I was amazed by how Melissa Hill could think of all the twists and turns of events. This is not a thriller or mystery book but I think it could be one. However it's still pretty much of a light read so you could enjoy it without having headache figuring what happens next. 

Till then.

Wassalam.