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.

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.

628#Ai no Kotoba ~ [Review Buku] Hatiku Dicuri Lanun

First of all thanks to Nanad Nonoid yang hadiahkan buku ni sebagai hadiah belated birthday. Ni pun Hana yang beli sendiri tau. Dia hulurkan duit. Ha ha :p Hatiku Dicuri Lanun? Apa apakah buku ini? Hatiku Dicuri Lanun adalah sebuah kompilasi cerita pendek genre fantasi. Ya. Fantasi. Penerbitan sulung oleh Melarik Enigma Publications, sebuah rumah penerbitan kisah kisah fantasi yang pertama di Malaysia. Tahniah kepada Kak Izza Aripin the big boss *big clap*

Rating: 4.5/5

Ada 6 buah cerita yang terkandung dalam buku ini:

1. Hatiku Dicuri Lanun by Que Sera Sera

Setiap kali bulan mengambang penuh, ada suatu misteri yang menghantui Danika Mae (Danika). Pastinya Kapten Ken yang baru dikenalinya itu jadi penyebab kepada segala misteri yang berlaku kepadanya kerana setiap kali bulan mengambang, Danika akan dibawa menaiki Mumba Hitam merentasi gelombang jingga untuk bertemu Kapten Ken. Dan bila sedar keesokan harinya Danika bagaikan terlupa apa yang telah berlaku kepadanya sebelum itu. Kemudian muncul pula Dr. Eskandryan yang mirip Kapten Ken dalam kehidupan nyatanya. Siapa agaknya mereka berdua ni dan apakah yang dimahukan daripada Danika?

2. Ada Dia by Fara H

Night Crawlers kembali lagi! Bagi yang sudah membaca The Untold Story, ini adalah kesinambungan kisah Aidan and the gang. Kali ini mereka kembali dengan cabaran untuk menyelamatkan Nael dan Amy (seorang penulis kisah fantasi yang secara tak sengaja telah menemui kisah di sebalik kewujudan Gardian). Pihak Gardian memburu mereka untuk mendapatkan kembali jurnal tentang Gardian yang berada di dalam simpanan Amy. Berjayakah Aidan menyelamatkan mereka berdua tanpa merisikokan hubungan cintanya dengan Aira?

3. Skypirate by Izza Hani

Setelah kemusnahan Kerajaan Illyra, Mireya mendapat suaka politik untuk menetap di bawah lindungan Kerajaan Amaranth. Walaupun layak mendapat pelbagai layanan istimewa, Mireya lebih rela hidup sebagai rakyat biasa. Memegang janji yang pernah dipatri sewaktu bersama Zander, Mireya nekad untuk memilih kerjaya sebagai tentera udara Kerajaan Amaranth. Cuma bila dirinya menjadi rebutan antara Kapten Luke dan Putera Ziyad, Mireya bertindak memilih untuk menyertai Skypirate yang kemudian menemukannya dengan seseorang yang telah dinanti sejak sekian lama. 

4. Cinta Sayap Hitam by Que Sera Sera

Ruqya Amni (Kea), merupakan anak gadis kepada Rihanna dan Addi (Kau Kekasih Gelapku). Sejak kecil, hidupnya sentiasa dilindungi oleh individu di sekelilingnya kerana bimbang sesuatu yang buruk menimpanya disebabkan keistimewaannya itu. Kemunculan Rif Aryan, lelaki bersayap makin menyukarkan hidup Kea. Sekalipun Rif Aryan sudah berterus terang tentang tujuan kemunculannya untuk melindungi Kea, tegakah Kea meninggalkan kehidupannya untuk bersama Rif Aryan? 

5. Butterfly-X by Fara H

Bila kemakmuran dan kekayaan Elipsie musnah di tangan pemimpin korup dan kotor, muncul kumpulan pemberontak yang menggelarkan diri mereka Butterfly-X. Mereka berhasrat untuk memusnahkan barisan kepimpinan korup dan mengembalikan kemakmuran Elipsie seperti 20 tahun lalu. Namun bila kenangan lampau muncul Airis harus membuat pilihan sama ada untuk meneruskan perjuangannya atau akur dengan permintaan Kyrian yang mahukan mereka kembali seperti dahulu. 

6. Hessa My Roses by Que Sera Sera

Hessa, salah seorang perisik puak pembebasan berhasrat untuk menyelamatkan Putera Hayden, yang juga merupakan abang kandungnya. Pertemuannya dengan Mejar Razien, salah seorang pemimpin tentera Ilunati bagaikan pembuka jalan buatnya menyiasat tentang kedudukan Putera Hayden. Berjayakah Hessa menyempurnakan misinya?

Hana suka kesemua kisah dalam buku ni serius! Ha ha. Cuma tak puas hati sebab ada sesetengah kisah kena tunggu sambungan yang lain. Paling best Hessa My Roses sebab kisah ni serius lawak. Hessa yang asyik nak kasi jurus nama pelik pelik aje kalau Razien mula buat miang dengan dia. Tapi Razien ni romantis ;) He's the knight in shining armour for Hessa. Insya-Allah tahun depan Melarik Enigma Publications akan terbitkan sebuah novel penuh dengan judul Vampira Hidupkan Cintaku. Cover yang menarik sesuai dengan tajuk dan sinopsis kisah itu. Tak sama dengan kisah vampire yang biasa. Baca sinopsis aje dah penuh dengan suspense.  Silakan singgah di mana mana bookstore untuk dapatkan HDL ni ;) Insya-Allah buku ni tak akan menghampakan peminat kisah kisah fantasi yang jarang baca kisah fantasi dalam Bahasa. I'm satisfied. And you? 

Till then. Wassalam.

568#Ai no Kotoba ~ [Book Review] Girl in the Mirror

[edited: Dec 27, 2015]

This was my first time reading a compilation of short stories by Cecelia Ahern. The book itself doesn't exceed 100 pages, helping me reduced the hours to finish it. There is only two stories in one book. 

Rating: 4.4/5

Girl in the Mirror :

Lila knows how lucky she is to have found the man of her dreams. But when a secret from her family's past comes to light on her wedding day, her destiny changes in the most unexpected of ways.

The Memory Maker :

They say you never forget your first love. But what happens when those cherished memories start to fade? Some people would do anything to hold on to the past and, for one heartbroken man, that means finding a way to relive those precious moments.

Cecelia Ahern still implemented her touch of fantasy in both stories. However, if Girl in the Mirror is a bit dark, The Memory Maker has gloomy feeling in it. My personal favourite? I choose The Memory Maker if Cecelia Ahern wanted to make it into a long story. 

The darkness behind Girl in the Mirror kept me intrigued when reading it, it starts from the beginning. I was thinking about Lila's grandmother, why she has one eye only? Unfortunately for Lila, the truth came to her on her wedding day. Not a good start of a marriage, eh?

The Memory Maker is quite sad. An inventor invented a machine called The Memory Maker, a machine which could create dreams. The story behind the dreams-creating machine is so sad. What a pitiful soul he is, still clinging to the past. I would love to see if Cecelia Ahern decided to make a full story of The Memory Maker ;)

If you want a quick, doesn't-take-hours-of-reading read, I strongly suggest this book to you. My copy is hardback, the cover is beautiful, no? ;) I don't know if the book came in paperback or not. 

Till then.

Wassalam.