Review: Gods of Jade and Shadow oleh Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 

Judul: Gods of Jade and Shadow

Pengarang: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Bahasa : Inggris
Penerbit : Del Rey Books
Tebal : 384 halaman
Diterbitkan pertama kali : 23 Juli 2019
Format : Paperback
Target Pembaca : Dewasa
Genre : Fantasy, Historical

 

 Sinopsis :

The Mayan god of death sends a young woman on a harrowing, life-changing journey in this dark, one-of-a-kind fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore.

The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather’s house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless, she dreams of a life far from her dusty small town in southern Mexico. A life she can call her own.

Yet this new life seems as distant as the stars, until the day she finds a curious wooden box in her grandfather’s room. She opens it—and accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, who requests her help in recovering his throne from his treacherous brother. Failure will mean Casiopea’s demise, but success could make her dreams come true.

In the company of the strangely alluring god and armed with her wits, Casiopea begins an adventure that will take her on a cross-country odyssey from the jungles of Yucatán to the bright lights of Mexico City—and deep into the darkness of the Mayan underworld.

 Review

Membaca Gods of Jade and Shadows mau ga mau ngingetin saya sama American Gods karya Neil Gaiman. Lucunya, baik Gods of Jade and Shadows maupun American Gods saya baca di tahun 2022 ini, mungkin karena itu saya masih keinget ceritanya. Meskipun buku ini baik dari segi karakter maupun setting ga sekompleks American Gods, tapi keduanya sama - sama berakar dari mitologi. Kedua tokoh utamanya, seorang manusia dan dewa sama - sama menjalani perjalanan yang menjadi fondasi utama dari ceritanya. Pengarangnya sendiri, Silvia Moreno-Garcia menjelaskan di glossary buku ini, kalau Gods of Jade and Shadow (saya singkat saja jadi GoJaS biar lebih ringkas) memang terinspirasi dari Popol Vuh, sebuah buku mitologi Maya yang jadi pedoman suku Ki'che. Saya sendiri ga terlalu familiar sama mitologi Maya. Yang saya tahu cuma Quetzalcoatl (dimana saya familiar gara - gara main game Fate Grand Order 😋) dan Xibalba dari animasi The Book of Life. Kalau dipikir - pikir, emang ada semacam kesamaan antara GoJaS dan American Gods. Dimana di American Gods, mitologi Norse cukup berpengaruh, meskipun Gaiman juga menulis mitologi yang lain. Semacam ada kesamaan antara Xibalba dan Yggdrasil, meskipun Xibalba ini dunia bawah tanah (atau Underworld) sementar Yggdrasil itu bukan. Kedua dunia mitologi ini punya sembilan lapisan, dan juga hewan buas mythical yang semacam Leviathan yang berperan penting dalam sejarah pembentukan dunia. Kesamaan ini membuat saya bertanya - tanya, apakah semua mitologi itu sebenarnya akarnya sama? Apakah sumbernya juga satu, mengingat kesamaan diantara tiap mitologi ini walaupun bahasa atau struktur mitologinya berbeda - beda?

Review: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder oleh Holly Jackson

 

Judul: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder

Pengarang: Holly Jackson

Bahasa : Inggris
Penerbit : Electric Monkey
Tebal : 370 halaman
Diterbitkan pertama kali : 2 Mei 2019
Format : E-book
Target Pembaca : Dewasa Muda
Genre : Misteri, Thriller Suspense

 

 Sinopsis :

The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. The police know he did it. Everyone in town knows he did it.

But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the murder, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn't so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final year project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. And if the real killer is still out there, how far will they go to keep Pip from the truth?

 Review

" Holy pepperoni!"

Pippa Fitz-Amobi, atau yang kerap dipanggil Pip, yang masih SMA ini memang murid yang luar biasa. Luar biasa disini maksudnya waktu dikasih tugas akhir oleh sekolahnya, Pip memutuskan buat menginvestigasi kasus pembunuhan yang udah kadaluarsa. Pip percaya kalau Sal Singh tidak membunuh pacarnya, Andie Bell, dan pelakunya itu sebenernya orang lain. Hanya aja, kasusnya udah lima tahun yang lalu, dan semua penduduk kota Kilton di Inggris, percaya kalau pelakunya itu Sal. Akhirnya dengan bantuan adiknya Sal, Ravi Singh, Pip memulai investigasinya. Masalahnya, pelaku yang asli tidak mau Pip jadi amateur sleuth, nanya sana sini, dan akhirnya mulai ngancem Pip supaya mundur dari investigasinya.

Review: Better Homes and Hauntings by Molly Harper

Title: Better Homes and Hauntings
Author: Molly Harper
Languange : English
Publisher : Pocket Books
Length : 318 halaman
First Published : Juni 2014
Format : Paperback
Age Restriction : Dewasa
Genre : Paranormal Romance
Web: Molly Harper
Link to Buy: Bookdepository 

Sinopsis :

Author of the beloved Half Moon Hollow series of vampire romances (Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs), Molly Harper has created a standalone paranormal romance in which a dilapidated haunted house could bring star-crossed lovers together—if it doesn’t kill them first!

When Nina Linden is hired to landscape a private island off the New England coast, she sees it as her chance to rebuild her failing business after being cheated by her unscrupulous ex. She never expects that her new client, software mogul Deacon Whitney, would see more in her than just a talented gardener. Deacon has paid top dollar to the crews he’s hired to renovate the desolate Whitney estate—he had to, because the bumps, thumps, and unexplained sightings of ghostly figures in nineteenth-century dress are driving workers away faster than he can say “Boo.”

But Nina shows no signs of being scared away, even as she experiences some unnerving apparitions herself. And as the two of them work closely together to restore the mansion’s faded glory, Deacon realizes that he’s found someone who doesn’t seem to like his fortune more than himself—while Nina may have finally found the one man she can trust with her bruised and battered heart.

But something on the island doesn’t believe in true love…and if Nina and Deacon can’t figure out how to put these angry spirits to rest, their own love doesn’t stand a ghost of a chance.

 Review

"Of all the things she just said, skipping to the end of a book is what bothers you most?" Jake asked.

Cindy crossed her arms and set her chin. "I hate spoilers."

Not your ordinary Scoby Dooby Doo gang!

It's not the first time I read Harper's book. I had read her Nice Girl series (just book 1, Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs :P) and already like her quirky and nerdy humor. I pick Better Home and Hauntings since this one is just a stand alone and perfect for a quick read. Actually, I read this book in 2 days because of my hectic schedule, but I'm glad that in the end, the story left me with warm fuzzy feeling! :D

I don't like ghost. Pronto. From all paranormal and supernatural creature, ghost is what I hate the most. Zombies are second *shudders* . It's just I easily scared and since right now I live alone in my cramped apartment unit (hubby is work long long away), my wild imagination sometimes is running amok, especially in the night. So I brave myself to read Better Homes and Hauntings. The ghost part actually not too much, but still give me heebies-jeebies. Some ghost part that Harper wrote will freak me out! Like the scene when there was ghost in one of character's bed!! >.<

Review: Wickedly Dangerous oleh Deborah Blake

Judul: Wickedly Dangerous
Pengarang: Deborah Blake

Bahasa : Inggris
Penerbit : Berkley
Tebal : 289 halaman
Diterbitkan pertama kali : September 2014
Format : Paperback
Target Pembaca : Dewasa
Genre : Paranormal Romance
Series: Baba Yaga #1

Link to Buy: Periplus,  Bookdepository 

Sinopsis :

Known as the wicked witch of Russian fairy tales, Baba Yaga is not one woman, but rather a title carried by a chosen few. They keep the balance of nature and guard the borders of our world, but don’t make the mistake of crossing one of them…

Older than she looks and powerful beyond measure, Barbara Yager no longer has much in common with the mortal life she left behind long ago. Posing as an herbalist and researcher, she travels the country with her faithful (mostly) dragon-turned-dog in an enchanted Airstream, fulfilling her duties as a Baba Yaga and avoiding any possibility of human attachment.

But when she is summoned to find a missing child, Barbara suddenly finds herself caught up in a web of deceit and an unexpected attraction to the charming but frustrating Sheriff Liam McClellan.

Now, as Barbara fights both human enemies and Otherworld creatures to save the lives of three innocent children, she discovers that her most difficult battle may be with her own heart…

 Review

Pernah dengar tentang Baba Yaga? Hmm...terus terang saya juga baru beberapa tahun ini mendengarnya. Walau saya suka mitologi, saya akui pengetahuan saya tentang mitologi Rusia tidak banyak. Nah, Baba Yaga ini dikenal sebagai penyihir di mitologi Rusia, dimana wujudnya adalah nenek dengan hidung panjang, tinggal di gubuk yang berkaki ayam (bisa bayangin? XD) dan gosipnya, suka menculik anak - anak kecil. Bukan tokoh yang bisa jadi tokoh utama banget ya, karena karakteristiknya yang menakutkan. Nah, uniknya, untuk debutnya ini,  Deborah Blake bikin Baba Yaga bukanlah nama orang, tapi sebuah gelar untuk beberapa penyihir wanita yang bertugas menjaga keseimbangan dunia manusia dan dunia paranormal

Review: Sacked oleh Jen Frederick

Judul: Sacked
Pengarang: Jen Frederick

Bahasa : Inggris
Penerbit : self-published
Tebal : 300 halaman
Diterbitkan pertama kali :  6 September 2015
Format : e-book
Target : Dewasa
Genre : New Adult, Sport
Series: Gridiron (buku ke-1)
Web Author: Click here

Beli di : Kobo, Amazon

Sinopsis :

What he wants he gets...

Knox Masters is a quarterback's worst nightmare. Warrior. Champion. And...virgin. Knox knows what he wants--and he gets it. All American Football player? Check. NFL pros scouting him? Check. Now, he's set his sight on two things. The national title. And Ellie Campbell. Sure, she's the sister of his fellow teammate, but that's not going to stop him. Especially not when he’s convinced Ellie is the one.
 

...but he's never met her before.

But Ellie isn't as sure. She's trying to start a new life and she's not interested in a relationship...with anyone. Beside it's not just her cardinal rule of never dating her brother's teammates that keeps her away, but Ellie has a dark secret that would jeopardize everything Knox is pursuing.

Knox has no intention of losing. Ellie has no intention of giving in.

 Review

Genre New Adult dan saya itu seperti saudara tiri. Kami saling lirik satu sama lain dan tidak percaya, atau lebih tepatnya saya masih belum paham dengan genre ini. Saya sendiri sudah membaca beberapa buku dengan genre ini. Beberapa saya suka, seperti Painted Faces karya L.H. Cosway, tapi kebanyakan ada angstnya, seperti Chase Me karya Tesa Bailey, sampai saya lelah bacanya. Saya sampai mikir deh, emang dulu waktu kuliahan saya ngapain sih? Apa saya dulu sebegitu nyebelinnya seperti karakter di genre NA? Paling banter saya bikin ortu dulu marah - marah karena skripsi yang kelamaan sampai saya lulusnya paling telat (tapi kerjaannya paling enak juga :P). Masalah cinta? Well, saya cuma ngejalanin LDR sama mantan pacar-menjadi-suami. Jadi, masa kuliah saya cukup bosenin XD.

Eh, udahan deh tentang saya :P

Saya sudah mengenal Jen Frederick sejak lama tapi bukan dari karyanya melainkan dari nama aslinya. Si Jen Frederick aslinya adalah Jean Litte, pemilik website review romance Dear Author yang juga sering saya kunjungi. Saat itu banyak yang marah juga sih, karena Jean ini termasuk yang pedes banget kalau mereview romance, pun dia juga kena masalah hukum. But enough about her problem, saya lebih penasaran gimana seorang reviewer romance menulis buku romance, mengingat dia pasti udah tahu banyak aspek - aspek dalam novel romance.

Review: Chase Me oleh Tessa Bailey

Judul: Chase Me
Pengarang: Tessa Bailey
Bahasa: Inggris
Penerbit: Avon Impulse
Jumlah halaman:  272 hal
Terbit:  17 Maret 2015
Format : Mass Market Paperback

Genre : New Adult
Series: Broke and Beautiful, buku #1 
Target Pembaca: Dewasa

Web Pengarang: Click Here
Buy Links : Periplus ; Open Trolley ; Bookdepository

Sinopsis :

College drop-out, Roxy Cumberland, moved to New York with dreams of becoming an actress, but her dwindling bank account is quickly putting the kibosh on that fantasy. To make some quick cash, she signs up to perform singing telegrams. Her first customer is a gorgeous, cocky Manhattan trust-funder if she ever laid eyes on one. And what could be more humiliating than singing an ode to his junk, courtesy of his last one night stand? Maybe the fact that she’s dressed in a giant, pink bunny costume...

After a night out to celebrate winning his last case, lawyer Louis McNally II isn’t prepared for the pounding in his head or the rabbit serenading him from the front door. But the sassy wit and sexy voice of the girl behind the mask intrigues him, and one look at her stunning face—followed by a mind-blowing kiss against his doorjamb—leaves Louis wanting more.

Roxy doesn’t need a spoiled rich boy who’s had everything in life handed to him on a Tiffany platter. But there’s more to Louis than his sexy surface and he’s determined to make Roxy see it...even if it means chasing her all over NYC.

 Review

Yaaaay, setelah berbulan - bulan saya ngga pernah ngereview buku fiksi, akhirnya kesampaian juga nulis 1 judul fiksi di blog ini. Parah banget deh malesnya saya :)). Tapi memang seperti semesta lagi berkonspirasi untuk "menjauhkan" saya dari blog. Like, beberapa games yang saya mainkan lagi banyak event (sampai sekarang masih :v), saya yang memasuki masa "reading slump" sampai beberapa minggu ini cuma baca komik. Aslinya sih, saya juga pengen bahas komik - komik yang saya baca. Bukan sembarang komik lho, soalnya saya sekarang orangnya rada picky masalah komik. Cuma baca yang ceritanya emang bagus aja, ga sekedar shojo manga yang full of shojo heroine dengan mata berbinar - binar :v. Tapi nanti aja kalau saya sudah mood ya, hehehe ^.^

Okay, enough with the introduction dan basa basinya anyway :). Bagi saya liburan adalah ajang yang pas buat membabat timbunan, terutama saat lagi berada di moda transportasi. Ketimbang bengong ga tahu ngapain, ngejahilin misua juga udah, dan perjalanan pun masih panjang, maka baca buku itu is a must. Liburan kemaren saya bawa empat buku, tapi hanya berhasil baca dua buku. Itu juga satu buku bacanya kepotong - potong :v. Salah satu buku yang berhasil saya baca dan selesaikan adalah buku ini, Chase Me karya Tessa Bailey. Chase Me juga jadi sarana buat saya untuk berusaha memahami apa sih itu genre New Adult (atau dewasa baru. Atau menjelang dewasa. Dunno lah :v),  mengingat genre ini lagi ngehits sekarang.

Review: Written in Red oleh Anne Bishop

Judul: Written in Red
Pengarang: Anne Bishop
Bahasa: Inggris
Penerbit: Roc
Jumlah halaman:  498 hal
Terbit:  4 Maret 2014
Format : Paperback

Genre : Urban Fantasy
Series: The Others, buku #1 
Target Pembaca: Dewasa Muda

Web Pengarang: Click Here
Buy Links : Periplus ; Open Trolley ; Bookdepository ; Amazon ;  Google Play

Sinopsis :

No one creates realms like "New York Times "bestselling author Anne Bishop. Now in a thrilling new fantasy series, enter a world inhabited by the Others, unearthly entities--vampires and shape-shifters among them--who rule the Earth and whose prey are humans. 

As a "cassandra sangue," or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut--a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg's Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard--a business district operated by the Others. 

Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she's keeping a secret, and second, she doesn't smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she's wanted by the government, he'll have to decide if she's worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow.

 Review

"The terra indigene arent's animals who turn into humans or humans who turn into animals. They are really something unknown that learned how to change into a human shape because it suited them. They gained something from the human form, whether it was standing upright or having the convenience of fingers and thumbs just like they gained from the animal form they absorbed"

Waktu tahun 2013 yang lalu, banyak teman Goodreads saya, terutama yang fans genre fantasy memuja-muji buku pertama dari serial baru karya Anne Bishop, Written in Red. Sebelumnya, saya sudah direkomendasi sama salah satu teman GRI Malang, Idan, untuk baca karya Anne Bishop yang lain yaitu Daughter of Blood. Kata dia, saya pasti suka karena ada BDSMnya, yang langsung saya bales "bukannya itu kesukaanmu ya? :))". Berbeda dengan Daughter of Blood yang murni dark fantasy, Written in Red ini bergenre urban fantasy (UF) dan sebenarnya beberapa element di dalamnya sangat familiar bagi saya yang sudah kenyang baca buku UF. Ditambah dengan hype yang sangat tinggi, membuat saya cukup sangsi untuk memulai baca buku ini. Apalagi saat pertama keluar, format yang ada adalah hardcover. Kan mihil :P. Akhirnya menunggu setahun kemudian, saya beli versi mass marketnya, dan itu juga belum kebaca XD. Sampai pada Sabtu kemaren Goodreads mengadakan acara Goodreads Nathional Readathon dan saya kebetulan juga ngambil buku yang udah lama nangkring di lemari ini. Jadi, saya buang jauh - jauh keraguan saya dan mulai membaca :D

Dunia di Written in Red adalah dunia yang sama dengan bumi kita dan bernama Namid. Awal buku ini sudah dijelaskan sejarah tentang Namid, dimana Namid menciptakan banyak makhluk, salah satunya adalah manusia. Sayangnya, manusia harus survive untuk hidup di Namid, karena makhluk ciptaan Namid yang lain yaitu terra indigene alias penghuni bumi atau lebih dikenal dengan nama The Others sudah lebih dulu tinggal. Dan the Others ini menganggap manusia sebagai mangsa, daging untuk dimakan. Maka perebutan kekuasaan antara manusia dan the Others pun tak terelakkan, dengan The Others yang keluar sebagai pemenang. Manusia harus berhati - hati agar bisa bertahan hidup namun tetap saja ada beberapa yang berniat menguasai lahan yang dimiliki The Others. Untuk beberapa saat kedua pihak ini berdamai walau dalam ketakutan dan cerita pun dimulai ketika Meg Corbyn, seorang cassandra sangue, peramal yang bisa melihat masa depan dengan mengiris kulitnya sendiri sampai berdarah kabur dari tempatnya berada.

Review: Furies of Calderon oleh Jim Butcher

Judul: Furies of Calderon
Pengarang : Jim Butcher
Bahasa : Inggris
Penerbit : Ace
Jumlah halaman :  504
Terbit :  Oktober 2009
Format : Paperback

Genre : Fantasy
Series: Codex Alera, buku #1 
Target Pembaca: Dewasa Muda

Web Pengarang: Click Here
Buy Links : Periplus ; Open Trolley ; Bookdepository ; Amazon ;  Google Play

Sinopsis :

"For a thousand years, the people of Alera have united against the aggressive and threatening races that inhabit the world, using their unique bond with the furies - elementals of earth, air, fire, water, and metal. But now, Gaius Sextus, First Lord of Alera, grows old and lacks an heir. Ambitious High Lords plot and maneuver to place their Houses in positions of power, and a war of succession looms on the horizon." 

Far from city politics in the Calderon Valley, the boy Tavi struggles with his lack of furycrafting. At fifteen, he has no wind fury to help him fly, no fire fury to light his lamps. Yet as the Alerans' most savage enemy - the Marat - return to the Valley, he will discover that his destiny is much greater than he could ever imagine. Caught in a storm of deadly wind furies, Tavi saves the life of a runaway slave named Amara. But she is actually a spy for Gaius Sextus, sent to the Valley to gather intelligence on traitors to the Crown, who may be in league with the barbaric Marat horde. And when the Valley erupts in chaos - when rebels war with loyalists and furies clash with furies - Amara will find Tavi's courage and resourcefulness to be a power greater than any fury - one that could turn the tides of war

 Review

"Events are stirring all over Alera. I can feel it in my bones, girl. The march of feet, the restless migration of beasts. Already the behemoth sing in the darkness of the western coast, and the wild furies of the north country are preparing a cold winter this year. A cold winter..." The First Lord drew in a breath and closed his eyes. " And voices speak loudly. Tension gathers in one place. The furies of earth and air and wood whisper everywhere that something dangerous is abroad and that the peace of our land has enjoyed these past fifteen years nears its end. Metal furies honed the edges of swords and startle smiths at the forge. The rivers and the rains wait for when they shall run red with blood. And fire itself burns green of a night, or blue, rather than in scarlet and gold. Change is coming." - Gaius Sextus, First Lord of Alera

Saya sudah lupa kapan tepatnya terakhir kali membaca buku dengan genre high fantasy. Bener - bener murni fantasy tanpa atau hanya sedikit romance, mengingat bacaan saya 90% semuanya adalah romance. Padahal saat saya masih agak alergi baca romance, bacaan saya banyakan fantasy. Mulai dari Harry Potter ke Eragon. Lalu Bartimaeus Trilogy. Oke, agak dikit emang :v. Buku fantasy terakhir yang saya baca adalah The Winter King yang masuk kategori high fantasy, tapi lebih fokus ke romance. Sementara serial Temeraire yang sangat saya suka lebih masuk ke historical fantasy. Adapun The Golem and The Jinni yang jadi salah satu buku terbaik saya di tahun 2013 juga lebih pas masuk ke historical fantasy. Sungguh saya kangen baca yang pure high fantasy.

Yang akhirnya membawa saya memilih buku Furies of Calderon, buku pertama serial Codex Alera. Pengarangnya, Jim Butcher, tidak asing bagi saya. Thanks to Mba Indah Threez yang bikin saya baca buku pertama seri Dresden Files, Storm Front dan jadi ngefans ma si Harry Dresden. Jadi, saya udah tahu gaya nulis Jim Butcher gimana. Bedanya, jika di Dresden Files dia memakai gaya penulisan orang pertama, maka di Codex Alera semuanya memakai POV orang ketiga dan banyak sudut pandang. Bedanya lagi, jika Dresden adalah urban fantasy, maka Codex Alera adalah murni fantasy. Usia tokohnya pun juga berbeda, si Harry udah 30an sementara tokoh utama serial ini Tavi of Calderon masih 15 tahun. Masih unyu. Tapi bukan lantas buku ini jadi unyu. Malah sebaliknya, ceritanya sangat, sangat kompleks.

Review: Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs oleh Molly Harper

Judul: Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs
Pengarang : Molly Harper
Bahasa : Inggris
Penerbit : Pocket Books
Jumlah halaman :  354 pages
Terbit :  Oktober 2009
Format : Paperback

Genre : Humor Paranormal Romance
Target Pembaca: Dewasa

Web Pengarang: Click Here
Buy Links : Periplus ; Open Trolley ; Bookdepository ; Amazon ;  Google Play

Sinopsis :

Maybe it was the Shenanigans gift certificate that put her over the edge. When children's librarian and self-professed nice girl Jane Jameson is fired by her beastly boss and handed twenty-five dollars in potato skins instead of a severance check, she goes on a bender that's sure to become Half Moon Hollow legend. On her way home, she's mistaken for a deer, shot, and left for dead. And thanks to the mysterious stranger she met while chugging neon-colored cocktails, she wakes up with a decidedly unladylike thirst for blood.  

Jane is now the latest recipient of a gift basket from the Newly Undead Welcoming Committee, and her life-after-lifestyle is taking some getting used to. Her recently deceased favorite aunt is now her ghostly roommate. She has to fake breathing and endure daytime hours to avoid coming out of the coffin to her family. She's forced to forgo her favorite down-home Southern cooking for bags of O negative. Her relationship with her sexy, mercurial vampire sire keeps running hot and cold. And if all that wasn't enough, it looks like someone in Half Moon Hollow is trying to frame her for a series of vampire murders. What's a nice undead girl to do?

 Review

Vampirism: (n) 1. The condition of being a vampire, marked by the need to ingest blood and extreme vulnerability to sunlight 2. The act of preying upon others for financial or emotional gain. 3. A gigantic pain in the butt.

Pernahkan kalian membaca suatu buku, bosan dengan ceritanya saat sudah baca sampai 100 halaman dan akhirnya baca buku yang lain? Lalu setelah beberapa tahun buku yang kalian tinggalkan itu kalian ambil lagi buat dibaca sampai selesai dan ternyata eh ternyata ceritanya bagus? Itulah yang terjadi sama saya dengan buku pertama serial Jane Jameson, Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs. Dulu saya kepincut lihat cover dan juga blurbnya. Kayaknya sih bakalan lucu nih buku. Akhirnya saat OS langganan saya jual edisi sekennya, saya ga banyak mikir buat beli. Parahnya lagi, belum juga memutuskan apakah saya bakal suka gaya menulis pengarangnya yaitu Molly Harper, saya udah beli aja buku kedua, ketiga dan keempat! Yep, impulsive buying will do that for you, wahai pembaca blog yang setia. Mohon ini jangan ditiru ya :v.

Tapi, saya lega karena setelah menamatkan buku ini, saya tahu bahwa impulsive buying saya itu tidak sia - sia :D

Review: Burn For Me oleh Ilona Andrews

Judul: Burn For Me
Pengarang : Ilona Andrews
Bahasa : Inggris
Penerbit : Avon
Jumlah halaman :  384 pages
Terbit : 28 Oktober 2014
Format : Paperback

Genre : Urban Fantasy Romance
Target Pembaca: Dewasa

Web Pengarang: Click Here
Buy Links : Periplus ; Open Trolley ; Bookdepository ; Amazon ; Kobo; Google Play

Sinopsis :

#1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews launches a brand new Hidden Legacy series, in which one woman must place her trust in a seductive, dangerous man who sets off an even more dangerous desire…

Nevada Baylor is faced with the most challenging case of her detective career—a suicide mission to bring in a suspect in a volatile case. Nevada isn’t sure she has the chops. Her quarry is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, who can set anyone and anything on fire.

Then she’s kidnapped by Connor “Mad” Rogan—a darkly tempting billionaire with equally devastating powers. Torn between wanting to run or surrender to their overwhelming attraction, Nevada must join forces with Rogan to stay alive.

Rogan’s after the same target, so he needs Nevada.  But she’s getting under his skin, making him care about someone other than himself for a change.  And, as Rogan has learned, love can be as perilous as death, especially in the magic world.

 Review

“I have a family full of quirky people. Someone has to be sensible so all of you can enjoy being reckless weirdos.”

Pembaca lama blog Ren's Little Corner mungkin tahu kalau salah satu author favorite saya adalah Ilona Andrews (dan ini bukan riddle buat X saya di event Secret Santa yak. Udah kepake tahun lalu dan X waktu itu, Ira, bisa menebaknya, hehehe). Di Indonesia, buku karya Ilona Andrews sudah diterbitkan oleh Dastan, yaitu seri Kate Daniels (dan kabarnya juga The Edge) yang sayang sih, kayaknya kurang promosi jadi ngga terdengar gaungnya. Plus, Kate Daniels itu tidak murni romance, jadi pembaca romance mungkin agak ngga suka. Setelah serial The Edge (saya pernah bahas di Series Spotlight: The Edge) tamat, pasangan suami istri ini merilis serial baru, yaitu Hidden Legacy dengan buku pertama berjudul Burn For Me.

Saya rada - rada skeptis saat baca blurbnya, karena ada kata "kidnapped" dan "darkly tempting billionaire". Pikir saya sih, haduh ini jangan - jangan tipikal romance yang ada saat - saat ini. Apalagi penerbit Burn For Me adalah Avon, yang selalu mengeluarkan buku romance, ditambah covernya yang duh, duh, duh cheesy >.<. Terus saat saya baca lagi blurbnya, kok berasa kayak Guild Hunter yah? Saya sempat saling tweet dengan teman Goodreads, Ami di Twitter, dimana dia minta saya jadi "kelinci percobaan", tapi ujung - ujungnya malah dia duluan yang baca karena Ami beli ebooknya sementara saya beli versi paperback dan mesti nunggu 2 minggu :P.

Review: Painted Faces oleh L.H. Cosway

Judul  : Painted Faces
Pengarang : L.H. Cosway
Bahasa : Inggris
Penerbit : self-published

Tebal :  355 halaman
Diterbitkan pertama kali :14 Desember 2012
Format : e-book
Target Pembaca: Dewasa
Genre : Contemporary Romance

Web Pengarang : Click Here 

Sinopsis :

Come forth with an open mind, for an unconventional tale of love..

Dublin native Freda Wilson considers herself to be an acquired taste. She has a habit of making offensive jokes and speaking her mind too often. She doesn't have the best track record with first impressions, which is why she gets a surprise when her new neighbour Nicholas takes a shine to her.

Nicholas is darkly handsome, funny and magnetic, and Freda feels like her black and white existence is plunged into a rainbow of colour when she's around him. When he walks into a room he lights it up, with his quick wit and charisma. He is a travelling cabaret performer, but Freda doesn't know exactly what that entails until the curtains pull back on his opening night.

She is gob-smacked and entirely intrigued to see him take to the stage in drag. Later on, Nicholas asks her if she would like to become his show assistant. Excited by the idea, she jumps at the chance. Soon she finds herself immersed in a world of wigs, make-up and high heels, surrounded by pretty men and the temptation of falling for her incredibly beautiful employer.

In this story of passion and sexual discovery, Nicholas and Freda will contend with jealousy, emotional highs and lows, and the kind of love that only comes around once in a lifetime.

**Not suitable for younger readers. Contains some strong language and scenes of a sexual nature.**

Review

Dalam perkenalan saya dengan genre New Adult (NA) -genre yang saya antara mau coba dan ngga karena saya itu anti sama yang namanya mainstream, haha- beberapa buku sudah saya baca. Beberapa saya suka, beberapa ngga. Saya suka menghindari genre ini karena saya kurang suka drama dan juga cerita angst yang banyak ditawarkan oleh novel - novel NA. Tapi, ada satu judul yang sudah sejak lama menarik perhatian saya yaitu Painted Faces. Teman - teman Goodreads saya banyak yang memuja muji buku ini (ada yang ngga juga sih). Dan karena saya gampang penasaran orangnya, saya pun akhirnya baca buku yang heronya adalah....drag queen. Alias waria. Blurbnya saja sudah unik lho, jadi walau butuh setahun lebih setelah buku ini digembar-gemborkan, akhirnya saya baca juga deh

Freda Wilson, akrab dipanggil Fred, seorang gadis usia 25 tahun dengan body issue (siapa sih yang ngga sekarang, saya aja iya :v), dimana dirinya merasa kalau badannya kegemukan untuk ukuran orang Irlandia (walau dia bilang kalau di Amerika sizenya sih size 10, aka Large aja), cuma seorang freelance yang kerjanya memanggang cupcakes dan jadi volunter untuk charity. Hidupnya yang datar - datar aja berubah ketika Fred bertemu dengan tetangga apartemennya yang ganteng. Pake banget. Fred cuma bisa ngebatin saat si tetangga baru minta dipanggil dengan nama "Vivica Blue", walau akhirnya Fred tahu kalau nama aslinya adalah Nicholas Turner. Teman kamar Fred yaitu Nora, ngga pake basa - basi menunjukkan ketertarikannya pada Nicholas. Tapi entah kenapa Nicholas cuma tertarik sama Fred, karena dada Fred gede. Iyes, Nicholas ini ternyata breast-man :v (silakan digoogle lah, hahaha), dan juga manwhore aka playboy aka PK (penjahat kelamin) :)).

Nicholas yang ngerayu Fred buat having sex malah ditampik habis-habisan sama Fred, dan akhirnya mereka memutuskan buat jadi teman baik (walau Nicholas masih tetep pengen bobo bareng sama Fred). Fred lalu tahu kalau Nicholas adalah seorang penyanyi club, dan cowok itu mengundang Fred datang ke clubnya, yang langsung disamber sama Nora karena cewek itu kan naksir Nicholas. Malam pun tiba, Fred, Nora dan Hank, teman Fred yang gay (yep, typical emang) pergi ke club dan... terkejutlah Fred saat melihat Nicholas di panggung...

Review: So I Married a Werewolf oleh Kristin Miller

Judul  : So I Married a Werewolf
Pengarang : Kristin Miller
Bahasa : Inggris
Penerbit : Entangled

Tebal :  260 halaman
Diterbitkan pertama kali :28 July 2014
Format : e-book (by Publisher)
Target Pembaca: Dewasa
Genre : Paranormal Romance
Seri: Seattle Wolf Pack
Buku ke-:3 (Tiga)
Web Pengarang : Click Here 
Buy Links: Kobo, Google Playbooks

Sinopsis :

Carter Griffin, enforcing officer for the Seattle Wolf Pack, has a problem. He's been offered the promotion of his dreams…if he can find a wife to prove he's over his playboy ways. But Carter's already walked the matrimonial road and bought the stinkin' T-shirt. Besides, a werewolf only gets one fated mate. Been there, done that.

All werewolf dog trainer Faith Hamilton wants to do is earn enough green stuff to put her younger brother through college. Okay, okay, so she also totally wants Carter, her sexy next-door neighbor, to look at her as more than a friend. It's too bad size 12 and plain isn't his type. At all.

The two friends strike a deal to help one another out. They must face a variety of challenges from a psycho ex-girlfriend to a Yorkie with a shoe fetish...and that pesky problem of only having one-fated mate in a lifetime. Will a relationship ruin their friendship…or spark a love neither anticipated?

Review

Saya masih mood pararom, jadi mohon maklum jika buku yang saya baca banyakan pararom, hehe. Saya juga banyak banget dikasih ARC (Advanced Reader Copies), baik dari NetGalley maupun Entangled, dan jujur sudah rada burn-out :P. Tapi apa boleh buat, tiap bulan saya selalu diemail Katie Clapsald, orang Entangled yang menawarkan judul - judul buku terbitan Entangled untuk dibaca dan direview, dan selalu ada judul yang saya ingin baca. Oh ya, Entangled ini mirip - mirip Harlequin deh. Jadi mereka ada nerbitin banyak novel romance, tapi ada lini - lini tersendiri yang persis Harlequin. Soal cerita? Yah sebelas dua belas sih :P

Nah, So I Married a Werewolf adalah satu dari banyak judul dari Entangled yang mesti saya review. Dan kayaknya sih, saya ini jadi minoritas kalau baca review - review di Goodreads yang semuanya memuja - muja buku ini :(. Alasan kenapa saya dulu rekues judul ini adalah:
1. Kristin Miller bukan pengarang baru bagi saya, dan saya menikmati karya - karya dia terdahulu yang kebanyakan pararom tapi ringan
2. Temanya. Saya tuh sukaaaa banget sama tema "Friends to Lovers" alias dari sahabat jadi kekasih. It quite romantic! :D

Masalahnya, alasan #2 yang bikin saya jadi ngga bisa menikmati buku ini :(

Review: A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter

Title: A Hidden Fire
Author : Elizabeth Hunter
Languange : English
Publisher: self-published
Length :  320 pages
Published date: October 18, 2011
Format : E-book
Genre : Paranormal Romance
Series: Elemental Mysteries
Book no: #1

Author web: Click Here
Buy Links:
Paperback: Bookdepository, Periplus, OpenTrolley

E-book (Free!!): Kobo, Smashwords

Synopsis :

"No secret stays hidden forever."

A phone call from an old  friend sets Dr. Giovanni Vecchio back on the path of a mystery he'd abandoned years before. He never expected a young librarian could hold the key to the search, nor could he have expected the danger she would attract. Now he and Beatrice De Novo will follow a twisted maze that leads from the archives of a university library, through the fires of Renaissance Florence, and toward a confrontation they never could have predicted.

A Hidden Fire is a paranormal mystery/romance for adult readers. It is the first book in the Elemental Mysteries Series.

 Review

 "Knowlegde is power"

Note: This review is copied from my Goodreads review with some editing. If you find any mistake in grammar and structure, please kindly email me at : sawamura_foxman AT yahoo DOT com , so I can correct it. Thanks! :) .

Back at the end of July, when I  go to my home (as per tradition when Eid Mubarak comes), like usual I always read books as many as I can manage because it's hard to find time for reading with my tight schedule now (and also I have so many title to be reviewed for publisher. Nah, I'm not exaggerating :P). I already knew about Elemental Mysteries, a series by Elizabeth Hunter that have vampires whose can control element. Now, imagine this one like Dracula (or Twilight, whatever you prefer) meet Aang, The Last Airbender. There are some touch of A Discovery of Witches (by Deborah Harkness) too, for the hero is a vampire and the heroine is a librarian. But I DNF'd  (for now)  A Discovery of Witches, because, the book kinda boring and I finish this one. So, that's mean something. Right? ;)

And of course, this is better than Twilight :P.

Review: Risky Business by Melissa Cutler

Judul  : Risky Business
Pengarang : Melissa Cutler
Bahasa : Inggris
Penerbit : InterMix

Tebal :  280 halaman
Diterbitkan pertama kali :15 Agustus 2014
Format : e-book (by NetGalley)
Target Pembaca: Dewasa
Genre : Contemporer Romance
Seri: Bomb Squad
Buku ke-:1 (Satu)
Web Pengarang : Click Here 
Buy Links: Kobo, Google Playbooks

Sinopsis :

Welcome to Destiny Falls, New York, home of the Bomb Squad—an ice hockey team full of rugged military heroes. But the season’s biggest match-up isn’t on the ice as one of their own prepares to go head to head with his new boss…
Allison Whitley’s ex left her with a mountain of debt and Cloud Nine, a struggling boat rental business. With zero job skills, her only hope of getting back in the black lies in a brooding ex-soldier who has her seeing red…

Theo Lacroix’s teammates are counting on their star player to help them win an upcoming high profile hockey game. But when a sexy tornado of a woman sweeps into town and expects him to help her with Cloud Nine, Theo is tempted to skate away from it all.

Theo vowed to never again be someone’s knight in shining armor, but his feelings—and desire—for Allison are becoming harder to ignore. He longs to save her, but to win Allison’s love, he’ll have to throw out his old playbook and take the ultimate risk…playing from the heart.

 Review

Dari semua buku yang saya baca tahun ini, buku dengan genre contemporer romance (CR) dan drama adalah yang paling bisa dihitung dengan jari. Masalahnya sederhana sih, saya gampang bosanan dan cerita CR itu banyakan konfliknya ya itu - itu aja. Tapi, bosan juga sih selama ini saya banyak baca pararom dan kuirang bahas buku CR di blog. Jadi, saya mengambil "resiko" dengan baca Risky Business, buku pertama serial Bom Squad karangan Melissa Cutler. Saya dapat ebooknya dari NetGalley, saat penerbitnya lagi bikin free request. Kalau ngga, biasanya sih kalau saya mau request jarang banget dikabulin. Beberapa penerbit di NetGalley emang pelit - pelit :P.

Awal baca blurb, saya pikir Risky Business ini cerita suspense karena nama serialnya ada "bom". Baca lebih lanjut, ternyata tentang olahraga ice hockey, dan saya baru ngeh kalau buku ini temanya sport romance. Satu lagi sub genre yang saya jarang banget baca. Yah, olahraga yang saya tahu itu kan sepakbola, itu juga baru semangat ngikutin kalau pas Piala Dunia. Sementara pengarang Amrik itu banyakan ngebahas olahraga, kalau ngga rugby (yang dibilang football, sementara football dibilang soccer), softball,  ya ice hockey. Tapi, ngelihat settingnya yaitu di kota kecil, akhirnya saya tertarik juga buat baca. Sempat takut juga ini bakalan jadi buku mediocre dan saya malah ngga bisa menikmati.

Nyatanya? Saya suka! :D