Harry has to spend his summer holiday with the Dursleys. But he should be less miserable, right? Now that he has friends in magical community who promHarry has to spend his summer holiday with the Dursleys. But he should be less miserable, right? Now that he has friends in magical community who promised to write to him? Well, wrong. His summer, and his birthday is as miserable as ever because he doesn't get any letter. And of course there is a culprit behind this. . Things get more interesting when Ron, Fred, and George Weasley come to save Harry. We get to experience the Burrows (Weasleys' home), Floo powder (one of magical folks' mode of transportation), Knockturn Alley (magical folks' black market), and Flourish & Blotts (magical bookshop). We get to know the charming Professor Lockhart, the brooding Moaning Myrtle, and Aragog, one of Hagrid's "friends". . The story of Harry's second year in Hogwarts is definitely more interesting (also more dangerous) than the first year. More details about Harry and his arch enemy, Voldemort, are revealed. More details about the magical worlds are also unveiled. . I don't know if I've said this before, but I'm not a fan of the illustration style used in this MinaLima design. The colors are too bold for my taste. But I think kids will like them. . Besides the abundant illustrations, you can also find some interactive pages inside. If you want to see more of them, check out my IGTV, I have a flip-through video of this book....more
Elizabeth is enjoying her new life in Winterhouse Hotel, but she is still struggling with her identity, and what she really wants to do. There's still Elizabeth is enjoying her new life in Winterhouse Hotel, but she is still struggling with her identity, and what she really wants to do. There's still unspoken fear about Grisella Winter, that she may comeback and make problems again. . There are new characters in the story, but none is impressive. Norbridge is less frustrating, and he shows that he takes Elizabeth seriously now, so that's a good thing. Freddy is still kinda a smartass, but he's more subdued because his parents come along to spend some time in Winterhouse. . The pattern of the story is similar to the previous books: a series of small -seemingly unrelated- incidents lead to a big event. I don't think there is any surprising twist here. . Like I said in my review on the second Winterhouse book, this story will be more fun and enjoyable if you read it in PRINTED FORMAT, because there are a lot of wordplays and riddles. . ❄ My overall impression about Winterhouse trilogy: It's fun and worth reading (but for me, not worth collecting). . The story wraps up nicely. There might be more story about Elizabeth, but it won't be a middle grade story anymore....more
Seth's story continues... Yearning to receive recognition from the magic society, the boy keeps learning to do magic, with the help from Angelique. SheSeth's story continues... Yearning to receive recognition from the magic society, the boy keeps learning to do magic, with the help from Angelique. She brings him to a town where there are lot of magical folks mingling with regular folks, and here Seth becomes an apprentice to a witch. . But it seems that Seth comes in the wrong time. Something's sinister is happening in the town... One by one, apprentices are cursed and drops near dead. While the authority is investigating this case, of course Seth has to get himself involved. Will he help solving the case, or will he make it more complicated? ...more
Winterhouse is the name of a splendid hotel. In the first book, we get to know a girl named Elizabeth who got invited to spend winter holiday in WinterWinterhouse is the name of a splendid hotel. In the first book, we get to know a girl named Elizabeth who got invited to spend winter holiday in Winterhouse. She's an orphan girl, living with her aunt and uncle who don't seem to care about her. Elizabeth loves books and riddles (anagrams, word ladders), and in Winterhouse she met a boy named Freddy who shares the same interest. Together they solved a mystery and saved the day. . Now a year has passed, and Elizabeth is going back to Winterhouse. She meets old friends, new friends, and of course, there's a new mystery to be solved. . Regarding characterization, I still can't seem to love the main character, Elizabeth. Despite her being a booklover! I try to understand that as a teenager, she has to struggle with her emotions, and she also has to deal with her new supernatural power... Her life surely is not easy. . Regarding the story, it's quite simple and doesn't have any shocking twist. The good and evil forces are distinctive. Everything is so predictable and almost boring. . I'm sure the printed version is much more fun than the audiobook. It has illustrations and riddles. I had the first book and it's very lovely, but I had to let it go because the story is not impressive enough for me and I don't think I want to collect the trilogy. . The audiobook is narrated by Sophie Amoss. I think her voice is suitable for a middle grade story. Not too heavy, not too shrilly. Easy to listen to. . As I write this review, I'm already starting to listen to the third book of Winterhouse. I have no expectations, I just want to know the final ending of the story....more
F.I.N.A.L.L.Y I can't tell you enough how glad I am to finally finish this series. I don't regret having this long, exhausting, and painful journey. I F.I.N.A.L.L.Y I can't tell you enough how glad I am to finally finish this series. I don't regret having this long, exhausting, and painful journey. I get to meet interesting characters, gain new insights, and once again ponder about life and death. . If you ask me, did I feel excited that Roland almost reach the Dark Tower? Well, yes ... Because I hope then he will perhaps find the answers he's looking for and stop obsessing about that damn tower. Even after I reach the last book of the series, I still can't understand why Roland is so hell-bent on reaching The Dark Tower. (Oh don't worry, in the very end I finally understand.) Throughout the journey, Roland's obsession with the Dark Tower leaves me feeling mad at him. For everything and everyone he has to sacrifice for the tower. Is it worth it? Is it??? . Again and again, Stephen King warns the readers that the ending is not going to be pleasant. Especially if you fall for Roland. I can sympathize with Roland, but I don't love him that much. He's charming, formidable, and pitiful at the same time, but I don't fall for him. I feel my heart goes for Jake Chambers and Oy. It's what happens to them that makes me the most emotional and almost cry. . It's about the journey, really, not the destination....more
Ini... aku udah baca ulang yang keberapa kali ya? Empat atau lima? Yang jelas ini edisi yang baru kubeli di tahun 2021, versi UK (judulnya Philosopher'Ini... aku udah baca ulang yang keberapa kali ya? Empat atau lima? Yang jelas ini edisi yang baru kubeli di tahun 2021, versi UK (judulnya Philosopher's, bukan Sorcerer's) dengan ilustrasi sampul karya Andrew Davidson. Aku mengumpulkan versi Bahasa Inggris yang ini, dan sekarang sudah lengkap. Kalau dijejerkan, punggung bukunya jadi warna-warni....more
Nisha is a princess with a powerful magic. After years of living as she wishes, Nisha faces the hard truth that the kingdom and her family is in big tNisha is a princess with a powerful magic. After years of living as she wishes, Nisha faces the hard truth that the kingdom and her family is in big trouble. She also must accept the truth that she's not the only person with powerful magic, and that she has to work together with others to save the kingdom. . This is a nice and short fantasy story, and I enjoy reading it, more than I thought I would. It's a coming-of-age story, where Nisha (our protag) gets more mature by dealing with her kingdom's problem. From the simple plot and characterization, I think this is a middle grade story ... But there are issues that are more like young adult, such as arranged marriage. . I assume there will be a sequel to this story? It has potential, but it's so short that there isn't enough space for back stories and more detailed explanation about the magic system and the universe. I would love to know more about Nisha. . I will recommend this book for junior and senior high school students, and anyone who likes fantasy story....more
How much do you remember your childhood? . Rereading this book, I mostly forgot the details of the story, but I remembered the feeling: bittersweet. . TheHow much do you remember your childhood? . Rereading this book, I mostly forgot the details of the story, but I remembered the feeling: bittersweet. . The protagonist, a man named George, visits his childhood neighborhood after he attended a funeral. He visits a farm belongs to Hempstock family, and to a pond within its boundaries. Except ... It's not really a pond. It's an ocean. And George's forgotten memories come flooding back. . George goes back to when he was 7 years old. He became friend with Lettie Hempstock, a queer little girl. When they went to banish an old supernatural creature, George did something that made the creature latch into him and give him serious problem. Lettie tried to fix the problem, but it didn't go as planned ... . I can totally relate to George's feeling of helplessness. I feel sorry for what happened to him. I also adore his bravery and loyalty. Regarding the story, I think it's achingly beautiful. Well, I maybe biased because you all know I love Neil Gaiman's writings ...more
Ini bukunya berbahasa Inggris (diterjemahkan dari Jepang), tapi aku mau mengulasnya pakai Bahasa Indonesia yaaa. . Aku pertama kali tahu tentang Kiki's Ini bukunya berbahasa Inggris (diterjemahkan dari Jepang), tapi aku mau mengulasnya pakai Bahasa Indonesia yaaa. . Aku pertama kali tahu tentang Kiki's Delivery Service itu dari film animasinya Studio Ghibli. Waktu nonton film itu, yang lumayan berkesan buatku, aku sama sekali ngga tahu kalau ceritanya diangkat dari buku. Sekarang, bertahun-tahun kemudian, aku melihat buku ini lewat di IG story tokbuk langganan, langsung lah sikat, ngga pake lama. . Ceritanya tentang seorang anak gadis bernama Kiki. Dia keturunan penyihir, dan keahliannya adalah terbang di atas sapu. Berdasarkan tradisi keluarga penyihir, ketika seorang anak beranjak dewasa, dia harus meninggalkan orangtuanya dan pergi mencari sebuah kota yang belum ada penyihirnya, lalu tinggal dan bekerja di sana. Kiki pun sudah waktunya untuk pergi mencari kota untuk dia tinggali. . Bersama kucing hitamnya, Jiji, Kiki terbang dengan sapunya hingga ke sebuah kota di pinggir laut. Itu kota yang cukup besar dan penduduknya berpandangan buruk pada penyihir. Namun berkat seorang wanita baik hati pemilik toko kue, Kiki mendapat tempat tinggal dan mulai membuka jasa pengiriman. Awalnya sulit bagi Kiki untuk beradaptasi. Tapi lambat laun dia mulai menikmati hari-harinya di kota tersebut. . Kiki's Delivery Service adalah sebuah kisah ringan yang menghangatkan hati. Tidak ada konflik yang berat di sini. Justru kesederhanaannya itu yang memikat. . Tokoh Kiki dan Jiji itu lovable dan easy-going. Mereka menghadapi masalah demi masalah dengan santai, menghadapi kelakuan orang-orang yang menyebalkan dengan santai juga, dan tanpa dendam. Rasanya adem sekali hidupnya. . Buku yang kupunya ini terbitan Puffin. Formatnya paperback, dengan sampul berlidah. Di dalamnya ada beberapa ilustrasi hitam putih yang menggemaskan sekali. Di bagian akhir ada konten tambahan berupa informasi terkait buku dan penulisnya, kuis, dan ada resep juga. Secara keseluruhan, ini buku yang layak untuk dikoleksi....more
So. In book 4, Jacob and friends got a new peculiar ally, named Noor. Noor, as the name suggests, has the ability to manipulate light. And I can smellSo. In book 4, Jacob and friends got a new peculiar ally, named Noor. Noor, as the name suggests, has the ability to manipulate light. And I can smell from miles away that this character will be the new love interest of our protag, after he and Emma--sort of--fell out of love. But I don't ship Jacob and Noor. I feel their relationship lack the chemistry. . At the beginning of book 5, Jacob manages to whisk Noor away from the clutch of one of American peculiar clans. Turns out Noor is a part of a prophecy about the doom of peculiardom. The situation gets more dire when some wights escape from prison, and it's suspected that they will try to bring back Caul, their leader (who was trapped inside a collapsed loop in book 3). Jacob, Noor, and Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children try to stop this from happening. . Book 5 is thinner than book 4 and 6, but still fast-paced and action-packed. I enjoy the story apart from the youth stupidity that often irritates me in YA novels. When the characters do things that I know will end badly but it's necessary to keep the plot going. I was like "Come on man, it's a trap! Don't go there, don't do that!" but they go there anyway, and do that anyway, and they're like "Oh no, we're in big big trouble." and then I facepalm and say "I told you so." Sigh. Maybe I'm too old for this kind of trick. . Just as I expected, the ending is cliffhanger. Fortunately, I've received book 6, so I can continue the story straight away. It seems that it will end in book 6. I HOPE IT WILL END IN BOOK 6. Not a fan of long series here....more
My journey with this series started with a misunderstanding. From the eerie cover design, I thought Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is a hMy journey with this series started with a misunderstanding. From the eerie cover design, I thought Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is a horror book. But it's not. It's a YA fantasy. And the story is quite slow-paced. I didn't give up and kept reading, and was satisfied that book 2 (Hollow City) and 3 (Library of Souls) are fast-paced and action-packed. . When I saw that the ending of book 3 is somewhat a cliffhanger, opening a possibility for the next book, I was disappointed because I thought it's just a trilogy. And the disappointment held me back from immediately reading book 4 (Map of Days). . *Fast story review previous books in the comment section* . After the events in book 1-2-3, our protag, Jacob, must return to America, where his parents thought he's crazy and wanted to put him away in a mental institution. Miraculously, Miss Peregrine and the peculiar children suddenly showed up to save Jacob. . Thus, the adventure of the peculiar children in America begins. It's dangerous and confusing because the peculiars in America are divided into clans that are constantly at war. When Jacob and his friends take on a mission to save a particular peculiar girl, they don't know that they get into a much bigger trouble. One that concerns the entire peculiardom. . Map of Days is definitely fast-paced and action-packed too. I can finish reading it pretty fast, considering. There's no surprising twist, but it has a cliffhanger ending. Fortunately I already bought book 5, so I can continue the story right away. And I quickly order book 6, just in case book 5 also has a cliffhanger ending....more
This audiobook is narrated by Stephen King himself, so it's a plus point. . This story happens after Wizard & Glass (after Roland and his ka-tet are bacThis audiobook is narrated by Stephen King himself, so it's a plus point. . This story happens after Wizard & Glass (after Roland and his ka-tet are back to the path of the beam) and before Wolves of the Calla. . While waiting for the storm to pass, in a shelter, Roland tells another story from his youth--about a shape-shifter (they call it Skinman) that terrorized a town. Within this story, there's another story called "The Wind Through the Keyhole", about the coming-of-age of a boy named Tim. . So. After the tragic incident with Susan Delgado, and the death of his mother, Roland was sent to a town to investigate a series of grissly murders. Townfolks said it's the work of a skinman. A skinman looks like a regular man, but can turn into different kinds of beast with lust for blood. Well of course in the end Roland managed to solve the case, but the cost is not cheap. This case hardens Roland's personality even more. . Using "a story within a story" concept, reading The Wind Through the Keyhole has an effect similar to watching Inception (a dream within a dream) movie. The plot is not crucial to the main story of The Dark Tower, you can skip this, but this side story will help you understand more about the concept and universe of Dark Tower, and about the character of Roland Deschain. . I quite like this story, but it's not mindblowing....more
The Graveyard Book is not unlike The Jungle Book. In The Jungle Book, we have a boy raised in the jungle. In The Graveyard Book, we have a boy raised The Graveyard Book is not unlike The Jungle Book. In The Jungle Book, we have a boy raised in the jungle. In The Graveyard Book, we have a boy raised in the graveyard. I think that's already an interesting premise. . This is not the first time I read The Graveyard Book. I first read it years ago in a format of illegal ebook, I'm sorry. And then I read it again in printed format, the version with illustrations by Chris Riddell. I tried to read the Indonesian version but couldn't get past the first several pages, for some reason the translation confused me. And now I read the version with illustrations by Dave McKean, accompanied by the audiobook narrated by Neil Gaiman himself. The audiobook has nice music too! . Though I'm not a fan of Dave McKean's illustrations, this version has many other extras to offer, and all of them are delightful. I'm glad I snatched this book when it appeared on @garasi.buku 's feed. . ✴ There's an introduction from Margaret Atwood (the author of Handmaid's Tale), she says the nicest thing about Neil, and she mentions that this story is a bildungsroman (coming-of-age). That the hero of this story, Nobody Owens, after receiving an unlikely eduction in the graveyard for some years, must eventually graduate from death to life. ✴ There's Neil's Newberry Medal acceptance speech (in 2009) and he said something really good: "if you, as a parent, raise your children well, they won't need you anymore." ✴ There's a story behind The Graveyard Book, that took 20 years to complete. ✴ There are handwritten pages and sketches. . My reading experience this time is very satisfying. I learn that children have amazing ability to adapt, even in an environment as macabre as the graveyard....more
"If you are free in your mind, what else matters?" . Roland the gunslinger, with his mates Eddie, Susannah, Jake, and Oy continue their journey. It's no"If you are free in your mind, what else matters?" . Roland the gunslinger, with his mates Eddie, Susannah, Jake, and Oy continue their journey. It's not easy to survive Blaine the monorail, a suicidal train that intents to bring them all to hell, but they manage. Thanks to Eddie and his nonsense jokes. . During the journey, we get a long flashback as Roland finally decides to tell his story to his mates. We get to know Roland's mean teacher Cort, Roland's past mates Cuthbert and Alain, also Roland's first love Susan Delgado. . There's a big reference to The Wizard of Oz in this book. And it becomes funny because Roland is the only one who doesn't know the story. As Eddie, Susannah, and Jake break into lines and song from The Wizard of Oz (no, not Over the Rainbow), Roland only stares at them confused ...more
Few days before Halloween, Harper Raine and her family (plus Harper's best friend, Dayo) go to an island for a vacation. Harper has a bad feeling abouFew days before Halloween, Harper Raine and her family (plus Harper's best friend, Dayo) go to an island for a vacation. Harper has a bad feeling about the trip, but she can't do anything to make it cancelled. On the island, Harper finds out about its dark history, involving human sacrifice. And what's weird is she finds no ghost there except for one little girl. Now Harper must unravel the mysteries and find a way to deal with the island's soul eaters before she and Michael become one of the human sacrifices. . The friendship between Harper and Dayo is still going strong (I was hoping for little fights between them, but no, they're always nice to each other). They even find a new friend in the island, a girl named Olivia, whose family play a crucial role on the island. A new character who gets on Harper's nerve is her cousin Leo. But then, through hardships, their relationship improves. . The gory elements are still present. I mean, come on, it's human sacrifice! Bodies torn apart and hung on a tree. Blood everywhere. And people of the island hide the murders for years because they're afraid tourists will stop coming if they know. . I was hoping for a twist at the end, but there is none ... I feel kinda disappointed. I also feel good, though, because everything wraps up nicely. There's a possibility of a next book, seeing Harper makes a team of spirit hunters (the young version of Ghostbusters maybe), but I don't know if it will happen or not. . Not as creepy as the first book ... But still fun to read....more
It takes me a very long time, but I finally finish reading this. As always, with a short-stories collection, I find it difficult to give an overall raIt takes me a very long time, but I finally finish reading this. As always, with a short-stories collection, I find it difficult to give an overall rating, because some stories are memorable, and some are meh. Here I'm gonna mention some of my faves. . ...more
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