Sunday, January 25, 2015

Book Review: Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Title: JUST ONE DAY
Authors: Gayle Forman
Publisher: SPEAK (An imprint of Penguin Group Inc.)
First published in the USA by Dutton Books, 2013
Publication date: August 2013
Page: 369
ISBN: 978-0-14-242295-3
Price: Rp 292.000 (Periplus Online)
Rating: 4/5

ALLYSON Healey's life is exactly like her suitcase-packed, planned, ordered. Then on the last day of her three-week post-graduation European tour, she meets Willem. A free-spirited, roving actor, Willem is everything she's not, and when he invites her to abandon her plans and come to Paris with him, Allyson says yes. This uncharacteristic decision leads to a day of risk and romance, liberation and intimacy: twenty-four-hours that will transform Allyson's life. A book about love, heartbreak, travel, identity, and the "accidents" of fate, Just One Day shows us how sometimes in order to get found, you first have to get lost... and how often the people we are seeking are much closer than we know.
"We are born in one day. We die in one day.
We can change in one day. And we can fall in love in one day.
Anything can happen in just one day."

It took few months for me to finally finish this book. Boring? Yeah, but not entirely because I'm sober enough to give it 4/5 stars. I spotted this book on The Bookie Looker. It seemed enchanting out of all the beautiful things on that blog. So, I bought it trough Periplus Online, which is one of my book shopping solution. Since I'm a member, I always get discount 15% or more ;) Other than the book's outer look, I've heard so many praises of Gayle Forman's works. I've read If I Stay and Where She Went in a day without a break (except went to shower, had a drink and food) and I love them! Well, I like the first book better. That was why I had no doubt to purchase Just One Day.

Image by TRAVELFREAK.COM

Some people say that they can't connect with Allyson character. Some people say that Allyson's life is related to them. But for me, reading this book is like reading a friend's story on her blog. Allyson's life makes me so envy. She has good grades and her parents are generous. Europe trip for a graduation gift? That is something unusual in here, especially in my family. We don't do gift for grad. We just do a so-not-big feast at a so-not-fancy restaurant and that's it. I believe high school is so much easier in my country. When Allyson and Melanie (the best friend from childhood) arrived at London, Allyson decided to go on a just one day trip to Paris with the Dutch boy named Willem (I don't get the name). That's where the story begin...

Friday, January 16, 2015

Book Review: Four by Veronica Roth

Judul: FOUR: A Divergent Collection
Penulis: Veronica Roth
Penerjemah: Esti Buduhabsari
Proofreader: Emi Kusmiati
Penerbit: Mizan Fantasi
Cetakan I, Desember 2014
ISBN: 978-979-433-859-9
Tebal: 288 halaman
Harga: Rp 59.000
Four: A Divergent Story Collection (Divergent, #0.1 - 0.4)

Dua tahun sebelum Beatrice Prior menentukan takdirnya, putra pemimpin Abnegation melakukan hal yang sama. Tobias Eaton berkhianat dari Abnegation, berpindah ke Dauntless, dan berubah menjadi Four. Mencari kebebasan dan kehidupan yang bebas dari masa lalu. Ternyata di Dauntless pun Four masih meragukan pilihannya. Apalagi secaratak sengaja dia mengetahui persekongkolan antara pemimpin Dauntless dan Erudite. Sementara, sang ibu yang ternyata masih hidup menginginkannya bergabung dengan factionless. Haruskah Four kembali berkhianat? Pantaskah faksi 'tanpa pamrih' yang ternyata menyembunyikan monster sekejam Marcus Eaton diselamatkan? Four dihadapkan pada pilihan sulit. Mungkinkah pengkhianatan memunculkan kebebasan? Four: A Divergent Collection, mengisahkan perjalanan Divergent Trilogy dari sudut pandang Tobias Eaton. Dengan bonus tiga kisah eksklusif bersama Tris. Kisah pelengkap Divergent Trilogy yang romantis dan penuh aksi.

Sejak awal, Four is my favorite character. Yap, bukan Tris. Selama membaca trilogi Divergent, bisa dibilang aku selalu merasa semangat saat Four muncul. Nah, bagi pembaca trilogi Divergent yang sepertiku, kalian WAJIB membaca buku ini. Sosok Four yang selama ini misterius akan dibuka habis-habisan. But in a good way of course (thanks God!). Awalnya, aku takut buku ini malah bikin sosok Four terkesan nggak-banget alias bikin il-feel. Tapi, ketakutanku itu nggak beralasan kok.