BOOK | RECENTLY READ

I've been trying to do a life-work balance, and so far, it's been great! I have time to read and watch, while still having quality time with my husband as well. I kinda feel confident that I created a nice and balanced routine. On weekdays, I usually spend a solid 15 minutes in the morning before getting ready for work and a good 30-45 minutes after work before doing house chores. While on weekends, my husband and I always make time for our 'me-time'. I usually read when he's playing a game.

Anyway... Here are some books I've read over the past months. Some of them are good ones, and some are OK. I won't be writing in-depth reviews, just a short one for each book. 

Verity - Colleen Hoover 

It's a nice mystery book, but somehow twisted! There are some parts that I found hard to read, so I had to take a break from it a few times. But overall, if you like the crime mystery genre, it might be the one for you. 

3.5/5 stars 

Love for Imperfect Things: How to Accept Yourself in a World Striving for Perfection - Haemin Sunim 

I love this book so much!! I make so many notes and highlight so many pages that my book is filled with Post-it notes! 

5/5 stars 

Every Word You Cannot Say - Iain S. Thomas 

I love most parts of this book, and the rest is just OK. I like how the author writes, but some parts are too ordinary. 

3.5/5 stars 

Book Lovers - Emily Henry 

It is defo a nice book! The writing style is not for me, but it is easily forgiven. I like the premise and how the story turns out. Also, the ending is just WOW! 

4.5/5 stars 

Do you have any current favourite books? Let me know! Xx

BOOK | RECENTLY READ

I'm back in the game of reading at least one book a month! It's only been 3 months since I posted my previous recently read and now I'm back with some more books to review here! Pssst... Sometimes I open my Goodreads account but most of the time, I forget. Such a forgetful girl!

I won't be writing an in-depth review, just a brief one for each book.

We'll Prescribe You a Cat - Syou Ishida

This is such a unique and poetic book with an adorable concept! This book has five heartwarming and captivating stories that keep you reading. This book also reminded me of my cats, especially Flynn my adorable orange cat, and how he always comforts me when I need it. One thing this book left me was how I felt after reading, hopeful and inspired. 

5/5 stars 

If Cats Disappeared From The World - Genki Kawamura 

This is the type of book that I want to read when I just want to relax with a cuppa and a soft, cosy blanket. It's a fun read but yet made me think a lot of things that actually matter in my reality. The story is nothing dramatic but everything in this book is unique. The main character, the cats, the surprise character - everything combined to form a unique, heartfelt story. 

5/5 stars

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder - Holly Jackson

Usually, I read the book and then watch the film or the series. However, it's the other way around with this one. I watched the TV series first and got the book after. I like both, which again, is something unusual. Jackson's writing style still gave me my own imagination even after watching the series. Obviously, the book gives you more details and explanation than the series, but overall, both are so good! 

4/5 stars 

What's your current read book? Let me know! Xx

BOOK | RECENTLY READ

It has been too long since I posted a book review, the last one was back in September 2023. Oops! Anyway, I've read quite a lot for the past few months - I've been actively reading since January and oh boy, I did more than just a few books! 
I won't be writing in-depth reviews about each book, just a brief review. 
One True Loves - Taylor Jenkins Reid
So, I read this one 'cause The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I was like, OK I need to read every book this author wrote! So I started with this one because people said it was 'calmer' than The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Well, I like it but I don't love this. It was promising at the beginning but then as the story went by, it got a bit boring and predictable. Still going to read Reid's other books though!
3/5 stars
The Inheritance Games - Jennifer Lynn Barnes 
Wow, what a ride! I love everything about this book - the characters' introductions, the premise, the plot twists, even the cliffhanger!! I immediately read the second book once I finished this one. SO. GOOD!
5/5 stars
The Hawthorne Legacy - Jennifer Lynn Barnes
OK still good! The story pace is faster than the first book but I wished some parts were longer. In some parts, they felt rushed. In the middle of the book, it was a little boring but it got better. I liked the ending of this book though!
4/5 stars 
The Love Hypothesis - Ali Hazelwood 
It's a cute book. That's all I can say. It's an easy read - a book you want to read when you're at the pool or the beach. It's predictable, but so nice. 
3.5/5 stars 
The Reappearance of Rachel Price - Holly Jackson 
WOW. I love this book so much! It's amazing! The tension is built up so well. One of the books that got you thinking and making theories inside your head as you keep reading. I couldn't put this book down - finished this book in less than 20 hours. 
5/5 stars
The Things You Can Only See When You Slow Down: How to Be Calm in a Busy World - Haemin Sunim 
I took a break from fiction and decided to pick up this book. I started reading this book on the plane - my flight was 1.5 hours and by the time the captain announced it was landing time, I'd finished more than half of this book. I simply couldn't stop. Even though some parts are a tough lesson to learn, the author wrote it in a simple, calming way that makes you not want to stop. A beautiful work!
5/5 stars
8 Rules of Love: How to Find It, Keep It, and Let It Go - Jay Shetty
This is the first Shetty's book I read and I love it so much! So thorough that I felt like reading a textbook about love, life and every aspect that comes with them. Instead of reading for fun, I was reading to study. And let me tell you, I study hard with this book. I enjoyed it so much, so beautifully written!
5/5 stars
I am currently reading two fiction books and one self-help book. God know when I'm going to write the review again, hopefully, in less than 10 months ;)
Anyway, what's your current read book? Let me know! Xx 

BOOK | THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO

I've finished this book for a while now and am not sure why I never posted the review. It has been a hot minute since I wrote a book review.
Originally, when I saw this book on my recommendation, I didn't have any expectations though the title was so interesting. How could one has seven husbands? Also, naturally, at first I thought this was going to be a romance fiction. But I was so wrong. The romance was just a spice, the rest was so much more!
This book divided into seven parts, which dedicated to each husband. The plot twist was insane! Taylor Jenkins Reid did a wonderful job on writing this book. I've read Reid's other novels such as One True Loves, Malibu Rising, and After I Do, but this book, this is simply her masterpiece! It's not surprising that The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo became her most popular book and got heaps of buzz on social media. 
The novel follows fictional Hollywood starlet Evelyn Hugo as she sat down with a journalist to write her biography. The Cuban American actress pulled back the curtains on her seven marriages, unveiling shocking plot twist of her life and everyone around her. 
The story is just like no others. The way Reid wrote back and forth between now and then, and a few perspectives as well, so captivating. It was fascinating really how one story led to another, one decision led to a completely different path for Hugo. This book kept me flipping the pages but at the same time, I didn't want this book to finish. I wanted to keep reading!
Also, Netflix announced in the beginning of this year that they're going to adapt the book into screen but until this day, the streamer hasn't announced the cast! We are dying to know, aren't we? :')
Who do you think should be Evelyn Hugo?

BOOK | ON CHESIL BEACH

I bought this book 2 years ago when I accidentally stumbled on a small bookstore in Melbourne (I totally forgot the bookstore name!). I wasn't looking for books, I was just walking around with my friend, Diane, we were trying to find a dim sum place that has a good review on Yelp. We did not find the place but I'm glad I found this book. I'm not sure what happened back then, cause I never finished it for some reasons.

On Chesil Beach is a very unique book, just like Ian McEwan's other works. It is 200 pages long – only covers about two hours of time: the first two hours of a newlywed couple’s honeymoon in which they fumble to consummate their marriage and that both of them have very embarrassing sexual dysfunctions. 

The main characters, Edward and Florence, sitting in a hotel room on the beach embarrassed out of their minds. It’s 1962, on the cusp of the sexual revolution, and the pair have neither the presence of mind nor even the vocabulary to communicate openly with each other. There is only a handful of words spoken until the very last chapter of the book. 

If you can imagine, this is such an awkward but interesting book to read. By awkward, I mean, we can feel how strange it was for both Edward and Florence - they're trying to rule their own dysfunctions, they want their first night as a married couple to be as special as they imagined. It's hard to explain without spoiling tho. I'd say just give it a go ;) 

BOOK | GRIMM'S FAIRY TALES

This month's I read Grimm's Fairy Tales by Brother Grimm. Growing up, I always loved fairy tales. But this one, however, not your typical fairy tales. Even though I know that these are all classic tales, I feel like I'm reading them for the first time, like they've been reinvented related to a grown-up me in dark and strange ways. 

It's a bizarre but interesting experient to read this book - most of the stories are those who I'm familiar with like Snow White, Alice in Wonderland, The Princess and The Frog, Cinderella, Rapunzel, and more but some are the new ones that I haven't read the original versions yet (keep in mind, I'm not growing up with western fairy tales, I just privileged to have such open-minded parents to bring some of the tales home). 

I'm an adult and yet, I still imagining these fairy tales. I'm still rooting for the character, hoping them to get their best chances. I guess that's why I love fairy tales so much, even in this darker, bizarre versions of them, it still has a happy ending. 

I hope you guys stay healthy, happy, and please, stay at home. 

Love, Vera

BOOK | A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU

Hi, guys! How are you doing? How's your self-quarantine? I have been self-iso for almost two months now, it's been crazy. I hope you are well!! 

I just finished this book by Claudia Gray and I have a very mix-feeling about it. It's very typical and I found myself kept asking haven't I read this story before? This book is basically every other young adult trope you can imagine - the male characters that keep protecting the female ones, the typical love triangle, the lovey-dovey type of young love. By the end of chapter 1, you can predict the ending of the book. The 15-year old self would be enjoying this book but I'm no longer into this sort of YA novel anymore. To be honest, what sold me at first was the cover. It was so beautiful!

If you are into that kind of story, this book might be entertaining for you. It still has pretty likable characters, an entertaining plot with the interdimensional time travel as the main event, and the writing is very good too. The love triangle wasn't the worst, but you know, predictable. 

Stay healthy, safe, and just stay at home. 

Love, Vera

BOOK | THE SNOW CHILD

It took me almost a month to finish this book! I started on the first day of March and last night I flipped the last page. I was so surprised by how long I read this book cause this was a beautiful story! As I went to the internet to find who was Eowyn Ivey - the mind behind this book, I found that this was inspired by Russian fairytale. I never know until now. It was so magical to read! Well, I know why tho, with the pandemic and changes that came along, I also had to adjust my life to the situation that we are in. So reading a book was out of option at so many days. I hope this pandemic will be over soon! 

The Snow Child made me question the real story. Was Faina a real girl or just their imagination? I have to say, Ivey's writing style delivered a 'feel good' sense of what happened in the story and made it so easy to imagine their lives in Alaska (I've never been to Alaska before!). The description was so thorough and detailed, it awed me that someone has the ability to describe something like that without making it less interesting. 

Overall, this was a gorgeous, fun, and fascinating and a fast-paced read with a sad ending. I don't usually like sad ending, however, in this story, it was necessary to end like that. This book was no doubt a magical and classic fairytale for adults. I enjoyed every minute reading this book and I believe I will read this book again in the near future. 

How's your reading challenge going? 

Love, Vera

BOOK | LITTLE WOMEN

As I'm doing a book challenge this year, February's book is a book that is also a movie which is perfect! In my previous post, I posted the Little Women movie review. I kinda planned everything together because believe it or not, I never read the book until now! 

So, I've finished one of the most loved books by Louisa May Alcott just a few days after I watched Gerwig's 2019 Little Women in the theatre (the movie premiered on the 7th February 2020 in Indonesia). Although I've watched Armstong's 1994 version, it is still fun to read and then watch the movie. There's always a new insight into it. 

Little Women novel is truly a masterpiece. Since its publication back in 1868, it has been described as a new kind of literature, a type of feminism and realism that's needed at the time. Even now, decades after its publication, the novel still is a literature that has to be read by everyone. 

As I kept reading, I found myself rooting for the March sisters. As they go through love and loss, they truly learn how to be little women while all they have is their mother, Marmee, because of their father off to war. 

I'm so in love with everyone here. They have reasons to do what they have to especially the March sisters. Jo is not only boyish and rebellious but also fiercely independent. Meg with the softness and kindness that filled inside her heart, make her the lady she always wanted to be. Amy who always stay true to herself and Beth who's quiet but has the loudest mind of all. I like how the four sisters represent a different type of human nature. 

This book is also underline so many things about family values which pretty rare to find in most of the modern literature. Marmee is a beautiful mum who allows her girls to do and pursue whatever they wanted to be despite what society would think about them. She encourages Jo to keep writing, Meg to follow her heart to marry someone she loves although he's not a rich man, Amy to pursue whatever she thinks the best for her, and Beth to keep playing music. She never forced them to do something for her, but the relationship she has with the girls is full of trust. In the end, the girls always put her as their priority. The kindness and love she teaches the girls eventually comes back to her. I love it so much. 

Alcott's way of writing is so poignant and elegant. It gives you an impression of how to be a normal family in 1800 and how it feels to be a woman at that time. The society only cares if a woman marries a rich man - or should I say, marry his name? So you can be wealthy and able to support your family as well. Little Women describes that very well but the characters are nothing like the society, that what makes this book is beautiful. 

However, I have a few complaints. As how the classic books go, this book also a little bit boring at times. There are some plots that I feel unnecessary to add and not exciting for the readers. I also found how perfect all characters are, especially Laurie. He's so annoyingly perfect - handsome, rich, smart, and has a beautiful heart. I want to see the characters have flaws - just like a normal human. 

Overall, I'm so in love with this book. By the end of the book, I found myself reading the last line twice, I was so satisfied but also wanted more. I highly recommend this book for everyone, despite the gender and generation, you'll find something valuable to learn from this story. You won't find a book like this anymore.

Love, Vera

BOOK | THE BLACK DAHLIA

Hi! 

I will be, hopefully, post a book review every month as Zain and I do the 2020 Reading Challenge together. I also think this is great because the last two years have been bad for me, I didn't read as much as I usually do. One book a month should be alright, yeah? 

I love reading (and buying) books but one of my 2020 resolutions is to be more sustainable so I purchased the e-book instead. Honestly, it's been a strange experienced to start reading e-book again. I love the smell of a new book and flip from one page to another.  So having to slide onto the next page is really not my tea. However, I have to stop being selfish and think about the environment so here I am. 

This month's theme is a book with a colour in the title. Of course, I choose The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy. It has been on my reading list for so long but I haven't had time to find the book yet. 

I started this book right on the first day of January and I finally finished the book on the 16th. It took a little bit faster than I expected as The Black Dahlia is such a deep, complicated story to read on. I also didn't read this book religiously because of some errands that I had to do, appointments, and such. But I'm glad I finally finished it. 

BOOK | EVERY LAST WORD

I finished this book within a day - no, actually less than 20 hours. None ever recommended this book, I'm glad this book found me. It was on my iBooks for so long, only God knew when I downloaded it. As long as I can recall, I love the cover. The idea of simplicity and purity, yet seems to reach out for you as it can actually speaks its story. Maybe this was why I had it for so long. I don't know. 

So, I read it sometime around 11 p.m.-ish, scrolled down to find something to read before go to bed and I just picked it up randomly. In few pages, this book already pulled me in. Like, really made me wondering what's going on here?

Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone is a book about Samantha McAllister, a popular girl at her school who is actually hiding her OCD and intrusive thoughts. She looks very normal with driving cool car, doing makeup, a swim athlete, but also mastering at acting and keeping secrets from her best friends. Not everything we see is the truth, right?

The story about mental illness, how to cope with that, how it affected our personal life, how people react to it, there are so many books about that and I've read that. But honestly, I've never read a book about mental illness this honest, raw and beautifully written before - not about OCD, at least. Correct me if I'm wrong. 

Every Last Word teaches me about how to outshine my own darkness. 

THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN | SPOILER FREE BOOK REVIEW

Hello!

It's been awhile since the last time I posted a book review, now that I finally finished one, I thought I'd share! I actually owned this book for more than a year but at some point, it never gets me to read it. Ever since I finished Gone Girl, a depressing psychological suspense thriller book became one of my favourites.

The Girl on the Train became one of the most read books all over the world. Needless to say, this is that one book everyone crazy about. The hype is real and for me personally, it worth the hype.

This Paula Hawkins' novel is a dark and haunting story with unreliable main characters. Using three women as the narrator of the story: Rachel, Megan and Anna - Hawkins bring us to the conclusions and which are most likely wrong. 

BOOK: EVERYTHING I NEVER TOLD YOU

From the first sentence, I knew this book was going to be difficult to read. The story was about a gone daughter from mixed marriages parents - America and Chinese - middle children with lovely older brother and almost invisible younger sister. This book full of expectations, hopes, dreams, deep complicated point of views, different perspectives and mystery. 

For my personal read, I love this kind of genre. I love to be involved, drown into story with such a thoughtful plot lines, playing detective. Unfortunately this book is not the one that I ended up loving as much as I thought it would be.

I believe I'm the first person who said this: I don't like this book. 

Why? 

BOOK: CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET?

Sophie Kinsella once again get me! 

This book is so funny, memorable, and very fun to read! It took me 2 hours - more or less - to finally come to the last page. I want to know how the ending is but at the same time, I don't want this book ended! This is so funny, I laugh out loud through most of this book! Another Sophie's best books for me! 

BOOK: SHADOWLAND - THE MEDIATOR #1

Meg Cabot is an amazing writer. She's a part of my teenager life, I love Princess Diaries so much and I can read the book over and over again. I have no idea why I just got my eyes with this series, but really, here's what I thought for the first book of the series. 

BOOK: THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US

I haven't post any book review because honestly I just finished one book this year. This is so not me, but I don't know why it's hard to read again. Life happens.

Anyway, I finished The Distance Between Us under 2 hours. I'm sure this is the fastest I've ever read a book. My inner bookworm is back, baby! So, here's my thought about this book written by Katie West. 

BOOKSHELF: A WORK IN PROGRESS

I don't usually read memoir or biographies/autobiographies but the day when I knew Connor Franta wrote a book, I feel the urge to buy and read his work. Not because he is one of my favourite YouTubers, but it is because I admire his creativity and the way he sees the world (now I sound like I know him really well) so I thought his writing will be something different. 

Unfortunately, his book wasn't available in any book stores at the city where I lived in when it came out. This happened so many times before, I get used to the delay. So I decided to wait for another month and then another years. I saw so many good reviews about this book, even it became #1 best seller at New York Times for 14 weeks (I'm not sure but he talked about this in his video) and that's something. 

I finally bought it online. The online book store that I trusted and it's from Singapore, so practically, I bought it import. It took 2 weeks until I got the beautiful paperback in my hand. Once I got it, I read it for 2 hours non-stop. 

BOOKSHELF: THE 5TH WAVE

The 5th Wave is an AWESOME sci-fi read!  

I’ve always been interested in aliens, and who isn’t? It’s scary to imagine contact with other another species, especially one that might be inimical. There are million theories about what will happen and what they’ll want. But, I think that if there are aliens out there, Rick Yancey’s vision may not be so far from the truth. Everything is logical and explained, which makes it all the more terrifying!

I wish I read this book SOONER! 

The plot is brilliant! Perfectly paced and really smart. It alternates between suspense, action and character development. You never know what’s going to happen next and are continually blown away by each new expansion. It gets inside your head in a paranoia inducing way. Reading the 5th Wave is a little like watching a lion chase it’s prey. You want to look and you don’t. You want to keep reading because you are hooked but don’t because you’re afraid something bad will happen to a character you like.

BOOKSHELF: THE GLAM GUIDE

I've been waiting this book for so long and finally, the wait is over. To be honest, I didn't know that The Glam Guide came to Indonesia's bookstores nearly in the same day as UK launching because I've been looking in every bookstore's website and the results was nothing. 

Right before I decided to buy online, I went to the Books & Beyond to buy some stationary and notebook, didn't mean to buy book because I just bought some new books, and I saw this beautiful book in the rack. I was so happy! 

The stationary and notebook long forgotten, I brought this book to the cashier and went to the Starbucks because to be honest, I can't wait anymore!

The Glam Guide is the first book written by one of my favourite beauty bloggers/vloggers, Fleur De Force. I've been following her in youTube since 2012 and yes, I love her videos. When I knew she's writing a book, I couldn't be more excited. In videos, she talks about makeup, fashion and lifestyle really well, like a professional. Not only beauty videos, but also, her vlogs are always amazing. Whenever I watch her vlogs, it feels like I watch reality show. 

BOOKSHELF: THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING

This book...there are no words to describe the epic adventure this novel will take you on. I didn't really have any expectations for this book, but it turned out to be pretty good. 

The beginning of this novel starts off with a bang. It's a recapping of a disturbing memory following an event that altered Ezra and his best friend Toby's lives. Ezra begins to believe everyone in their lives will have a tragic changing point. You won't know when it'll happen but once it does, life will change drastically. He's right.