Thursday, July 21, 2011

Review : On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

Author: Ian McEwan
Category : Contemporary Fiction
Format: Hardcover ( 203 pages)
Publisher: Nan A. Talese ( 5 June 2007 )
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385522401
ISBN-13: 978-0385522403

Goodreads description :
A novel of remarkable depth and poignancy from one of the most acclaimed writers of our time.

It is July 1962. Florence is a talented musician who dreams of a career on the concert stage and of the perfect life she will create with Edward, an earnest young history student at University College of London, who unexpectedly wooed and won her heart. Newly married that morning, both virgins, Edward and Florence arrive at a hotel on the Dorset coast. At dinner in their rooms they struggle to suppress their worries about the wedding night to come. Edward, eager for rapture, frets over Florence's response to his advances and nurses a private fear of failure, while Florence's anxieties run deeper: she is overcome by sheer disgust at the idea of physical contact, but dreads disappointing her husband when they finally lie down together in the honeymoon suite.

Ian McEwan has caught with understanding and compassion the innocence of Edward and Florence at a time when marriage was presumed to be the outward sign of maturity and independence. On Chesil Beach is another masterwork from McEwan — a story of lives transformed by a gesture not made or a word not spoken.

My Thought :
On Chesil beach is a short novel by Ian McEwan. It's a story about a wedding night of newly married couple, Edward Mayhew and Florence Ponting. They are young, in love, virgin and inexperience. On their wedding night, Edward is so excited to intimate with his new wife. On the other hand, Florence is scared of the idea of sex. They have their own fear, but never talk about it. The lack of communication make thing getting worse. Finally, Edward and Florence decide to separated. Years later, Edward regret the decision he made. The ending of this book is heartbreaking.

On Chesil Beach is the first novel I've ever read by Ian McEwan. Ian McEwan is an amazing writer. With a simple idea about love, marriage and sex, McEwan can make the whole story is very interesting. This book is written with slow pace and amazing detail. From the ending of this book, we can learn that love is not enough, we have to be patient and learn to communicate to make a relationship work. Everyone have their own fear, so communication is the best way to make a couple to understand each other.

Overall, I really enjoy On Chesil Beach and highly recommend this book to everyone.

I give On Chesil Beach 4 out of 5 stars.

Monday, July 4, 2011

Review : Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens

Author: Jennifer Laurens
Reading Level : Young Adult
Format: Paperback (243 pages)
Publisher: Grove Creek Publishing ( 29 April 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 193396300X
ISBN-13: 978-1933963006


Goodreads description :
Ashlyn: A lonely society princess living in New York City.

Daddy hired you to be my bodyguard.

Colin: Childhood enemy, now her protector.

Daddy thought I’d be safe. He thought I’d never fall in love. He thought he could keep me forever.

Charles: obsessed with keeping her safe, keeping her his, he hires the one person he knows she could never fall in love with: Colin.

Daddy was wrong


My Thought :
This book is about Ashlyn, a high society teenager, who can't be free in her life since she was kidnapped by her former nanny who was obsessed wit her daddy. Her daddy was obsessed to keep her safe. He always hired a bodyguard to accompany her everywhere, except her bedroom.

Colin, Ashlyn's enemy, was hired by her dad to be her new bodyguard. Ashlyn hate him because he used to torture her when she was child. Her daddy hired him, because he know she would never fall in love with Collin. But he was wrong because they started developing feelings for each other.

After her parent's big fight, Ashlyn was forced to leave her mom and live with her father at the hotel. Ashlyn was kidnapped by Stuart, her former bodyguard, who fall in love with her. After she could escape from her kidnapper, she had to deal her other problem with her parent and Colin.

I can't imagine to live like Ashlyn. As a teenager, she want to have social life and want to do anything on her own. I feel bad for her. But she is such a strong girl. I like the romance in this book. I like Colin, he's so sweet. He's perfect for Ashlyn. He can do a very good job to protect her.

Overall, I enjoy the book and recommend this to everyone who enjoy romance story.

I give Overprotected 4 out of 5 stars.


Book Trailer :


Random Acts of Kindness July


I didn't receive any RAK last month. And this month, I'm participating in July’s Random Acts of Kindness hosted by Book Soulmates.
And here is the information from Book Soulmates's blog

RULES RE-CAP:

- Sign up each month that you'd like to participate.

- Show off your participation by grabbing our RAK button :)

- Create a wish list (on Amazon, Goodreads, or your blog etc) and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.
- If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wish list and contact that blogger for their address.
- At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K!
Make a post saying 'Thank You'
to whoever granted one of your wishes and share it with us :)


OPEN TO EVERYONE!

Let's keep our International bloggers in mind and in our hearts. Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!

Monday, June 27, 2011

Review : KIM : Empty Inside - Buku Harian seorang remaja penderita Anoreksia-Bulimia

Author:
Format: Paperback (184 pages)
Publisher: PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama (1 April 2002)
Language: Indonesian
ISBN-10: 9792227016


Goodreads description :
Kimberly, putri seorang dokter yang kaya namun kesepian. Jauh dari kakak-kakak yang disayanginya, jatuh hati pada pemuda yang ternyata seorang gay. Dia merasa tak punya kendali atas hidupnya kecuali kendali atas makanan. Ia pesenam berbakat, dan terobsesi menjadi kurus agar tak didepak dari tim senam. Segala macam cara dilakukannya demi memenuhi obsesinya, namun hidupnya justru kacau balau.

Obsesinya membawanya untuk berpuasa dan memuntahkan makanan, namun sekaligus kelaparan yang menjadikannya melahap makanan secara membabi buta. Pikiran bahwa ia mampu mengendalikan makanan justru membawanya ke bangsal perawatan psikiatri.


My Thought :
It's interesting book in diary form. Kimberly, a teenager with eating disorder, always feels that she is not happy and lonely. She always thinks that she is fat and wants to be thinner. She also think that nobody care about her. But for other people, Kim seems to have a perfect life. She has great parent, two sisters and friends who love her.

In her life, she experiences some traumatic event. But, she always has someone who help her past it. At the end, she can deal with her eating disorder and her other problem.

The story seems so real. I believe many people, especially teenager, experience something like this. And this book can give us information and new perspective about Anorexia and Bulimia.

I give the book 3 out of 5 stars.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Review : A Season of Eden


Author: Jennifer Laurens, J.M. Warwick
Reading Level : Young Adult
Format: Paperback (248 pages)
Publisher: Grove Creek Publishing (20 October 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1933963905
ISBN-13: 978-1933963907



Goodreads description :
He's my teacher. I shouldn't be alone with him. But I can't help that he's irresistible.

I let the door silently close at my back. He stared at me, and a taut quiet stretched between us. "I like hearing you play," I said, moving toward him. He turned, in sync with my slow approach. He looked up at me but didn't say anything. I rested my clammy hand on the cold, slick body of the baby grand. "May I?" The muscles in his throat shifted, then he swallowed. "Eden." My knees weakened, like a soft tickling kiss had just been blown against the backs of them. "Is it okay?" I asked. His gaze held mine like two hands joined. He understood what I was really asking. "Let me stay," I said. "Please." "You're going to get me in trouble," he said.


My Thought :
The first time I saw the cover and read the summary, I know this book would be great.

Eden, the gorgeous and popular girl in her school, seems to have a perfect life. But inside, she is a troubled and lonely girl. When a new music teacher, Mr. James Christian, start to teaching her class, she instantly drawn to him. She want to be with him and she used to get what she want.

A Season of Eden is a beautiful story about forbidden love between student and teacher. The book is well written. I love how Laurens describe the character, especially James. In this story, you can also find conflict between Eden and her friend and conflict between Eden and her father. And the ending make me wonder if Eden and James getting back together.

I love the cover of this book. I think the cover could describe the book very well. Overall, I enjoy this story. If you love to read romance, I highly recommend this book.

I give A Season of Eden 4 out of 5 stars.


Book Trailer :