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iris_ymra's reviews
137 reviews
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
When Alina first examined at Keramzin she had been able to conceal her Grisha power for the fear that she would be separated from her best friend Mal. Years later when they both serving in the regiment for their military service and had to cross the Fold, Alina finally released her power to protect Mal, for the same reason of fear of losing him.
Alina had been identified as the sun summoners. A Grisha powerful enough to change the state of Ravka, or as a dangerous mean when a dark power -- the Darkling -- owned her.
________
The idea of Grisha world and power, is indeed a terrific idea and amazing. Certainly Leigh Bardugo has created a great fantasy world. In this book, although (for me) it isn't that thrilling how it progresses and didn't really put me on edge all the time, but the storyline and plot build up a surely gripping scene that I can't help but to anticipate for in the next book.
The book isn't heavy with multiple conflicts, should be an easy reading to engage with. Definitely an interesting characters' development, yet isn't far from the cliché. But, it's still fine for me, since I mainly focused on the storyline more than the characters in this book.
Ps. One problem too for me, since I read this book/series later than the other Grisha book, I kind of have the story spoiler and already know what to expect. Perhaps that reduces the thrill and excitement another bit.
Alina had been identified as the sun summoners. A Grisha powerful enough to change the state of Ravka, or as a dangerous mean when a dark power -- the Darkling -- owned her.
________
The idea of Grisha world and power, is indeed a terrific idea and amazing. Certainly Leigh Bardugo has created a great fantasy world. In this book, although (for me) it isn't that thrilling how it progresses and didn't really put me on edge all the time, but the storyline and plot build up a surely gripping scene that I can't help but to anticipate for in the next book.
The book isn't heavy with multiple conflicts, should be an easy reading to engage with. Definitely an interesting characters' development, yet isn't far from the cliché. But, it's still fine for me, since I mainly focused on the storyline more than the characters in this book.
Ps. One problem too for me, since I read this book/series later than the other Grisha book, I kind of have the story spoiler and already know what to expect. Perhaps that reduces the thrill and excitement another bit.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
'The development of our personalities doesn’t take place in isolation, but in relationship with others—we are shaped and completed by unseen, unremembered forces; namely, our parents.'
'We’re all crazy, I believe, just in different ways.'
'Sometimes it’s hard to grasp why the answers to the present lie in the past.'
________
Six years ago Alicia Berenson murdered her husband -- Gabriel -- by shooting him five times. And ever since Alicia has remained silent even when she was convicted of the crime.
Theo Faber a psychotherapist, who had been following up with the case seized the job opportunity at Grove -- where Alicia is admitted -- because he has the feeling of being responsible to save Alicia -- as he once been saved -- metaphorically and literally.
Later, the stories between Theo and Alicia will unravel the blurred line in their tale.
________
First of all, as a whole I like the idea of the story, though it's not that much as mind blowing. It's written well to keep the suspense for readers -- at least for me. And I love psychological thriller story.
But as the plot progressed it became rather slow, and I feel like the thrill started to die down a bit. Until when the twist took place, and I was on the edge. All I want, then, was to finish the book. Yet then again, the tension died down in short time. I'd say it was rather quiet anticlimactic for me.
I watched so many psychological crime thriller television series in my life that made me just had another totally different outcome and storyline in my mind throughout my entire reading of this book. To say the least this book comes a bit below to my expectation.
'We’re all crazy, I believe, just in different ways.'
'Sometimes it’s hard to grasp why the answers to the present lie in the past.'
________
Six years ago Alicia Berenson murdered her husband -- Gabriel -- by shooting him five times. And ever since Alicia has remained silent even when she was convicted of the crime.
Theo Faber a psychotherapist, who had been following up with the case seized the job opportunity at Grove -- where Alicia is admitted -- because he has the feeling of being responsible to save Alicia -- as he once been saved -- metaphorically and literally.
Later, the stories between Theo and Alicia will unravel the blurred line in their tale.
________
First of all, as a whole I like the idea of the story, though it's not that much as mind blowing. It's written well to keep the suspense for readers -- at least for me. And I love psychological thriller story.
But as the plot progressed it became rather slow, and I feel like the thrill started to die down a bit. Until when the twist took place, and I was on the edge. All I want, then, was to finish the book. Yet then again, the tension died down in short time. I'd say it was rather quiet anticlimactic for me.
I watched so many psychological crime thriller television series in my life that made me just had another totally different outcome and storyline in my mind throughout my entire reading of this book. To say the least this book comes a bit below to my expectation.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Ove is a man with principals, he always thinks that things should be done in a certain order. Cars have been the very best concrete thing to describe his abstractness.
When his wife died, Ove seems to lose the part of him, the meaning of his life, and so he decided to end his life too. But not with several attempts where he failed.
The day the new family moved into their street is the day marked Ove's new purpose in his life. And everyone in the neighborhood seems to be in need of Ove's favour.
______
This book is a heartwarming story with pleasant and dynamic characters. The main character -- Ove -- becomes the centre of various storylines going on about in the other characters' lives, is definitely literary greatly written.
The only downside for me is that I found my reading was slightly slow and I feel like the narration was quite flat too. Perhaps a bit slow-paced.
But as a whole I love this book. Definitely a character driven storyline that kept the reading succinctly interesting and enjoyable.
When his wife died, Ove seems to lose the part of him, the meaning of his life, and so he decided to end his life too. But not with several attempts where he failed.
The day the new family moved into their street is the day marked Ove's new purpose in his life. And everyone in the neighborhood seems to be in need of Ove's favour.
______
This book is a heartwarming story with pleasant and dynamic characters. The main character -- Ove -- becomes the centre of various storylines going on about in the other characters' lives, is definitely literary greatly written.
The only downside for me is that I found my reading was slightly slow and I feel like the narration was quite flat too. Perhaps a bit slow-paced.
But as a whole I love this book. Definitely a character driven storyline that kept the reading succinctly interesting and enjoyable.
Heart Bones by Colleen Hoover
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Beyah had lived her life building wall impermeable to guard her life, her heart. She had pulled through her way in this world, and about to set her foot out and away from her life now. And when her mom died, she had really had to get out of her current place and live with her dad in Texas.
Where she then will discover a new family waiting ahead. New people, new person yet not less familiar and similar to her own self -- Samson -- mirrored the same damaged soul of hers.
And where she will discover the new her that summer, as she grew heart bones; as they grew heart bones, only for them to be broken the next moment.
________
I am skeptical, I have to keep reminding myself that I am reading a fiction, so this kind of romance and instant fling between Beyah and Samson is indeed possible. Perhaps it does happen in real life too, but I find it hard to grasp the whole idea even if it's possible -- how do people on such instant decide to love and have a love interest between them. That being said, made me love how the storyline turned out the next; as if now we can go through some regret, now we can ponder on a young age mistake. And yet, the best to take place still for the next and until the very end. I love that the characters set about different choice, I had in mind, when a character put in such and such situation.
Somehow, I am not a big fan of the romance between Beyah and Samson, on the outside; the physical. But I love, love how they are internally connected, emotionally -- about everything untold between them yet told altogether with that bond on similar pain they bear, the same crack they have to slip out. I love their vulnerability.
On chapter 28 onwards, I started experiencing a breakdown, I don't know what triggered me, I cried then whimpered, I even shivered, cold sweat on my back. I guess the whole situation up to chapter 28 -- the damage that had happened to Beyah and Samson -- had caught up with me. Though this sounds like some exaggeration, but this did happen to me. Because in a tad bit I can relate to them, at least about how when the 'system' broke you and you got nothing that you can do to break loose of it.
It amused me how I went reading a romance novel, and to thinking about every kid all around the world, who have to grow up in a state similar to Beyah and Samson; broken and alone. No kids deserve to live -- and grow up -- in such conditions. Makes me reflect on, what have we human being gone wrong with in our life.
I cried through the end, and it's not really because this a heartbreaking love story, it's because this is in a way, a heartbreaking life story.
Where she then will discover a new family waiting ahead. New people, new person yet not less familiar and similar to her own self -- Samson -- mirrored the same damaged soul of hers.
And where she will discover the new her that summer, as she grew heart bones; as they grew heart bones, only for them to be broken the next moment.
________
I am skeptical, I have to keep reminding myself that I am reading a fiction, so this kind of romance and instant fling between Beyah and Samson is indeed possible. Perhaps it does happen in real life too, but I find it hard to grasp the whole idea even if it's possible -- how do people on such instant decide to love and have a love interest between them. That being said, made me love how the storyline turned out the next; as if now we can go through some regret, now we can ponder on a young age mistake. And yet, the best to take place still for the next and until the very end. I love that the characters set about different choice, I had in mind, when a character put in such and such situation.
Somehow, I am not a big fan of the romance between Beyah and Samson, on the outside; the physical. But I love, love how they are internally connected, emotionally -- about everything untold between them yet told altogether with that bond on similar pain they bear, the same crack they have to slip out. I love their vulnerability.
On chapter 28 onwards, I started experiencing a breakdown, I don't know what triggered me, I cried then whimpered, I even shivered, cold sweat on my back. I guess the whole situation up to chapter 28 -- the damage that had happened to Beyah and Samson -- had caught up with me. Though this sounds like some exaggeration, but this did happen to me. Because in a tad bit I can relate to them, at least about how when the 'system' broke you and you got nothing that you can do to break loose of it.
It amused me how I went reading a romance novel, and to thinking about every kid all around the world, who have to grow up in a state similar to Beyah and Samson; broken and alone. No kids deserve to live -- and grow up -- in such conditions. Makes me reflect on, what have we human being gone wrong with in our life.
I cried through the end, and it's not really because this a heartbreaking love story, it's because this is in a way, a heartbreaking life story.
Bird Box by Josh Malerman
4.0
I don't know how to tell about this story. It's as if I've been blindfolded too thru the whole story. Only seeing what the blindfolded sees, and feel what the characters feel.
I don't wanna imagine more or submerge into thoughts of what would they have really felt. Though I wish the story shows more of how the other housemates feel, what's really going thru their mind, I don't even care to know what the creature really is, I wish the story tells more of the emotion.
But I bet just like the survivors we are ought to just go with the flow of the story, to continue living to just bear it all along the story. To make it, for the kids and for hope that's still left.
I don't wanna imagine more or submerge into thoughts of what would they have really felt. Though I wish the story shows more of how the other housemates feel, what's really going thru their mind, I don't even care to know what the creature really is, I wish the story tells more of the emotion.
But I bet just like the survivors we are ought to just go with the flow of the story, to continue living to just bear it all along the story. To make it, for the kids and for hope that's still left.
Sunan Musafir (Laksamana Sunan #6) by Ramlee Awang Murshid
5.0
Sehingga ke akhir kisah, Sunan tetap dalam kehidupan yang sentiasa memperjuangkan iman dan takwa, hidupnya bagai tidak pernah lelah demi perjuangan kepada kecintaan yang utama pada yang maha pencinta.
Sunan Musafir melangkau waktu di hari muka -- bekisar kisah kehidupan Saifudin di kala lanjut usia, bersama-sama keluarga tercinta. Berkisar pengisahan kepada kisah yang sudah berlalu.
Dan penanda akhir kepada kisah Laksamana Sunan; Saifudin; lelaki berduka dari tanah rencong; lelaki bertanduk dua. Dan dengan ini air mata kita tidak terbendung, perjalanan membaca kisah Saifudin sudah mengikat rasa cinta pada watak ini, serasa tidak ingin untuk berakhir lagi.
Masuk ke bahagian epilog buku Sunan Musafir kita terpaksa juga mengakui fakta 'inilah akhirnya'; air mata berjejeran kala kepala Saifudin berlabuh pada pangkuan isteri tercinta, kala Sunan Musafir bersilih memandang kedua-dua ibu bapa tercinta, seolah-olah mengerti akan suatu perkara -- mati itu pasti hidup inshaAllah.
Huwaaaaaa, tak tahan I cry so much.
Sunan Musafir melangkau waktu di hari muka -- bekisar kisah kehidupan Saifudin di kala lanjut usia, bersama-sama keluarga tercinta. Berkisar pengisahan kepada kisah yang sudah berlalu.
Dan penanda akhir kepada kisah Laksamana Sunan; Saifudin; lelaki berduka dari tanah rencong; lelaki bertanduk dua. Dan dengan ini air mata kita tidak terbendung, perjalanan membaca kisah Saifudin sudah mengikat rasa cinta pada watak ini, serasa tidak ingin untuk berakhir lagi.
Masuk ke bahagian epilog buku Sunan Musafir kita terpaksa juga mengakui fakta 'inilah akhirnya'; air mata berjejeran kala kepala Saifudin berlabuh pada pangkuan isteri tercinta, kala Sunan Musafir bersilih memandang kedua-dua ibu bapa tercinta, seolah-olah mengerti akan suatu perkara -- mati itu pasti hidup inshaAllah.
Huwaaaaaa, tak tahan I cry so much.
Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott
5.0
Five feet apart -- how far is the distance really is, when all you want is to be closed to the ones you love most -- it is as far as a million miles away.
This is the first time for me hearing about CF disease -- and I think Five Feet Apart did it well on depicting about the disease to someone (like me), who knows nothing about CF.
I cried almost througout the stories, because of what happened to Abby; to Stella's parents; to Stella; to Will; to Poe -- everything they do, to keep one another alive while they're dying.
Yet, at the end death is inevitable -- but one's life doesn't have to end just because death happens, there's a different between just living and truly living life -- it's when the void is filled, content; even for short term of time.
This is the first time for me hearing about CF disease -- and I think Five Feet Apart did it well on depicting about the disease to someone (like me), who knows nothing about CF.
I cried almost througout the stories, because of what happened to Abby; to Stella's parents; to Stella; to Will; to Poe -- everything they do, to keep one another alive while they're dying.
Yet, at the end death is inevitable -- but one's life doesn't have to end just because death happens, there's a different between just living and truly living life -- it's when the void is filled, content; even for short term of time.
Wish Girl by Nikki Loftin
4.0
It's a weird thing how people whom we call family felt like stranger being around them, and how a stranger could make us fell like we have known them for so long. That's exactly what Peter Stone is going through. On every typical family's issue most of the time it's the lack of 'right' communication that lead into the family members' relationship being distanced apart -- people do too much of the talking and less of listening.
The story ended magically. And reading this book I do wish that the valley of such does exist, or -- on more realistically -- a person like Annie exist; more people like Annie exist. And more people choose to listen.
The story ended magically. And reading this book I do wish that the valley of such does exist, or -- on more realistically -- a person like Annie exist; more people like Annie exist. And more people choose to listen.
Jangan Baca Novel Ini by Ismi Fa Ismail
3.0
Buku ini penuh dengan elemen misteri -- misteri yang tidak selesai. Dibahagikan dalam gabungan berapa kisah seram yang dibaca oleh watak itu sendiri pada awal kisah. Membuatkan terlalu banyak (pada saya) persoalan yang timbul -- mungkin sebab itu banyak sambungan seterusnya yang perlu dibaca untuk menyudahi kisah ini sepenuhnya.
_____
Saya letak 3 bintang kerana layout dan font yang besar dalam buku ni buatkan ia hanya tebal tapi sedikit dalam cerita.
_____
Saya letak 3 bintang kerana layout dan font yang besar dalam buku ni buatkan ia hanya tebal tapi sedikit dalam cerita.
The Other Side of the Coin by Aiman Azlan, Ameen Misran
3.0
Reading this book is like reading a perspective of life through another person view, we may agree or we may disagree. But I found myself often in a same page with the authors, just that they're stating everything in ways I couldn't do.
The book talked about so many aspects in life from identity, love, education, community, self-worth and also poetry -- in a light way that didn't require you to have so many afterthoughts, but just going along the flow and celebrating opinions through reading it.
But the one thing of this book having two authors is that -- though they spoke about the same issue but -- both kinda have a different vibe in their contexts. I couldn't help it but to notice of how subtle yet impactful Aiman Azlan's interpretations were more than Ameen Misran did.
Nonetheless, though a coin on either sides tell different stories, but either sides will still have the same value.
The book talked about so many aspects in life from identity, love, education, community, self-worth and also poetry -- in a light way that didn't require you to have so many afterthoughts, but just going along the flow and celebrating opinions through reading it.
But the one thing of this book having two authors is that -- though they spoke about the same issue but -- both kinda have a different vibe in their contexts. I couldn't help it but to notice of how subtle yet impactful Aiman Azlan's interpretations were more than Ameen Misran did.
Nonetheless, though a coin on either sides tell different stories, but either sides will still have the same value.