[Book Review]: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Book Title: Anna and the French Kiss
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Publisher: Speak - Penguin Group
Source: Purchased
Genre: Young Adult
Year: 2010
Page Count: 372
ISBN: 9780142419403
Find it at: Stephanie Perkins' Official Website
Add to your Goodreads' shelf.
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5.0

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Goodreads' Blurb:
Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend. 

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

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This was a good book. I can't say anything more than that. It was a really light and enjoyable reading, but I was kinda expecting it more than that. I liked Anna's character, by whom the author delivered the young love story entangled with friendship and family which normally happens to teenager.

I loved how the author built Étienne's character too. It was believable that there was really a perfect pretty boy like him. I think I'd be head over heels to if I were Anna.

[Book Review]: The Elite by Kiera Cass

Image Source: Goodreads

Book Title: The Elite
Author: Kiera Cass
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Purchased
Genre: Dystopian Young Adult
Year: 2013
Page Count: 323
ISBN: 9780062059970
Add to your Goodreads shelf.
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5.0

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Goodreads' Blurb:

The Selection began with thirty-five girls.
Now with the group narrowed down to the six Elite, the competition to win Prince Maxon's heart is fiercer than ever—and America is still struggling to decide where her heart truly lies. Is it with Maxon, who could make her life a fairy tale? Or with her first love, Aspen?


America is desperate for more time. But the rest of the Elite know exactly what they want—and America's chance to choose is about to slip away.

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This second book continues America Singer's journey as part of the Selection participants to become the crown princess of Illea. As Maxon's promise at the first book that he wants to keep America as long as possible to help her mend her broken heart at the palace, America is now one of the six Elites, along with her best friend, Marlee.

However it is not that simple. As both of them realizes their fondness to each other, things keep getting complicated. America is still not sure whether she wants Maxon or Aspen, the rebels getting more savage as they break down to the palace a number of times and when Maxon is becoming tired of America's hesitancy, he turns to the other Elite, Kriss Ambers.

The Elite is the second book of The Selection series. The previous book is The Selection, and the third one is The One. The fourth installment, The Heir, will be released on summer 2015. Kiera Cass also published two companion novellas for the series; The Prince and The Guard. To read my review for The Selection, please click here.

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Personally, this second book is a bit annoying for me. There are just too many times at America's narration which is kind of boring, not plausible and inconsistent, whenever she comes to think about Maxon and Aspen. I don't think that America is a dull character, but the author fails at the her characterization in only a little part, but significant one. Such as when America meets again with Marlee after the latter leaves the palace, the author even makes a much better job on Marlee than America.

In my opinion, the book would be much better if the whole romance part was cut. The idea about the process of the Selection, the mystery behind the palace politics and social issues are brilliant. But the Kiera Cass is just not a good romance author.

Despite being a bit disappointed with this installment, I will still carry on to the third book. The book still has that promising chance, I believe. I hope the author will mend this issue in The One.

[Ulasan Buku]: The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel) oleh Michael Scott

This post is in Indonesian. If you would like to read it in English, please click here.

Judul Buku: The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel)

Penulis: Michael Scott

Penerbit: Penerbit Matahati

Sumber: Pribadi

Genre: Fantasi

Tahun: 2007

Penerjemah: Berliani M. Nugrahani

Tebal: 493

ISBN: 9791141223

Dapatkan buku ini di: Gramedia Online

Harga: IDR62,900

Cek buku ini di Goodreads.

Rating pribadi: 3.5 dari 5.0

Deskripsi dari sampul buku:

Kebenaran: Nicholas Flamel, yang lahir di Paris pada tanggal 28 September 1330, dikenal sebagai Alchemyst termasyhur di masanya. Ia berusaha menciptakan ramuan untuk hidup abadi, dan mengubah logam biasa menjadi emas murni. Menurut catatan, sang Alchemyst meninggal tahun 1418, tetapi ketika dibongkar ternyata makamnya kosong.

Legenda: Nicholas Flamel masih hidup karena ia berhasil menemukan ramuan untuk hidup abadi. Semua rahasianya ada dalam Buku Abraham the Mage. Jika jatuh ke tangan orang yang salah, buku itu dapat membawa petaka bagi umat manusia.

Terkadang, legenda merupakan kebenaran.

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Aku adalah legenda...

Itulah judul prolog buku ini. Terdiri dari empat puluh satu bab, buku ini adalah volume pertama dari seri The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, yang mengadaptasi karakter dan kisah hidup sang alkemis legendaris dari Perancis, Nicholas Flamel.

Bab pertama buku ini menceritakan bagaimana kakak-beradik, Sophie dan Josh Newman, menemukan rahasia besar bahwa Nick, pemilik toko buku dimana Josh bekerja, sebenarnya adalah Nicholas Flamel. Suatu hari John Dee, mantan murid Flamel, mendatangi toko buku tersebut dan mengkonfrontasi Flamel dan istrinya, Perenelle, untuk mencuri Codex (Buku Abraham the Mage). Dengan menggunakan sihirnya, Dee berhasil merebut buku tersebut dan menculik Perenelle.

Terjebak oleh rahasia sang alkemis, Sophie dan Josh terpaksa harus mengikuti perburuan Flamel untuk menyelamatkan Perenelle dan merebut Codex kembali. Flamel meminta berbagai pertolongan dari berbagai kenalannya seperti Scathach (anggota Ras Tetua), Hekate (salah satu Tetua) dan sang Penyihir dari Endor.

Tanpa Codex, Nicholas dan Perenelle akan menua dan dalam satu siklus bulan, mereka akan layu dan mati. Dengan adanya Sophie dan Josh, si kembar yang ternyata memiliki potensial sihir besar, apakah Nicholas dapat menyelamatkan istrinya dan mendapatkan Codex lagi?

Seri The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel ini terdiri dari enam volume: The Alchemyst, The Magician, The Sorceress, The Necromancer, The Warlock, dan The Enchantress.

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Tidak bisa dipungkiri bahwa saya membeli buku ini karena saya penasaran tentang Nicholas Flamel, sang pemilik batu bertuah di seri pertama Harry Potter. Sampul buku ini juga menarik perhatian dengan kesan mewahnya :)

Saya mengagumi imajinasi dan penyusunan plot yang rapi dari penulis. Karakter-karakter legendaris yang diaplikasikan dalam buku ini, disusun dan dikembangkan sedemikian rupa hingga bahan cerita mudah dipahami meskipun pembaca tidak memiliki pengetahuan dasar sama sekali tentang kisah bersangkutan. Penulis menggunakan sudut pandang orang ketiga dalam buku ini, dengan mengutamakan dan berpindah-pindah antara Flamel, Josh, Sophie, Scathach dan Dee.

Meskipun secara keseluruhan buku ini layak untuk dijadikan koleksi, saya mendapat kesulitan untuk melanjutkan membaca setiap halaman karena buku ini tidak begitu bisa menarik saya ke dalam cerita. Saya bahkan ragu untuk melanjutkan membaca volume-volume berikutnya. Oleh karena itu saya memberikan rating 3.5 untuk buku ini.

Satu hal lagi yang patut untuk diulas adalah pengalihan bahasa buku ini. Saya menyukai diksi yang dipilih oleh penerjemah sehingga enak dibaca dan sesuai dengan definisi orisinil versi buku ini. Ada beberapa kesalahan ketikan yang terdapat dalam buku ini, tetapi hal tersebut masih dapat dimaklumi.