Review: This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

This lullaby is only a few words
A simple run of chords
Quiet here in this spare room
But you can hear it, hear it
Wherever you may go
I will let you down
But this lullaby plays

Remy doesn’t believe in love. Her mother’s fifth marriage only encourages her to stop believing in the nonsense. To her, love means having fun with guys, making sure that they know the relationship won’t last long, and leaving before things get complicated. No worries. No entanglements. The no-strings-attached rule has worked well for Remy, until her encounter with Dexter. Dexter is the only exception from the long list of Remy’s perfect exes. He’s messy, hyperactive, and a musician with seemingly no future. Remy has vowed to herself to think of Dexter only as a summer boyfriend, but what if Dexter wants more? What if their relationship means something more than just summer fling?

This is official: Sarah Dessen is the best when it comes to contemporary YA. Her books may follow similar path, but each of it remains unique and special. Some people may find the slow pacing in her stories boring, but I think that’s what makes her books amazing. The progress in the relationship between the main characters is very subtle. There are so much deeper meanings in the sweet little things they do. I really like it that what starts the relationship is always offer of kindness and friendship.

In the last part of the book, it’s always the heroine who takes the important action to alter their story. I think that’s very crucial, because then it means there is no magical salvation or something like that. Dexter may help Remy to believe in love, but he can’t fix Remy’s problem with her mother or her sarcastic attitude toward people around her. Remy has to be the one who takes the last step if she wants to change herself.

I think my most favorite part of this book is the time when Remy thinking to buy plastic ware for Dexter. Dexter is living with his band mates in a house where the only dish-ware consists of one ceramic plate, a few mismatched forks and knives, gas-station freebie coffee mugs, and some paper goods. Remy, being a neat freak and perfectionist girl, wants to buy plastic ware for Dexter but she is afraid that the gesture means so much more. This is her first time she is tempted to buy something more permanent than a Zip Coke for his boyfriend. It is very cute to watch her struggling whether or not to buy Dexter plastic ware. I have no idea that something as simple as forks and spoons can be a really romantic thing in a book.

Remy is one wonderful character I warmed throughout the story. I really like her rational thinking and how she is very protective of people she loves. Dexter might not be my favorite Sarah Dessen hero, but he is certainly very funny and sweet! The songs he writes, like The Potato Song, are simply ridiculous but somehow, it makes him even more adorable. I would recommend you to read This Lullaby during summer time because then you can also experience the humid, hot summer nights when Remy and Dexter fall with each other.

And so, while the rest of the world went on unaware, drinking their coffee, reading the sports page, and picking up their dry cleaning, I leaned forward and kissed Dexter, making a choice that would change everything. Maybe somewhere there was a ripple, a bit of a jump, some small shift in the universe, barely noticeable.

I didn't feel it then. I felt only him kissing me back, easing me into the sunlight as I lost myself in the taste of him and felt the world go on, just as it always had, all around us. 

Website * Goodreads * Amazon * Book Depository

I rated this book: 

 Four cups of tea. Amazing! Love the book, it’s simply awesome. I love the tea flavor!  A strong recommendation.

Monday Muse: Series of Quote Images

Hello, and happy Monday! My exam week officially begins today... yay. I have no idea what I have been studying this year... yay. I have pile of books I'm dying to read yet I can't find time to read them... yay. *sigh*

My biggest apologize if I'm late in returning comments or lack of updates in my blog. Exams exams! Hoping for the famous straight A's!

On a brighter note, I'll be as free as a bird in two weeks. So you guys can expect me to roam around your blogs during my three months holiday! Yes, you read it right folks. Three months, wohoo!! There are sooo many things I want to do, but let's save the list for later. ;)

Today it's a series of quote images! With exams and everything, my mind just wander everywhere and I can hardly focus on one thing. I'm so sorry for this yuck-what-does-Hilda-want-to-talk-about-this-is-so-random-and-weird post, but I still hope this can enlighten your day even a bit! :) 

(some are mine but the rest belong to the respective owners ♥) 

1. A picture which reminds me of a book

  
I just found the graphic above from my long-time forgotten folder. I think I made this last year. The picture reminds me of a book I just finished reading: Arranged by Catherine McKenzie. It's an Adult book so I won't review it here, but trust me: it's really worth your time! It's a very interesting take on arranged marriage. I think I'm going to post my review of this book on Goodreads later this week, so look out for it! x)

2. I ♥ Sarah Dessen's books!

Naah, I think this is going to be a shameless self-promotion post after all LOL. The picture above is also created by me. :) It's a Sarah Dessen's quote from her book, The Truth About Forever. I read it early this year and really loved it. There's something about Sarah Dessen's boys which make them very lovable. They just seem... very real, you know? Anyway, my favorite is Owen from Just Listen. ♥.

3. Adrian Ivashkov (please marry me)

In celebration of The Golden Lily (JUNE!), please welcome one of my biggest fictional crushes: Adrian Ivashkov! Ah, there is no word to tell how much I love him. ♥ And Girls, remember: I may share Peeta, but I don't share Adrian. LOL, no, I'm just kidding. Well, half-joking maybe. ;)

4. Just Old Advertisements...

Hehe, I love the old advertisements above! Sorry, I can't find any advertisement about blogging. I'm sure it's the newest technology. :D

5. Last but not least... please remember! ♥

That's all for this week's post! I hope there is a smile plastered on your face by the time you've finished reading this post! x) 

I hereby challenge you to claim possession of Adrian Ivashkov. If no one raises voice over my claim of Adrian Ivashkov, I pronounce then that he is mine and mine only. Back off sweethearts. ♥

I think it's best for me to end this post before anyone calls a mental institution. I certainly am suffering of delusional case. Be inspiring, stay inspired, and have inspiration! Have a lovely Monday fabulous people! :)

Review: Elemental by Brigid Kemmerer

3.5 stars

With the glowing reviews of Merrick brothers, I expected Elemental to be a wonderful novella before I start Storm. But it amazed me how short the story is. Just when I thought things start to become exciting, BAM! It suddenly ends, leave me with gaping mouth. If I have to metaphor my feeling, I feel like jumping from a cliff to a lake when I reached the last page. But instead being welcomed by the cool water, there was only solid wall hit me mercilessly.

Despite the sort of cliffhanger ending, one thing I enjoyed most about this book is the tension. Oh, the tension between Emily and Michael! It is as if I were there, watching them exchange hostile glances and snarky remarks. The conversations are interesting to read and I like the chemistry between them. I love the vivid description of the hot summer days and the deserted sports center. Perfect setting for the start of Michael and Emily’s friendship.

There are a few things I found frustrating in this novella. I don’t understand how things work in Elemental’s world. Does everyone have ability to control elements? I’m really confused because it is never stated clearly in the book. Elemental doesn’t offer answer, but it definitely is a good prequel before you start the series. It leaves you with questions about the community, the power, and the aggression that Merrick family constantly receives. Brigid Kemmerer also does such good job in portraying Michael’s emotion, frustration and turmoil he felt toward his family and sequence of things happening because of his power. I need answers and I’d definitely read Storm. Hopefully it would be a great explosion that I’m anticipating!

“Want to learn?” he said.

“Learn?” Her voice was squeaking.

He tapped the fence with the end of the bat. “How to hit.” She couldn’t. She’d already spent too much time talking to him. This had danger written all over it.

But some part of her heart had already told her brain’s insistent thoughts to shove it.

Because she was already saying yes.

Website * Goodreads * Amazon 

I rate this book:  

Three cups of tea. I like it. Recommended to read in spare time.

Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Come on. What are you afraid of?

It’s incredible, the moment when you’re halfway through a book and realize that you’re going to fall in love with it. It is the kind of book that makes you breathless when you’re reading it and in the end, all you want to do is just to hug the book and congratulate the author. I have the pleasure to tell you that Divergent is one of these books.

I came to Divergent with super high expectation and I’m really glad that I was not even slightly disappointed. The pacing! The worldbuilding! The characters! The well-written plots! Divergent is practically dripping with awesomeness.

Tris is a character I absolutely adore. She’s strong, smart, and brave beyond words. She’s amazing. I was so protective over Tris, and it enraged me that people around her underestimates her just because she couldn’t kick or throw punches well. You can’t judge a person simply by their brute strength.

The chasm reminds us that there is a fine line between bravery and idiocy.

Oh, I want a bracelet with these words engraved! Never had I read a quote that speaks my mind most cleverly. There is such fragile, thin line that separates courage and simply suicide act. Divergent makes me think about the description of bravery and strength. In the end, I conclude that a strong person is someone who can control their strength, and uses it to protect innocent people around them. Someone who knows border between fearlessness and arrogance.

Divergent is harsh. There are so many moments when Tris and Four have to show the ruthless side of them. I like it that both characters are not perfect and their flaws make them even more real. If Divergent is ever turned into a movie, I’m wondering what the rating would be. There are too many contents that won’t be suitable for younger teenager. For example, the whole Dauntless initiation. I can see that Dauntless initiation has good aim but the implementation is horrible. There is great possibility of death in the initiation and in one way, it’s like the forest law when the weak one is eliminated from the picture because they can’t survive the fight and the killing.

I think what Veronica Ross did in this book is very brave. She makes me questioned many things after reading this book. Virtue, selflessness, bravery… everything seems blurry and gray suddenly. I keep feeling that there is such a thin line between brutality and what you have to do. Everyone has their own reasons for their doing. Each person protects on what they believe most, and I just wish that some people in this book can see things from different perspectives.

Divergent is an amazing read and I’m completely in love with the world in this book. This book is highly recommended, especially to fans of Dystopian genre. I think I might get myself three copies of this book: one to reread over and over, one for display in my bookshelf, and the last to lend to my friends so I can spread the wonderfulness of Divergent.

As we walk toward the Pit, I repeat the line Will quoted to myself so I don’t forget it.

I believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another. 

Website * Goodreads * Amazon * Book Depository

I rate this book:

Five cups of tea. Genius. Beautiful, haunting, and lively characters. Reading this is an overwhelming experience. Must read at least once in a lifetime!