Review: Cat Girl's Day Off by Kimberly Pauley

Natalie can speak to cat. It sounds like a cool ability, but compared to her family’s ability, hers sounds like a ‘party trick’ talent. Her older sister has three super cool Talents, including being a human lie detector. Her younger sister can ‘disappear’ like a chameleon. Her mother has really high IQ and laser vision. Her father’s nose is hypersensitive and he can tell each bit of chemical component in things.

When Natalie’s friend Oscar shows her a funny video of a crazy cat attacking her famous owner, Natalie understands instantly what the cat’s problem. The pink cat in the video screams for help, and Nat is the only person in the world who understands him. Some people’s lives are in danger, and it all depends to Cat Girl and her spunky friends to save the day…

If there were a ‘lovely book award’, Cat Girl’s Day Off would be one of the biggest candidates. With brilliant dialogues between a snobby pink cat and a girl with purple streak in her hair, this book delivers tons of fun and laughter scenes. I almost feel sympathetic to see Natalie dragged by her celebrity-obsessed best friends to movie sets. It’s her unwillingness to get caught up in the mystery that made me want to smile. But Natalie has real sense of justice and in the end you can expect her to be the superhero.

Cat Girl’s Day Off has enough mystery, light romance, and craziness to keep you engaged in the story. Plus, lots of cats! As a cat person, the whole cat-talking thing earns extra brownie point from me. Who doesn’t want to exchange snarky remarks with this furry creature? The pink cat in this story, Rufus Brutus the Third (or you can call him Tiddlywinks), certainly has attitude, but he’s so fabulous that I’m willing to adopt him as my pet.

I hope that someday I could see this book adapted into a movie or TV series. There are so many things-gone-wrong scenes in this book that makes me wish to watch it played by real actors. Cat Girl’s Day Off makes a remarkable story for teenage readers, and I think I would enjoy this story even more if I were younger. However, if you’re generally a cat whisperer like me and in need of something light and easy to read, then this book should be your first choice! Natalie and her friends (including a number of exceptional cats) will bring you along in their crazy and hilarious adventure.

Oscar snorted but then turned serious. “You have to do something,” he said. “It’s your duty.”

“It’s my duty? What are you talking about?” I turned away from the window to look at him.

Oscar tapped the seat in front of him for emphasis. “You’ve seen Spider-Man,” he said. “‘With great power comes great responsibility.’ It’s your duty to do something about Easton. You’re the only one on the planet who could’ve seen that video and known something was wrong. That’s kismet.”

Website * Goodreads * Amazon * Book Depository

 I rate this book:

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

Haul from the Hummingbird (#2)!

Hello, and welcome back again to second edition of Haul from the Hummingbird! Haul from the Hummingbird is a feature to show books that my cute, super strong hummingbird had brought along the past week for me.

Here are the books I received this week:

(click on the book cover to bring you to the Goodreads page)

A million thanks for the publisher who bless me some books above. <3

I'm so excited to read Cat Girl's Day Off because I always wish that I can speak with cats. I've got my Kleenex ready for In Honor and Second Chance Summer. Excuse me while I'm ogling the super gorgeous cover of The Selection! ♥ Ooh, maybe another Kleenex box needed for First Comes Love. There are raving reviews about Hemlock, hopefully it will live up to its premises! Enclave will be the first Ann Aguirre book I read, it sounds incredibly amazing! 

Now, it's your chance to turn my eyes green with envy! Feel free to leave the link. I hope everyone have amazing week! ♥

PS: There are still time to enter giveaways in my blog! International entries are welcome! :)

Review: The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland

Elizabeth Margaret, or simply called Em, is a girl with passion in cooking. However, the option of telling her uptight and prestigious family that she wants to pursue career in cooking is off-limit. Her family would be furious, and Em doesn't want to hurt her family's feeling. Being a chef is not even possible in her wildest imagination.

This is Em's last summer holiday before she goes to Harvard and follows her father’s path as a lawyer, when a letter from her aunt arrives. Em doesn’t even know that she has an aunt until she receives the letter. She is invited by her aunt Matilda to spend her summer in Outer Banks. The more Em thinks about it, the more she wants to accept this invitation. This is her only chance of freedom. The moment when finally, her life begins.

The Summer My Life Began could be a much better book with more polishing. I judged most books I read by the first chapter. The first chapter plays a lot in my judgment whether to keep reading or shuffle the book to somewhere in my To-Be-Read pile. Sadly, this book falls on the latter. When I finished reading the first chapter, I got the impression that most part of this book will be about telling, not showing. I felt like I was overloaded with too much information regarding Em’s feeling. I would like to have more sides of Em’s shown in the following chapters, not thrown out in the first chapter. It made me think that I’ve known every bits and pieces about her already.

Fortunately, the writing is much improved throughout the story. There are also enough puzzles and magnetism of beautiful setting of an island out in the Atlantic Ocean that made me eager to read what happens next. Em and Cade’s relationship is also very adorable. There are some surprises that I didn’t see coming and they add to positive points of this book. I think The Summer My Life Began will appeal to fans of younger YA. If I were younger, I know that I would fall in love more with this story and the message behind this book.

We drove under the beautiful archway of bright red flowers growing on thick green vines that I had seen on the Pepper House’s website. We circled around a stone fountain with four carved goats spouting water from their mouths. Cade stopped the van in front of a Mediterranean-style whitewashed stone house covered in more beautiful red flowers.

He turned the key and silence filled the cab.

“Here we are,” he said, flinging open his door and getting out of the van.

I sat for a moment and smiled. Here I am.

Website * Goodreads * Amazon * Book Depository

I rate this book:

Three cups of tea. Like it, but doesn’t give me much impression. Recommended to read in spare time.

Review: Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen

The worst thing Samantha (Sam) has ever done in her life is shoplifting. When Stephen encounters her at Friday night in a club, Sam can hardly believe her luck. Stephen might live in her neighborhood, but he can’t be mistaken as the guy-next-door kind. He’s handsome, dangerous, and somehow he’s attracted to Sam. Stephen has given her vague warning that their kiss would change Sam’s life, but that sounds too cocky, right? Maybe he’s a really good kisser, but it sure can’t alter her life completely.

She can’t be more wrong.

 He’d somehow managed to steal my soul in that kiss. 

Reading Dark Kiss was just as much as riding on an emotional rollercoaster. I felt like I keep getting my hopes up and down throughout the story. There were times when I was so engrossed by the story that I wanted to keep reading. Other times, I was fairly disappointed with the storyline and the characters’ actions.

Emotional rollercoaster aside, I think the idea of angel and demon works together is very fascinating. We don’t see much about it in YA. Sam did some things that made me got headache, but in overall, I quite like her. I admire her courage and her good intention. I only hope that she can accept her fate in short time and stop freaking out, so we can get over the whole plot I’m-normal-please-this-is-nightmare-if-I-ignore-it-eveything-will-stay-the-same quickly.

 Bishop, the angel who leads the mission, is the love interest of Sam. He’s the kind of guy who would never hesitate to throw himself to the fire if it means saving human’s life. There is also Kraven, the devil whom Sam met shortly after her encounter with Bishop. Kraven is irritating but in some ways, he does protect Sam. If you’re no fan of love triangle, then rest assured, there is no love triangle in Dark Kiss. However, I get a feeling that it is inevitable in the next book. Hmm, I guess I need to pick my team from now!

I did enjoy Dark Kiss in the end. I appreciate the multiple layers in the story since they are done very well. The shocking revelation in the end adds positive points in the book. I really want to learn more about Bishop and Kraven’s long time fight, and Sam’s true nature. Needless to say, I’ll definitely pick the next book in this amusing series! Love angel, demon, and the whole save-the-world thing? Then you won’t be disappointed by this book!

 The boy’s attention shifted to the gold-bladed knife Bishop pulled from a sheath on his back that I hadn’t noticed before. 

“What are you going to do with that?” 

“What I was sent here to do,” Bishop said. “My mission.” 

He plunged the knife into the boy’s chest.
 

Website * Goodreads * Amazon * Book Depository

 

I rate this book:

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

PS: This is completely random, but they do change the cover! YAY! There is no Elvis Presley hair anymore. I love this new cover much better than the old one here. I can't picture Bishop with the previous hideous hair! Wise decision, Harlequin Teen! :)

In My Mailbox (#8)!

Here is a confession. Before I wrote the title for this post, I needed to check my blog's archive first. 'Waittt... what edition of IMM is it?' Yes, I'm ashamed to tell you this: I forgot the number because I skipped so many weeks. Bad, bad Hilda!

This is not an excuse, but I just finished my mid term test this week. You know... finally. *dramatic music on cue* And yes, I told you that I have to study for my midterm since (gasp!) one month ago. Well, blame it on my lecturers and their so-called tight schedules. I'm pleased to tell you that I have came back from the study torture battlefield now, all safe and sound. :)

What do I have in my mailbox in the past four weeks now? Well, let's see.... 

(Click the book cover to bring you to the Goodreads link!)

Enormous, special thanks to Netgalley, publishers, and authors for the awesome books! ♥

I can't wait to start reading Storm! The only thing that's better than a hot guy is FIVE hot guys together in a book. I think the Elvis Presley's hair in Dark Kiss is hilarious. I hope I'll get blown away by The Immortal Rules! The Glimpse has such amazing premise and really good cover. Hopefully the cover is not a misleading case!

I have finished reading Forbidden (my review).Oh well, I don't know what to say. It's a very hard book to describe, especially with the difficult topic. I love the mention of 80's in Retro Geeks. They said The Book of Blood and Shadow is The DaVinci Code for YA. Well, I'm not a big fan of DaVinci Code but it does intrigue me. The cover for the Prophecy of the Sisters is my Indonesian edition's cover. Isn't it pretty? ;) 

I'm going to do a comeback giveaway next week, so stay alert! :) 

What is on your mailbox this week? Don't hesitate to leave the link! :)

Review: Jake and Lily by Jerry Spinelli

Jake and Lily are twins. They were born in the California Zephyr train, in the Moffat Tunnel.

Cool.

They have something special that intertwine them. Both can feel the other’s thoughts, fear, and presence. In their birthday since they’re sixth, they somehow wake up in a train station. That is their secret, the thing that makes them special. Goombla.

Super cool!

But now they’re both eleven and having their summer holiday, Jake starts hanging out with other boys. He never has time to play with Lily anymore.

Uh oh, NOT cool.

It is the first summer when the twins spend it separately. While Lily tries to find her life without Jake with the help of their Grandpa, Jake learns about making up for his own mistakes and being friends with someone considered nerd is okay.

The first thing that made me interested to read this book is the author. Jerry Spinelli is not my favorite author but I love how raw and honest his writing in Star Girl. I enjoyed how wonderful Jerry Spinelli captivates the feeling of eleven-years-old kids.

This book is written like a journal and you get to slip inside Jake and Lily's head. At first, I was more interested in Jake’s POV. Jake goes out and spends summer holiday with his friends, and it’s certainly more interesting rather than sulking Lily who keeps yelling and getting angry at Jake. But as the story progresses, Lily’s story intrigued me more. Lily’s attempts to have a life are desperate and hilarious sometimes. While Jake’s story is dark with the heavy theme of bullying, Lily’s story is a little more cheerful and more focused on her struggle to stand in her own feet.

I like most parts of this book, even though I’m not really in favor with the ending. It’s just an okay ending for me. Jake and Lily is a great, quick read that will remind you about the confusion of growing up, the strangest time when you realize that boys and girls are different, and the importance of staying true to yourself.

How do you not try to get something you want?
How do you stop caring about the thing that you care about the most?
How do you erase the other half of your own self?

parts of Lily’s journal

Website * Goodreads * Amazon * Book Depository

I rate this book:   

 Three cups of tea. Like it, but doesn’t give me much impression. Recommended to read in spare time.

Review: Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

 I don’t give out 5 stars lightly.

Wanderlove deserves every bit and pieces of the five stars. I love, love the book. Enchanting, this book will make you smile when you’ve finished the last line. Sometimes, there’s just a book you can identify yourself easily, like the moment when you’re reading and you’re thinking: Gosh, this is so me. Story of my life.

It all begins with a question and follows up with a crazy idea. Are you a Global Vagabond? Bria, dumped by his ex-boyfriend and lost her purpose in life, decided that she will prove her friends that she can travel alone in a foreign country. She signed up to be a Global Vagabond. Her destination: Central America! Exotic places, beautiful Mayan ruin, and cool strangers! Who cares about things like ex-boyfriend, art school, or clueless parents!

It’s her first day in Guatemala City and it seems like things have gone wrong already. Her traveler companions are way older than her, and they don’t seem to take interest in Guatemala’s scenery. Her camera is stolen in the Guatemala market. And, worst of all, she doesn’t feel any different than when she was in California. But everything starts to change… when she meets Rowan, the experienced backpacker. Their short encounter leads to three weeks backpacking, where they learn about dependence and honesty… and most importantly, moving on from their haunting past.

Bria is a wonderful character, and I like her very much. She’s smart and she can be cynical sometimes, but it’s really easy to connect to her character. She doesn’t want to lose and she jumps to conclusion quickly, but throughout the book, her character is greatly improved. You can tell that this traveling makes her more mature. I also love Rowan. He’s really cute, especially when he feels guilty to Bria. All you want to do is just holding his hands and get on the hammock with him. Yeah, there really is a hammock in this book where you can see stars blinking at you! That’s easily one of my favorite parts in this book.

The story flows smoothly, and it seems so real. You can’t question the plot in this book. There are beautiful drawings created by the author herself in this book, and it’s much easier to imagine characters in Wanderlove. Like a teenager, I squeaked and gasped in delight whenever Bria and Rowan is doing gestures that imply more than their platonic relationship.

This book makes me want to grab my backpack and catch a plane to Central America. I’m not exactly a backpacker girl, in truth I’m too fond of shower and hand sanitizer. But this book makes me want to drink licuado in a café in Guatemala, try diving, or attend a Lobsterfest in an exotic island.

Definitely a recommendation for anyone who is suffering from wanderlust, I hope that this book can be your temporary cure! This book is also for anyone who loves reading amazing book with enchanting and beautiful story: you really should check out this book!
 
Maybe I’m doing the same thing right now, this very minute—just escaping by plane, chicken bus, and boat instead of by car. Maybe I’ve been a Wanderlove wannabe all along, without ever knowing it existed.

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!

Goodreads * Author's Website * Amazon * Book Depository 

In My Mailbox (#4)!

Yay! Another round of IMM! This amazing weekly meme is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. I'm so excited to share what books in my mailbox this week, because I got stuffs that I've wanted since forever! You might have realized that I change my weekly meme button again. Well, I 'm a button-addict!

Sorry for the lack of review this week! I'm not exactly in the best time to write a review (meaning I can't just ditch my homework and lost myself in land of books). Bad, bad Hilda! I promise, there will be more reviews posted next week! :)

Here are the books in my mailbox this week:

The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg

Oh, I fall in love with the cover! And I love story about dead girl! Err... okay, it sounds strange now.

Fever (The Chemical Garden, #2) by Lauren DeStefano

Bought this book without second thought. Finally it comes out! YAY! No need to say how much I adore the first book. Currently reading it! :)

Forgiving Trinity by Liz Reinhardt

Signed up on the blog tour and received this for review! I read a few chapters and loved it! Seems like an enjoyable read! Tour stop here in April 4 for guest post, and April 5 for my review! Liz Reindhart is AWESOME, and I'm sure her guest post will be hilarious! :)

When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle

Received from Simon and Schuster! All thanks to Galley Grab. This is Romeo and Juliet's modern retelling, but there's more to it! This is a story about Rosaline, the other girl who was supposed to meet Romeo the day he met Juliet! Uh oh, a love triangle here? Love this quote: Shakespeare may have gotten the story wrong, but we all still know how it ends.

Faery Tales & Nightmares by Melissa Marr

Received this as a gift. Always a little girl in heart, I still have soft spot for fairy tales! There's a story titled Winter Kiss which I read yesterday. It's a beautiful story, and I'm sure you'll be hooked after reading that story! Psst, there's a polar bear and a princess with frost breath we're talking about!

That's all what I got this week! Have you read any of these books? What's in your mailbox this week? :)

In My Mailbox (#3)

Hello guys! Back again to this week's edition of IMM. In My Mailbox (IMM) is a wonderful meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. This is a way to show others what books you received, borrowed, or bought this week!


I've got back to college hectic days (yay?) so I can't read as fast as before, but that doesn't stop me from buying more books than I intended to! I won't call myself an impulsive buyer. I just... have a soft spot for books. Aren't everyone? :P


I signed up for two book tours this week, so I received the E-ARCs for review:

 The Broken Destiny (Broken, #1) by Carlyle Labuschagne

 I read a few pages and completely hooked up! The tour will stop by my blog on March 23. It's a review plus author interview! :)

 Oppression (Children of the Gods, #1) by Jessica Therrien

I love Greek mythology! The blurb sounds awesome. Can't wait to read more! The tour will stop here on March 11. Like The Broken Destiny, there's an author interview along the review!

 Don't forget to drop by here on the tour dates! :)

I also bought some books this weekend:

Goddess Boot Camp (Oh. My. Gods, #2) by Tera Lynn Childs

The first book of this series, Oh.My.Gods. is fabulous! The second book will be even more awesome I hope, with Phoebe now has her own supernatural power!

 Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

I love guys with art streak. And the idea of magical night, just awww. <3 Everyone seems to love this book, not to mention the long list of literary award this book receives!

What did you get this week? Come on, share with me! :)