Friday, June 30, 2017

See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng | Hello There Stranger


Title: See You in the Cosmos
Author: Jack Cheng
Date published: February 2017
Publisher: Dial Books
Pages: 320
Language: English
ISBN: 9780399186370

11-year-old Alex Petroski loves space and rockets, his mom, his brother, and his dog Carl Sagan—named for his hero, the real-life astronomer. All he wants is to launch his golden iPod into space the way Carl Sagan (the man, not the dog) launched his Golden Record on the Voyager spacecraft in 1977. From Colorado to New Mexico, Las Vegas to L.A., Alex records a journey on his iPod to show other lifeforms what life on earth, his earth, is like. But his destination keeps changing. And the funny, lost, remarkable people he meets along the way can only partially prepare him for the secrets he’ll uncover—from the truth about his long-dead dad to the fact that, for a kid with a troubled mom and a mostly not-around brother, he has way more family than he ever knew.

Bought this book on impulse when I was at an airport, on my way to a business trip. Honestly, it was the cover, I can't help myself. From the synopsis it was pretty interesting so I made it mine.

Well, let's say it just a light journey to find happiness. Alex was very bright and innocent, positive and very clear of himself. Along the way, story unravel, he met people, friends, family.

The depth was not really there, made it had less impact, power, and impression. But, if you want a quick and light read, maybe this one for you.


Dark Matter by Blake Crouch | That was Unexpected


Title: Dark Matter
Author: Blake Crouch
Date Published: July 2016
Publisher: Crown (ebook)
Pages: 352
Language: English
ISBN: 9781101904237

Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious.

Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits.

Before a man Jason’s never met smiles down at him and says, “Welcome back, my friend.”

In this world he’s woken up to, Jason’s life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor, but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible.

Is it this world or the other that’s the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could’ve imagined—one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe.
I forgot who recommend this book, but somehow I managed to read and finish this book in the middle of my greatest reading slump ever in my life. It's fun, fast paced and I can't stop reading it.
 
While this is a sci-fi, you don't have to think much and trying to figure out everything because for me that will spoil the fun and give me headache.

Characters development is not really there because it's more about the story and twist so I can't really see it.

I don't really catch anything but the enjoyment and the thrill, so yeah. If you want a fast and fun ride, this book is for you. 4 star for Dark Matter.


Tuesday, June 27, 2017

The Boy in the Black Suits by Jason Raynolds | Life Goes On


Title: The Boy in the Black Suit
Author: Jason Reynolds
Date Published: January 2015
Publisher: Atheneum Books
Pages: 272
Language: English
ISBN: 9781442459502

Just when seventeen-year-old Matt thinks he can’t handle one more piece of terrible news, he meets a girl who’s dealt with a lot more—and who just might be able to clue him in on how to rise up when life keeps knocking him down—in this wry, gritty novel from the author of When I Was the Greatest.

Matt wears a black suit every day. No, not because his mom died—although she did, and it sucks. But he wears the suit for his gig at the local funeral home, which pays way better than the Cluck Bucket, and he needs the income since his dad can’t handle the bills (or anything, really) on his own. So while Dad’s snagging bottles of whiskey, Matt’s snagging fifteen bucks an hour. Not bad. But everything else? Not good. Then Matt meets Lovey. She’s got a crazy name, and she’s been through more crazy than he can imagine. Yet Lovey never cries. She’s tough. Really tough. Tough in the way Matt wishes he could be. Which is maybe why he’s drawn to her, and definitely why he can’t seem to shake her. Because there’s nothing more hopeful than finding a person who understands your loneliness—and who can maybe even help take it away.

Well I perceived this book like an appetizer.  You see, I heard great things about All American Boys and the theme is kinda my things. But the softcover is yet to be released so I treated myself with this book just to peek into Reynolds writing skill. 

It's kinda muffled.

Is it strange when I said I read and heard the books? When it's a good book the voice is clear and strong, when it's not the voice is soft. I can't hear it well.

This book, theme and characters wise are one of my favorite but I just don't connect with them. It's just bland. I don't feel any emotions whatsoever.

The story was about Matt who trying to live after his mother dead with a father who can't seem to move on and wrecking himself to almost death. He worked at a funeral house and met a girl-the girl. He learned a lot from her how to accept the grief, how to embrace and live with it. 

See? The theme was great, superb. Try it, maybe I became really picky after so many many many plates of books.

Nonetheless I give it, 3 stars

The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud | Jin Tengil Ketemu Asasin Licik


Judul: The Ring of Solomon
Penulis: Jonathan Stroud
Tanggal Terbit: November 2015
Penerbit: GPU
Halaman:528
Bahasa: Indonesia
ISBN: 9789792289435

Bartimaeus, sang jin luar biasa, terjebak sebagai budak di Jerusalem, di bawah kekuasaan Raja Solomon. Semua ini gara-gara cincin legendaris Solomon, yang membuat pemiliknya memiliki kekuatan tak terbatas.

Namun, dengan datangnya Asmira, gadis pembunuh yang ternyata punya banyak rencana, keadaan mulai… menarik.

Maka Bartimaeus pun berada di posisi paling berbahaya selama kariernya yang panjang dan harus mengerahkan semua kekuatan sihirnya agar bisa lolos dari situasi ini.

Petualangan Bartimaeus yang pasti dianggap seru oleh pembaca lama maupun baru.
Well, sesungguhnya gak begitu tertarik baca ini karena yeah ending dari buku dgn settingnya yg sama.... Tapi pas ketemu buku ini di rak diskonan gak bisa nolak buat gak beli, dan akhirnya setelah bertahun-tahun tertimbun akhirnya selesai baca juga.
Baiklah si Barti ternyata dari awal memang tengil dan menjengkelkan belum lagi gayanya yang sok-sokan tapi sebenernya lumayan loyal bikin penasaran pengen baca sampai akhir.
Rada susah sih karena gak begitu empati sama si Asmira tapi Solomon bagus juga pengarakterannya walau gak begitu diexplore.
Well sepanjang petualangan cukup engaging kok kalau bisa melewati chapter2 awal yang menurutku cukup sulit untuk dilewati. Endingnya sih gak cetar membahana banget tapi cukup lah. Overall, it's a fine book.