Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas (Wallflowers #1)
Format: 384 pages by HarperCollins e-books
First published October 26, 2004
Language: English
Audiobook by Storytel (HarperAudio)
Narrator: Rosalyn Landor
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
★★★☆☆

Blurb:

Four young ladies at the side of the ballroom make a pact to help each other find husbands... no matter what it takes

Proud and beautiful Annabelle Peyton could have her pick of suitors—if only she had a dowry. Her family is on the brink of disaster, and the only way Annabelle can save them is to marry a wealthy man. Unfortunately her most persistent admirer is the brash Simon Hunt, a handsome and ambitious entrepreneur who wants her as his mistress.

Annabelle is determined to resist Simon's wicked propositions, but she can't deny her attraction to the boldly seductive rogue, any more than he can resist the challenge she presents. As they try to outmaneuver each other, they find themselves surrendering to a love more powerful than they could have ever imagined. But fate may have other plans—and it will take all of Annabelle's courage to face a peril that could destroy everything she holds dear.

Review:

Ini buku sebetulnya udah kubaca lama banget. Udah ku-review juga tapi dalam tulisan tangan. Aku lupa kenapa kok dulu nggak langsung kutulis aja di sini. Buku ini sudah kubaca dan kuselesaikan dalam sekali duduk sejak dari sebelum Covid-19. Dalam seri ini, ada satu yang sering sekali kubaca ulang, tapi bukan yang ini. Dalam rangka pengin memasukkan review-nya dalam GR, aku membacanya ulang dalam berbagai versi, karena kecepatan bacaku sekarang menurun drastis. Sepertinya ini efek dari menurunnya tingkat konsentrasi juga. Aku sangat mudah terdistraksi. Buku ini sudah kubaca dalam versi e-book dan audiobook. Susah sekali untuk memusatkan perhatian pada bacaan saat ini. Sigh.

Setelah membaca seri Bridgerton, seri ini direkomendasikan oleh kawan-kawan BBI karena genre dan ceritanya sejenis. So, here we go. Inilah tulisanku tahun 2016:

When I'm bored, I choose to read a familiar, easy to understand story than a thrilling, complicated one. The later are my preference story to read then I'm in the mood, a relaxed state, seeking a thrill. When I'm not, the complicated story just makes me irritated, however good it is. That's why I pick these series from my pile of e-books to cure my boredom. These are historical romance series, featuring "Wallflowers" in British aristocracy. Wallflowers are not flowers wallpaper or flowers for wall decorations. It means ladies in a ball or party who are not popular or beautiful enough to attract gentlemen and they tend to stand near the wall to watch the party from sidelines. It's a pity. But in this series, there are 4 "wallflowers" who are joined their forces to make their seasons successful, that is to become engage and married. Warning: sex scenes. Thus, adult only.

Simon Hunt is merely Mr. He is the son of a butcher and he doesn't passes any title. But he is very rich and clever businessman, not to mention very handsome. He can have any woman from his class, but his eyes has set for Annabelle Peyton who comes from a noble family.

Annabelle memang berasal dari keluarga bangsawan, tapi keluarganya terjerat hutang dan mereka harus hidup seadanya. Jeremy, adiknya, masih bersekolah. Karena itulah ia memutuskan untuk mencari suami bangsawan kaya untuk menyelamatkan keluarganya meskipun itu artinya ia meninggalkan Simon Hunt, sebesar apapun ia menyukai pria itu.

Premisnya bagus, seperti Aladdin tapi perannya terbalik. Si wanita adalah bangsawan tapi miskin, sedangkan si pria adalah commoner kaya raya karena pandai berbisnis. Nggak tanggung-tanggung, karena bisnisnya adalah proyek kereta api. Simon nggak bakalan diundang ke pesta para bangsawan kalau ia tidak kaya. Karena kekayaannya, ia jadi punya banyak kenalan bangsawan, walaupun para bangsawan yang kuno dan snob itu masih memandangnya sebelah mata. Seharusnya ini jadi keputusan yang mudah bagi Annabelle untuk menerima lamaran Simon. Masalah keuangan keluarganya dapat dengan mudah terselesaikan, toh, mereka berdua saling menyukai, walaupun itu artinya Annabelle tidak akan memiliki gelar bangsawan.

Tapi karena Annabelle keras kepala dan Simon edan juga, ceritanya masih panjang dari selesai. Dramanya juga ada kalau kamu pecinta drama romantis. Tapi ceritanya predictable jadi cepat selesai dibaca. Kalau sedang ingin mengejar target baca, membaca cerita ini akan mempercepat target bacamu tercapai. Hahaha...

Dan inilah yang aku lakukan di 2024. Di akhir tahun yang sudah sangat mepet ini, aku tidak bisa memenuhi target bacaku sendiri padahal PhD-ku sudah selesai. Agar nggak malu-maluin, aku baca ulang buku ini dengan tujuan untuk memasukkan review-nya dalam GR agar target bacaku naik 1 digit. Maaf curang, heheheh...

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About the Author:

Lisa Kleypas is the RITA award-winning author of 21 novels. The RITA Award is the most prominent award given throughout the genre of romance novel and some other romantic fiction. It is presented by Romance Writers of America (RWA) and is named for the RWA's first president, Rita Clay Estrada. Her books are published in fourteen languages and are bestsellers all over the world. She lives in Washington State with her husband and two children.

Born: Texas, The United States
Website: http://www.lisakleypas.com/
Genre: Romance, Literature, and Fiction

Murder at Archly Manor (High Society Lady Detective #1) by Sara Rosett
Format: 256 pages, Audiobook by Storytel, English Edition

Killer Cupcakes (Lexy Baker #1) by Leighann Dobbs
Format: 146 pages, Audiobook by Storytel, English Edition
Narrator: Hollis McCarthy
Published: October 31, 2012 by Amazon Digital Services
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
★★☆☆☆

Blurb:

Things are going great for Lexy Baker. She's finally opened her dream bakery, gotten rid of her cheating boyfriend and settled into her grandmothers house with her perky dog Sprinkles at her side.

But her blissful life doesn't last long. When her ex boyfriend is found poisoned with cupcakes from her bakery, Lexy finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation headed up by her hunky neighbor detective Jack Perillo.

With the help of a gang of iPad toting, would-be detective grandmothers, Lexy decides to take it upon herself to find the real murderer in order to clear her name and get her bakery back in business.

As things heat up on the murder trail, in the kitchen and between Lexy and the hunky detective, it's a race against time to put the real murderer behind bars and get back to baking.

Will Lexy get her man?

My Review:

Cepet banget ternyata. Padahal udah ditimbun lama banget. Yang dibaca versi audiobook sih, mumpung nemu di Storytel. Sambil disambi ngrajut.

Ceritanya gampang banget ditebak. Nggak ada tegang-tegangnya blas. Tapi bagian sepatu high heels dimaling bagus sih. Bikin asumsi kabur tentang pelakunya, siapa yang mungkin maling high heels tapi TV utuh?

Vibes Heather Wells (by Meg Cabot) banget. Walaupun nggak first POV. Romance-nya juga cepet banget. Cheesy. Kayak teenlit, tapi karakternya dewasa. Apa tuh sebutannya? Udah lama nggak baca buku yang berwarna-warni jadi lupa. Kayaknya aku udah ketinggalan banyak sama bacaan yang lagi populer sekarang. Lagi mood yg ringan-ringan dan cozy aja.

About the Author:

Leighann Dobbs

USA Today bestselling author, Leighann Dobbs, discovered her passion for writing after a twenty year career as a software engineer. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband Bruce, their trusty Chihuahua mix Mojo and beautiful rescue cat, Kitty.

Her book "Dead Wrong" won the "Best Mystery Romance" award at the 2014 Indie Romance Convention.

Her book "Ghostly Paws" was the 2015 Chanticleer Mystery & Mayhem First Place category winner in the Animal Mystery category.

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Everything Is OK by Debbie Tung
Format: 196 pages, Kindle Edition, English Edition
Published: September 27, 2022 by Andrews McMeel Publishing
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
★★★★☆

Blurb:

From the bestselling author of Quiet Girl in a Noisy World comes a gently humorous and poignant collection of comics about anxiety and depression—because sometimes even the simple things like getting out of bed every day feel like an uphill battle.

Everything Is OK is the story of Debbie Tung’s struggle with anxiety and her experience with depression. She shares what it’s like navigating life, overthinking every possible worst-case scenario, and constantly feeling like all hope is lost.

The book explores her journey to understanding the importance of mental health in her day-to-day life and how she learns to embrace the highs and lows when things feel out of control. Debbie opens up about deeply personal issues and the winding road to recovery, discovers the value of self-love, and rebuilds a more mindful relationship with her mental health.

In this graphic memoir, Debbie aims to provide positive and comforting messages to anyone who is facing similar difficulties or is just trying to get through a tough time in life. She hopes to encourage readers to be kinder to themselves, to know that they are not alone, and that it’s okay to be vulnerable because they are not defined by their mental health struggles. The dark clouds won’t be there forever. Everything will turn out all right.

My Review:

Struck me right in the meow meow 😭😭💔

I cried because I relate to the contents. But maybe I'm harsher than the author. Like when the therapist asked "why didn't you defend yourself when you bully yourself?" The author realized that she may have been too hard on herself. But if it were me, I would answered "why do I have to defend myself when it's what I am?" 😭😭

The art is beautiful. It depicts the message of the contents.

I'm still on the mend. But this book can be an insightful addition to my mending journey. The questions help me to understand what's in my mind and I can answer with my own version. Thankfully it wasn't up to me, because I haven't found my peace so the story for me is still ongoing. Hopefully I will also find the nice ending like this. ❤️‍🩹

About the Author:

Debbie Tung

Deborah "Debbie" Tung is a comic artist and illustrator from Birmingham, England. Her work is based on simple (and sometimes awkward) everyday life moments and her love for books and tea. She lives with her husband and son.

Follow Debbie on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @debbietungart

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Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha #1) by Tomi Adeyemi
Format: 544 pages, Audiobook by Storytel, English edition
Narrator: Bahni Turpin
Published: March 6, 2018
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
★★★★☆

Blurb:

They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.

Now we rise.

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.

Review:

Nah jadiii, aku milih bacaan ini karena pengin pengalaman baru secara audio. Buku ini dianugerahi audiobook of the year, tepatnya Audie Award for Audiobook of The Year tahun 2019. Sebagai penyuka berat audiobook, buku ini sangat menggoda untuk dibaca, sekaligus kepingin tahu sebagus apa buku ini dinikmati lewat telinga.

Ternyata, perlu waktu lama untuk menyelesaikan buku ini. Aku mengalami beberapa kendala, di antaranya:

1. Buku ini menggunakan bahasa daerah negara Nigeria sesekali, yang tidak familiar kudengar. Sebetulnya hal ini sangat menarik dan menjadi pengalaman baru buatku. Apalagi buku ini menyebutkan sihir yang membuat mantra menjadi lebih magis menggunakan bahasa yang tidak familiar di telinga. Sayangnya hal ini juga jadi bikin bacanya lamban.

2. Di luar ekspektasi, buku ini sangat panjang. Jadi untukku tidak bisa sekali duduk menyelesaikannya. Apalagi ini buku pertama dari sebuah serial, jadi pembangunan dunianya harus dipahami dan bisa dibayangkan untuk mengetahui keseluruhan ceritanya. Sebetulnya ceritanya sangat menarik, tapi entah ya, bagiku yang di umur ini rasanya kurang 'klik'. Faktor umur mempengaruhi untuk menikmati ceritanya. Kalau aku berumur 10 tahun lebih muda, mungkin aku akan lebih menyukainya.

3. Walaupun di judulnya ada kata 'children', buku ini tidak untuk 'children' ya, sodara-sodara. Aku kaget banget waktu nyambungin bluetooth biar audio-nya bisa disetel di radio mobil, ternyata pas ada adegan kissing 😖 terus ada adikku jadi penumpang, kan malu banget! Trus adegannya tuh bukan yang santai gitu loh, jadi beneran kissing yang hot 😖! Untungnya adikku selow. Jadi buku ini memang untuk young-adult.

Itu bagian beberapa kendalanya. Tapi di samping kendala-kendala tersebut, buku ini cukup menarik dan ini beberapa hal yang aku suka:

1. Settingnya di Nigeria yang menjadi pengalaman baru buatku untuk membaca buku di setting negara tersebut dengan cuilan percakapan dengan bahasa daerah negara tersebut. Awalnya aku tidak tahu di mana lokasi cerita ini. Aku malah menebak lokasinya di New Orleans, karena karakternya berkulit gelap, mungkin orang afrika-amerika, dan diliputi sihir. Tapi semakin didengar, sepertinya lokasinya di benua Afrika, tapi masih belum tahu lokasi negaranya di mana. Baru mulai tertebak di Nigeria ketika menyebutkan nama salah satu kota di negara tersebut, seperti Lagos.

2. Penggambaran ceritanya luar biasa. Karena aku sudah menonton Black Panther, bayanganku agak terpengaruh film tersebut. Tapi keren banget sih. Emosi ikut diaduk-aduk. Buku ini menggunakan 4 karakter sebagai sudut pandang yang masing-masing latar belakangnya dibangun dengan kuat. Aku sampai nggak tahu siapa dari ke-4 orang itu yang jadi karakter utama. Tapi sepertinya memang keempatnya dibuat sama kuat pengaruhnya di cerita. Kalau yang paling menonjol dan paling berpengaruh di aku sebagai pembaca adalah Zélie. Walaupun aku awalnya tidak terlalu suka Zélie yang meledak-ledak, tapi emosinya yang menurutku banyak dieksplor dan paling kena di aku. Terutama ketika dia udah ketemu sama Inan, wow... emosi keduanya jadi kayak angin topan dan aku terseret di dalamnya. Inan juga menarik karena dia mengalami pergulatan batin mengenai dirinya yang sebenarnya. Pokoknya pas kedua orang ini ketemu, aku membayangkannya seperti dua gasing yang saling beradu. Seru-spicy-nagih!

3. Naratornya keren banget! Buku ini berbahasa Inggris tapi dibacakan dengan logat khas Nigeria (sepertinya) jadi settingnya melekat kuat ke pembaca. Ketika berpindah karakter, nada dan nuansa suaranya juga ikut diubah sesuai dengan karakternya, jadi aku tidak bingung mendengarkan sudut pandang siapa yang sedang bercerita. Untungnya juga, karakter yang menjadi sudut pandang cuma 4, jadi nggak terlalu banyak. Tapi karena logat bahasanya baru bagiku, aku tidak bisa mempercepat bacaannya. Biasanya kalau membacanya terlalu lamban, aku sering meningkatkan kecepatan bacaannya agar cepat selesai. Untuk buku ini, sayangnya aku nggak bisa mempercepat karena kalau dipercepat aku nggak paham sama ceritanya. Menurutku kecepatan baca audiobook ini sudah pas, dan ketika didengarkan juga tidak gampang ngantuk, cuma aku tu gampang banget terdistraksi jadi sering banget kuulang-ulang untuk didengarkan.

Jadi, itu tadi kesanku membaca audiobook ini. Rasanya seperti baca The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, dan Red Queen sekaligus. Buku ini sebetulnya menarik, tapi aku sedang kesulitan untuk memusatkan perhatian karena sedang hectic, jadi untuk melanjutkan seri ini kayaknya nanti dulu deh. Padahal aku penasaran sama kelanjutan cerita Zélie dan Inan... 😿😿😿😿😿

About the Author:

Tomi Adeyemi is a Nigerian-American writer and creative writing coach based in San Diego, California. Her debut novel, CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE, comes out March 6th, 2018 and the movie is currently in development at Fox with the producers of Twilight and The Maze Runner attached. After graduating Harvard University with an honors degree in English literature, she received a fellowship that allowed her to study West African mythology and culture in Salvador, Brazil. When she’s not working on her novels or watching Scandal, she can be found blogging and teaching creative writing to her 3,500 subscribers at tomiadeyemi.com. Her website has been named one of the 101 best websites for writers by Writer’s Digest.

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A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons (Saffron Everleigh Mystery #1) by Kate Khavari
Format: 262 pages, Audiobook by Storytel, English edition
Narrator: Jodie Harris
First published June 7, 2022
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
★★★★★

Blurb:

London, 1923. Newly minted research assistant Saffron Everleigh is the first woman to hold the position at University College of London. When she attends a dinner party for the school, she expects to engage in conversations about the university's large expedition to the Amazon. What she doesn’t expect is for Mrs. Henry, one of the professors’ wives, to drop to the floor, poisoned by an unknown toxin.

Dr. Maxwell, Saffron’s mentor, is the main suspect, and evidence quickly mounts. Joined by flirtatious fellow researcher Alexander Ashton, Saffron uses her knowledge of botany as she explores steamy greenhouses, dark gardens, and deadly poisons to clear Maxwell's name.

Will she be able to uncover the truth, or will her investigation land her on the murderer’s list?

In this entertaining examination of society’s expectations, debut author Kate Khavari deftly sheds a light on the struggles of women in a male-dominated field, wrapped in mystery and murder.

My Review:

Cute, thrilling, witty scientist couple, love it!

Saffron and Alexander are so cute! They are the best scientist couples trying to solve a case with their knowledge in botany and biology. Saffron adalah nama bunga yang sering dijadikan wangi parfum, sangat cocok dengan nama karakter utama yang seorang botanis. Nama itu juga diberikan oleh ayahnya yang seorang profesor di bidang botani, walaupun si anak masih belum mencapai tingkat yang setara dengan ayahnya. Hal ini mungkin karena dia wanita. Tapi dia wanita yang berpendidikan tinggi, seorang asisten profesor juga, yang mungkin justru membuat posisinya agak sulit pada jaman itu. Seorang wanita berpendidikan tinggi lajang jenjang karirnya sering dihambat oleh koleganya sendiri di universitas. Menyebalkan sekali.

Karena itulah mungkin dia mulai banyak menyelidiki hal-hal aneh, terutama yang berkaitan dengan tanaman-tanaman beracun. Kemudian dia bertemu dengan Alexander, yang ternyata murid ayahnya. Lucu banget! Mungkin juga karena keduanya sesama saintis, mereka berdua agak clumsy ketika berkomunikasi. Bagian akhirnya juga dramatis, dan itulah yang membuat mereka berdua dekat.

Aku pengin lanjut membaca buku keduanya, karena pasangan yang lucu dan menggemaskan ini. Tapi ketika aku membaca blurb buku keduanya, kok pasangan Saffron namanya beda? Trus ternyata Alexander sedang ada ekspedisi yang menyebabkan dia harus ke luar negeri. Tapi mereka masih surat-menyurat dan itu lucu banget dan sooo sweeet! Tapi kenapa kok harus ada karakter lain! Hih! Aku jadi kesel dan kecewa. Gimana ya, jadi belum sempat mau baca buku keduanya. Tapi masih kepingin baca yang setipe, jadi aku baca buku yang lain, bukan dari seri yang sama. Kayak: Scott-De Quincy Mysteries, atau High Society Lady Detective.

About the Author:

Kate Khavari is the author of fiction ranging from historical mysteries to high fantasy epics. She has her parents to thank for her fascination for historical mysteries, as she spent the majority of her childhood memorizing Sherlock Holmes’s and Poirot’s greatest quips. 

Lady Helena Investigates (Scott-De Quincy Mysteries #1) by Jane Steen
Format: 377 pages, Audiobook by Storytel, English edition
Narrator: Elizabeth Klett
First published March 14, 2018
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
★★★★☆

Blurb:

A reluctant lady sleuth finds she’s investigating her own family.

Step into Lady Helena Whitcombe’s world with the first novel in a series that will blend family saga and mystery-driven action with a slow-burn romance in seven unputdownable investigations.

1881, Sussex. Lady Helena Scott-De Quincy’s marriage to Sir Justin Whitcombe, three years before, gave new purpose to a life almost destroyed by the death of Lady Helena’s first love. After all, shouldn’t the preoccupations of a wife and hostess be sufficient to fulfill any aristocratic female’s dreams? Such a shame their union wasn’t blessed by children . . . but Lady Helena is content with her quiet country life until Sir Justin is found dead in the river overlooked by their grand baroque mansion.

The intrusion of attractive, mysterious French physician Armand Fortier, with his meddling theory of murder, into Lady Helena’s first weeks of mourning is bad enough. But with her initial ineffective efforts at investigation and her attempts to revive her long-abandoned interest in herbalism comes the realization that she may have been mistaken about her own family’s past. Every family has its secrets—but as this absorbing series will reveal, the Scott-De Quincy family has more than most.

Can Lady Helena survive bereavement the second time around? Can she stand up to her six siblings’ assumption of the right to control her new life as a widow? And what role will Fortier—who, as a physician, is a most unsuitable companion for an earl’s daughter—play in her investigations?

A new series by Jane Steen, author of the House of Closed Doors series that has delighted thousands of fans (over 300 5-star reviews on Amazon and over 700 5-star ratings on Goodreads.) If you’re looking for an unputdownable Victorian mystery saga, here’s where you start!

Trigger warning: implicit mention of incest
Peringatan: secara implisit menyebutkan hubungan inses

Review:

Buku pertama yang selesai tahun 2024.

Kupikir bakalan bisa ditebak jalan ceritanya tapi ternyata nggak. Ada bagian yg tertebak, tapi tambahannya bagus. Awalnya agak dragging, tapi masuk konflik mulai tegang. Penyelesaiannya juga rapi, nggak kecepetan, dan mulus. Banyak mengusung bebagai isu: keluarga, skandal, janda aristokrat, yg pada jaman itu pasti nggak mudah. Seperti gabungan Bridgerton, Sherlock Holmes, dan Miss Marple. Ada cw/tw: incest.

Naratornya keren banget. Aksen British-nya bikin aku sangat menikmati ceritanya, terutama karena setting-nya di Inggris. Naratornya yang juga perempuan, sangat cocok dengan tokoh utamanya, Lady Helena. Selain itu, ketika karakter yang berbeda berbicara, naratornya mengubah suara, jadi mudah dibedakan. Ada karakter dengan latar belakang Perancis dan cara berbicaranya yang beraksen juga bisa ditirukan dengan baik, tapi masih dapat dimengerti. Cozy, heartwarming, and page-turning.