A few months ago I planned to post a quick review for each book I read, but unfortunately I got hooked with so many responsibilities in my studies, college is eating me! I even forgot to manage my blog so well to such extent that I did no longer appreciate every little detail of my life that is worth blogging about. But college is my most priority now. What am I babbling about?

Oh well anyways, I’m back! Actually, I’ve been writing reviews these past few months but didn’t have enough guts to post them on here because, well, again I was loaded with some college stuff which were to be accomplished as soon as possible.

For the meantime, here are three books I have read which some of you might love. If you already read these, then cool.

Looking For Alaska by John Green

The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive.

So okay I don’t know how to start this, but yes, this is another John Green novel which in a matter of fact another life-loss or anxiety-dealing story. The reason why I put my hands on this book is that I thought it was about some girl who mysteriously deals life or some small-town, moody, and intrusive girl who leaves people hanging with question marks – like the novel Paper Towns of same author (Oh God I probably am obsessed with John Green, but I promise I’ll soon review books of some of my fav authors other than John Green), but hell it’s another fascinating story that would tear your heart in small pieces.

Miles – or Pudge as what his friends here call him – is sort of a geek in the story, awkwardly raised with people around him and never had the chance to have good friends. In Florida yes, but everything changed when he was triggered by Francois Rabelais’s poem ‘The Great Perhaps’ to continue his life at Alabama. There, he met the kind of friends her mother referred as “the wrong crowd” but for Miles, this crowd is precious. Actually at some edges, I see myself also buried deep somewhere in the pages as I apprehend how painful it was for Miles to never had any good friends at his hometown. Comparably, half part of Miles is relatable that I could even agree everytime he talks his life in Florida – shitty people, bullies, or whatever same crap that common people have.

Looking For Alaska is that same book who will tear your heart into half and won’t let you figure out how to stitch or mend the cut. It’ll lock you somewhere beyond unimaginable disconsolation that you didn’t predict at the first place.

I like the book because John Green used “I go to seek a great perhaps” – a line from the poem of Francois Rabelais ‘The Great Perhaps’ – which metaphorically means acknowledging whatever the risks are for the sake of a new better life.

Nonetheless, be reminded that the book led the association’s list of the most-challenged book for 2015 due to profanity and sexually explicit scenes.

Simon Vs. Homo Sapiens Agenda by: Becky Albertalli

Sometimes it seems like everyone knows who I am except me.

Two reasons why I read this book, 1 I’ve been hearing good things about this; it is gay themed and YA so it appears that this might be a good book for me. 2 this is one of the books that will be adapted into movies this 2018, so I finished reading this as quickly as I could so the movie would seem exciting for me.

As the matter of fact, I googled some books that are turning into movies next year and I decided to make a separated reading list for them. Simon Vs. Homo Sapiens Agenda was the first book I managed to read first for another reason that it only has 200+ pages. Some books consist of 500 or more pages and I didn’t have much time to finish a book with such number of pages because I’m currently on practicum, yes, very busy.

The book is great. It is adorable and fun to such extent that some parts are comparably relatable, especially the part where Simon sometimes gets annoyed by how his family handles small things making them a big deal. Also, this book might give an impact to some teenagers about the reality of friendship. I’ve learned from this book, that it is indeed more difficult to open up with a friend you know for a long time than to a friend you just met for months. And it sometimes hurts knowing your best friend shared a problem to another friend who you know of a less friend than you are to your best friend, but there’s, of course, a psychological explanation for that.

Anyway, the book contains lots of awareness, specifically about LGBT, friendship, and family.

But I kinda don’t like the plot. The book seems lack of thrilling ideas that would have excited the readers. The revelation of Blue’s identity is not much of a surprise.

But generally, the book is good and I am not in a right place to rant negatively about it. I’m not a critical reader and neither an avid one.

One of Us Is Lying by: Karen M. McManus

So you’re not perfect. So what? Welcome to the real world.

The story revolves around these five students who are called for detention one afternoon. Bronwyn, the class valedictorian who aspires for following her father’s legacy and go to Yale; Cooper, a star baseball player who’s torn between college and major leagues; Addy, a homecoming princess; Nate, the bad boy slash criminal, on probation for dealing drugs; and Simon, the self-proclaimed omniscient narrator, author of About That – Bayview High’s gossip blog. Same time same place, they are clueless how everyone has the same offense none of them actually did.

Has anyone else also noticed that some parts in the first chapter seem copied from The Breakfast Club or was it only me? I guess, Karen McManus is just I huge fan of the movie and used same idea from The Breakfast Club for introducing the protagonists.

The author seems a lot more of a millennial because she gives emphasis to how modern technology often leads us to unpredictable disasters. Acknowledging Simon as despised and wants to be on part of anything, he made an app in which he blows out craps and secrets about his fellow students in Bayview High. All students become afraid of him knowing their dark secrets and lies. I’m thrilled actually. I wonder if there’s someone like Simon in my neighborhood, that’d be a huge disaster for me because I’ve got plenty of bad secrets ever since and I fear getting exposed with them *grins*.

Honestly, I didn’t realize technology stuff – you know internet, phones, applications, and all – would somehow be a trigger for some to use as a weapon for avenging oneself. I mean, that’s enormously and seriously dangerous. Even internet as part of a modern tech, has the biggest obligation for spreading information of different people with different craps in life and we humans should be cautious with it

This book leads us modernly to be aware of certain circumstances that have something to do with modern technology.

On the other hand, the book is also about depression. Simon is too eager of getting more respect and attention. He’s into avenging himself to everyone who made his life miserable, which also takes him into a crazy, absurd action that put all people especially the Bayview Four, Bronwyn, Cooper, Nate, and Addy into a nightmare.

Generally, the book is great. I’ve had a lot of emotions and breakdowns dealing with each of the Bayview High Four’s point of views, especially on Bronwyn and Nate’s romance part; Addy and her sister, Ashton’s good shape of sisterly relationship; and Cooper and his cute little secret *giggles*.

The book is in Mystery genre but some parts are more of a young adult but mostly crime.

And that’s it peeps! These were the books i have busied myself with beside college stuff. How about you? What have you been reading?