Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Maybe, being a wizard isn't bad at all. They just have to know what they have and haven't do.

Harry Potter #1

by J.K. Rowling

 5 of 5 Stars

Image source: Bloomsburry

Date of read: January, 24th-26th, 2017
Author: J.K. Rowling
Year of Published: first published in 1997, this edition published in September 2014
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children
Type: Paperback
Language: English
Number of pages: 332 pages
ISBN: 978-14088-5565-221

When a letter arrives for unhappy but ordinary Harry Potter, a decade-old secret is revealed to him that apparently he’s the last to know. His parents were wizards, killed by a Dark Lord’s curse when Harry was just a baby, and which he somehow survived. Leaving his unsympathetic aunt and uncle for Hogwarts, a wizarding school brimming with ghosts and enchantments, Harry stumbles upon a sinister mystery when he finds a three-headed dog guarding a room on the third floor. Then he hears of a missing stone with astonishing powers which could be valuable, dangerous – or both. An incredible adventure is about to begin!

These new editions of the classic and internationally bestselling, multi-award-winning series feature instantly pick-up-able new jackets by Jonny Duddle, with huge child appeal, to bring Harry Potter to the next generation of readers. It’s time to PASS THE MAGIC ON …

***

Reading Harry Potter is one thing that I would like to do since I knew about Harry Potter. I know, actually, it's kinda late for me to start collecting Harry Potter Series, but, I don't care. I still like the way Rowling create her imagination. Harry Potter still being my favorite series. Maybe, many people around me wonder why I really like Harry Potter so much. Honestly, I am wondering the same thing. Why do I like this series so much? Perhaps, the reason behind this is about my childhood. Since I was in elementary school, Harry Potter movie has been caught by my eyes. I always wait every Harry Potter movies in telly. I love the magical world and I think, Rowling is the most genius person in fantasy. I know, I should try to read another fantasy author like Neil Geilman. I know it. But, until now, Rowling still make me love her story.

'All-all three of us?'

'Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?'

'Of course not. How do you think you'd get the stone without us?'

--conversation between Harry, Ron, and Hermione, pg. 291.

The Lexus and the Olive Tree

The Challenge in this era of globalization is to find a healthy balance between preserving a sense of identity, home and community and doing what it takes to survive withing the globalization system. pg. 42.

By  Thomas L. Friedman

3 of 5 stars

Image source: goodreads.com

Genre                      : Non Fiction
Author : Thomas L. Friedman
Title         : The Lexus and the Olive Tree
Publisher         : Achor Books
Year of published : April, 2000
ISBN : 978-0385-7201-51
Self-printed and I forget the price. Lol.

In The Lexus and the Olive Tree, Thomas L. Friedman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning foreign affairs columnist for The New York Times, offers an engrossing look at the new international system that is transforming world affairs today. Globalization has replaced the Cold War system with the integration of capital, technology, and information across national borders—uniting Brazilian peasants, Indonesian entrepreneurs, Chinese villagers, and Silicon Valley technocrats in a single global village. You cannot understand the morning news, know where to invest your money, or think about the future unless you understand this new system, which is profoundly influencing virtually every country in the world today. Friedman tells you what this electronic global economy is all about and what it will take to live within it.

With vivid stories drawn from his extensive travels, he dramatizes the conflict of “the Lexus and the olive tree”—the tension between the globalization system and the ancient forces of culture, geography, tradition, and community. He also details the powerful backlash that globalization produces among those who feel brutalized by it, and he spells out what we all need to do to keep the Lexus and the olive tree in balance. For this new paperback edition, Friedman has substantially expanded and updated his provocative analysis, making it essential reading for all who care about how the world works now. 

More info about this book:

Amazon | Goodreads |  Google Book

I have to admit that, there is some satisfactory when I could finished to read some book. One of the prove that, is when I finished to read The Lexus and The Olive Tree. Honestly, I read this book because of my subject’s assignment. Well, I am a little bit envy with my friends who get a thinner book and more interesting topic like identity and nationalism. Then, I have to satisfy with a globalization book. But, when I read this book, I could see another face of globalization and of course I didn’t regret get this book for my assignment.

Happiness Doesn't Come from Headstands

And even if I can't, there are all sorts of other things that I can do!

By  Tamara Levitt

4 of 5 stars

Image source: goodreads

Publisher              : Wisdom Publication
Number of page   : 38 pages
Genre                   : Children book
Language             : English
Year of published : April 4th, 2017
ISBN                    : 978-1-61429-389-7
ebook ISBN          : 978-1-61429-405-4
I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Trying—and failing—can be a path to happiness too. 

Leela loves to do yoga. She could do all sorts of poses, but there was one pose she couldn’t do. Every time Leela tried to do a headstand…KERPLUNK!

This book explores the themes of acceptance, resilience, and self-compassion and offers the message that just because we may experience a failure does not mean that we are a failure. Written as a counterpoint to the message of The Little Engine that Could, Happiness Doesn’t Come from Headstands is a story about a girl who tries her best, but still falls down. Through the process she learns that happiness is not determined by external achievement. Even in the face of failure, peace can be found if we accept that we cannot do everything and focus on our experience.

More info:

Goodreads 

I have to admit that this is the first time I reviewed a children book. Well, in my child age, I rarely read any kind of illustration book. Believe or not, when I was at elementary school, I've been red The Da Vinci Code. I know. My reading is really random and a little bit out of the box. But, who cares?

Confess

How can a fifteen-year-old-girl defend her love when that love is dismissed by everyone?--Auburn.

By Colleen Hoover

4 of 5 stars

Image source: goodreads.com

Publisher             : Atria Books
Number of Pages : 306
Year Published     : March, 2015
ISBN                    : 978476791456
EPub, I got this novel from my friend.

Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there’s no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry.

For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover Owen is keeping major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.

The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can’t seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin…

***

First thing first, I would like to say that this is the first time I read Colleen Hoover's story. I remembered one of my friend ever mentioned about Hoover story. She said that, Hoover has ability to make the who read her book could smile, laugh, crying, sobbing, etc. I really curious and I just found this novel on my EPub reader. So, without thinking twice, I started to read this novel.

The story begin with a-hurtful-prologue. No! I didn't say that the prologue is bad, but it really hurts when I had to know the fact that one of the character should die. Actually, I am not the type of easy-touched-reader. I am just feel pity to the character.

"I don't want him to be sad, but I need him to be sad with me right now."--Auburn.

City of Bones

"Shutting your eyes and pretending something is not happening doesn't make any true, Jace."--Clary.

The Mortal Instruments #1

By Cassandra Clare

3 of 5 stars

Publisher              : Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published Year     : March, 2007
Number of Pages : 485 pages
ISBN                    : 9781416914280
Format                  : Ebook
I got this novel from my friend.

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know... 

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

***

The Mortal Instruments is one of series that I want to read since I knew that this series exist. But the problem is, I am very idle to search and read. Moreover, when I want to read this series about two years ago, I didn't have any device to read it. I means, I couldn't stay read in front of my PC all the time. So, when I got my smartphone, I decided to search this novel and try to read it.

Actually, I had been watch the movie before I read this novel. When I watch the movie, I started to curious with the novel. Is there any different? Is there any interesting thing in novel that not mentioned at movie? Okay. I really want to know the detail of this story. So, I was very excited to know more about City of Bones.

Must Date the Playboy

“... Remember that in life, you have to be selfless too. You have to think of the other person's feeling first before your own because you will never gain real happiness unless the other party is happy as well.”

By Notjustarandomgirl

4.5 for 5 stars

Publisher         : Summit Publishing
Year                 : February, 2014

Victoria “Tori” Peige is ensconced in a glittering world of wealth and glamour. But she sees herself as someone more suited in a supporting role: a bookworm and a shadow to her sun-kissed best friend and high school queen bee, Chloe.

That’s why Zachary Anderson, the hot, notorious playboy, has his eyes fixed only on Chloe until Tori approaches him with a proposition.

“I know I’m not the type of girl that you usually go out with. I’m not sexy, I’m not attractive and I’m no fun. I’m plain and boring with no charm at all. The only thing good about me is probably my brain, which everyone also finds boring. But I must ask you this… Mr. Zachary Anderson, can I be your girlfriend?"

How long can you fake being in love before it turns into the real thing? Tori and Zach are about to find out.

***

Yeah, I would like make some confession. I read this book on Wattpad. But, I know that this book has been published too. Despite that this story is really cliche, I still do like Tori and Zach. When I read this, I could feel the emotion. Of course I reread this book because I am a little bit forget about the story. Then, I just couldn't understand with the third book.

"I'm still here aren't I? I don't know about you, but I am staying."--Tori.

"I'll stay Zach. Unless you say otherwise."--Tori. 

The first time I look this cover of book in Wattpad, I am so excited. Why? Because, Shorty could clearly catch my attention. Moreover, the cover looks so simple and mysterious. The blurb so interesting and I just couldn't help my self to read all of the story. Sadly, if I look the cover for the published book, it's just out of my expectation. Too much childish if I could say about the cover. I don't know, but the cover couldn't catch my attention like what the cover on Wattpad do.

"Don't give up. Don't give up on me."--Zach. 

"I am a very possessive guy. I hate the fact that everyone is just looking at you as we enter a room like you're available. I don't share, Tori."--Zach. 

 The story begin with the story about Zach that always messing Chloe's relationship. Tori, best friend of Chloe, of course feel annoyance with what happen with Chloe's relationship. With information that given by Nathan, Tori try to confront Zach and decided to be Zach's girlfriend. Tori would like to make Zach busy so he can't mess up with Chloe. First of all, their relationship is full of surprise. Zach started to tease Tori with all of his stupid playboy plan. Until one day, two of them realize that they like each other. Unfortunately, all of the lie from the beginning their relationship begin ruin everything between them.

In the story, there are some character that have their own role. Of course, all of the character have their ultimate role. There is Chloe, Nathan--another Tori and Chloe's best friend, James, River, Boris, and Sonia.

Somehow, you have to learn accept things and ready yourself to move on, because the world will not stop for your grieves and problems.

From the story, honestly I really like Zach. He is kind of bad boy that can be a gentleman. He is really charming and I could imagine that he do care with the one he love. Just like Tori. I love her attitude and also the cuteness of her. I like the way Shorty execute this story. I don't get bored when I read this. May be, I just couldn't help my self because I do really like cliche romance.

Ahh, all I want to say is, this novel is really a good romance novel. I like the story because the plot is very neat and well-planned. Uh oh, I just couldn't stop my self to giggling over the second and third book.

--
Depok, April 20th 2016
01.48 AM