ddnreads's reviews
402 reviews

Best reading experience for me is gobbling down this book right after I finished The Tainted Cup. It's so enjoyable to see Din and Ana solving mysterious gruesome most unordinary crime in far away land. In this sequel, we were brought to Yarrowdale. A part of the Empire but not exactly part of the empire. It revolved around kings and natives and empire "experiment" with the leviathan's carcass. 

I felt like Din is more colorful in this book. We see more other side of him including his background. And Ana!!!! Omg. The eccentric Ana is back with even more mind-bending problem solving. Not only that, it's her vulnerability also that stole the spotlight. I love their dynamics so much. And I love how they have a new lovable friend to the group.

Same as the previous book, it started of as a gruesome murder, led to clues and investigations. However, in this book the interviews are followed with more action and field-investigation which is nice!!! The focus is in the apoth. We see more of their wonders.

Then the scheme👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾 the clues ar here and there along the way. The revelation is satisfying. I enjoy this so much.

Thanks so much Del Rey and Netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for honest review 🩷

This is my least favourite story from Ali Hazelwood:( the couple didn't get me hooked and the years of pining and denial just didn't work for me. 

I enjoy this so much!!!

What I like from this book:
- The artstyle!! The colour palette?! Very eye-pleasing
- James. Must protect at all cost. I love how James and Tabi dynamic is warm and supportive🌸
- Tabi 🩷🩷🩷 our FMC. She worked so hard and so deserved to earn the magical things floored in this book. The ups and downs. The never give up!!! And as a curvy myself, I feel seen and appreciated and it feels nice to make magic with this kind of body 🫶🏾
- Loving how the plot centred around Tabi's struggles yet her determination to reach her dream. And what she got in the end exceeding my expectations.

Read if you like:
- light magical summer romance revolving wonderland and princess and kitty!!!
- graphic novel to be read in one sitting
- Strong determined FMC
- Loveable couples

Thanks for the arc in exchange for honest review ✨

Me knowing full well is a Romeo Juliet inspired book. 
Also me: upset with the miscommunication and deaths🫠

But honestly, it's good!!! It has all the tragedies a fan of Romeo Juliet would crave~ I love the twist, the author gave to her story. 

Recommended 👌🏾

This is basically AoT but instead of being in a legionnaire we're investigators solving the most uncanny murders with an even more exceptional head detective. 

What I like the most from this book are:
- The plant-based world building elements (yes we have titans and 3 WALLS sounds familiar right, I know), but aside from that we have a contagion grass, tree, worms, fernpaper, moss?!!  Love it. So unique and refreshing seeing it well written and delivered.
- the SFF aspect. The peoples' ability.... The change to go through... Their characteristics.... Love it.
- the characters. Din and Ana banters!!!
- the layered plot and plot twists. For a murder mystery, some of them are predictable but still very enjoyable. This book is being easy on readers, don't worry. It's complex but not so bcs we'll make sure to explain and summarise it for u. The plot twists are just keep happening till the very last page. Wait for it.
- the hints are actually clear from the beginning~ 

All and all very enjoyable. Highly recommended 👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾

Can't wait to dive it the sequel, A Drop of Corruption 

Pekan baca Palestina berakhir tanggal 5 Desember kemarin dan buku ini adalah salah satu yang berhasil kubaca-habis. Buku ini terbit tahun 2024 dan berisikan puisi2 yang ditulis oleh seniman2 Palestina dimanapun mereka berada; dari tenda pengungsian, jalanan, di dalam gedung sekolah. Ditengah segala yang terjadi, dan Tetap Mereka Menulis. 

Isinya banyak yang sedih. Tapi bener2 indah penulisannya 🥲 I hope my Indonesian translation does it justice. Dan semoga temen2 jadi lebih banyak yg mau amplifying Falastin voice and againts complicity. Yuk sama2 kita berusaha untuk ga support apapun yg punya keterlibatan mendukung gen*sida di Palestina. Please do kindly remind me juga ya if I missed atau gatau atau ga update.

Ilustrasinya bagus-bagus. Kombinasi warna oke bgt. Jujur gacocok dibaca di kindle wkwkwk 😭 better d tap atau HP. Atau yang paling bagus sih kalau bis diprinta ya hehehe

Chapbook ini kemarin disediakan gratis oleh penerbitnya ❤️💚 

Amplify, advocate, print, buat donasi, kasih donasi, atau yang kita semua pasti bisa: baca, baca, baca, baca

The first book I finished in 2025 left me devastated (affectionate)

Dearest Madam S. K. Ali, with all due respects, YOU'VE DONE IT AGAIN. Yes, please write more sff!!! The potential is there and it's well executed 👌🏾

The idea about toppling down tyrannical government, bodily autonomy, free will, freedom in general, and how the faults is in the system was well delivered.

I love the characters development

(Raisa, especially!!! And I'm down bad for Musaid and Nayf corruption arc. You can never make me love Lein, tho.)

. Loving how their train of thought differentiate how they will take actions. Characters with personality and SHORT CHAPTERS never goes wrong. 

The world building is... probably is a bit hard to get into but once you do, it's not very hard to follow. 

The story revolved around an abduction of the daughter from the Upper Earth's council member daughter, Raisa, who is about to be married with the son of Lower Earth's leader, Lein. This marriage will also seal the agreement in which people of the lower earth will be "knitted" and "scalplinked" in the name of civilization and modernization. The Enlightenment from the Upper Earth. The scalplink is able to control one's mind. Thus, the erasure of free will, free mind. Of course there is a rebellion organisation that opposed this agenda, that leads to the abduction. Turned out, it revealed more intricts, plays, hidden agendas, questioning trust and demand huge amount of sacrifices. 

As a sci-fi debut, the story was great. It's hard but also gentle in it's writing. It doesn't shy away from the shitocery of the world. How it reflects what we're going through in reality. 

The plot is neatly written, meanwhile, with that many characters and their alias, and who their fledge for, it might be hard to comprehend as a whole and borderline all over the place. For me personally, I enjoy this so much. But I can see how it may be a problem for some people. 

However, it's been a long while I've read a good dystopian book!!! This is such a fresh air amidst the usual fantasy I'm reading. Love it!

If you're into a book about resistance, "the necessity of violence", revolution, freedom, political and kingdom intricts, laced with immersive world building and its unique invention, give this book a go!!!

I don't get it.
This isn't the book for me. Definitely a me problem bcs I think I'm too stupid to comprehend the stories 🥲

Beda kyk Tiga Dalam Kayu, in the end aku "nangkep" garis besarnya apa dan ceritanya ada garis merahnya. Kalo ini I feel like the story stood on its own dan emg ga nyambung satu sama lain. Tapi ini normal si buat buku kumpulan cerpen. Cuma buatku gaya bahasanya yang beda2 bgt dan konflik yang lompat2 agak bikin mikir bgt 😭 belum lagi semua ceritanya implisit. Tiap selesai baca 1 cerpen ini maksudnya apa ya 😭😭😭 NOT TO MENTION THE GORE AND TRIGGER WARNING YAAllah. Bikin langsung kepikiran and ended up not enjoying it to the fullest.... Mungkin karena ada beberapa cerita yang udah pernah terbit sebelumnya di antologi lain, jadi kejomplangannya kerasa bgt sih buatku._. 

Ada 8 cerita, favoritku so far 2, yang judulnya Kin (Si Kurang Ajar) dan Kubur. The last to stories, Kelana and Kambing, are sooooooo (merinding)

At this point it feels excruciating to finish the book :( 

Sebenernya dulu pernah ikut diskusi buku ini sama Kak Ziggy online. Seru bgt sebenarnya diskusinya. Walaupun udah dispoiler beberapa ternyata pas baca langsung TETEP BINGUNG 😭😭😭 wkwkwk tapi inget si dulu Pingu pernah bilang, gausah dipikir berat. Enjoy aja. Soalnya banyak pertanyaan kita yng sebenernya ga sedalem itu maknanya. We tend to overcomplicated things WKWK LOL😭😭😭 

Bukan cuma penulisnya yang bisa bikin buku Tanpa Rencana, akulah pembaca yang tanpa rencana beli buku baru, tiba2 ikut PO di hari terakhir🫠 and I'm glad I did. Ini kyknya buku Bu Suri pertama yang signed (dari semua yang aku punya).

Tanpa Rencana was a rollercoaster read. Kadang dibikin pilu, kadang heartwarming, kadang ngekek, pokoknya campur aduk. It speaks a lot more vulnerability side that what I've ever read. Bukunya jujur blak-blakan bgt. Tapi cerpen2nya aku suka!!!! Mostly berakhir heartwarming 🥺 Adam Garam ngasih sensasi penasaran dan lega, Temu bikin hati nyaman bgt walaupun penuh perjuangan, Tentang Jakarta juga sangat sangat relatable. Apalagi diakhiri dengan TAI 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾 (pun intended)

Talking about the Supernova Lounge.... PLEASE DONT PLAY WITH MY FEELINGS
Suka bgt bgt bgt I didn't expect it to be out that way😭 I literally screamed wtf was that (affectionate)

Salah satu highlight lain di buku ini adalah eksplorasi dan ekspresi duka dan kehilangan. It felt very personal and touching. I might not in her shoes, but I can feel it.

All and all, buku ini kurekomendasikan untuk dibaca. Bisa dihabiskan sekali duduk atau diselang beberapa hari, dinikmati sambil menyeruput teh hangat di teras rumah berteman angin sepoi-sepoi~

Cocok dibaca kalo kamu suka kumpulan cerita pendek, abstrak, diary-like writing. Kalo kamu udah suka dari jaman Rectroverso (my love), Madre, dan Filosofi Kopi, ga bakal kecewa deh baca ini. Ilustrasinya juga kece2~ 

Dear Ibu Suri kesayangan kita semua, you will always be loved by me 🫶🏾

Enemies to lovers done right. Loving the banter so much. The spice was spicing hottttt

The plot is thoroughly written. Thought it would be a no brainer book, but this book caught me offguard bcs there are some deep reasons and background the characters are going through. 

Loving the side characters, too. Alba Jamie and a whole lot of Andrien family.

The only let down is there are so many unnecessarily repetitive sentences. 

If you're into contemporary romance that is sexy, deep connection, he fell first, and billionaire romance in good hands, give it a go✨