Book review: Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine (2017)

Synopsis:

Eleanor Oliphant feels everything in her life is fine until she meet an IT officer named Raymond and both of them save Sammy and both of them has a lot to share about.

Review:

I think this book is more about friendship between Raymond and Eleanor instead of romance itself. While in the end, it is clearly that Raymond invited Eleanor to attend the concert together and both of them seem to see each other regularly and completely enjoying each other company. Raymond always help Eleanor for her well being and Raymond always give her emotional support.

This book give me another insight about romance. Romance isn't always about sexual things. Yet, there are a lot of connections we can see between Eleanor and Raymond. How they support each other emotionally and enjoying each other company. How they just make each other life towards better than before. I think that is what love is all about.

I really enjoy this book and I take sometimes to indulge myself in reading this novel and feel hard to say good bye to this book. This book definetly is a must read fiction/friendship book.

Rating: 4/5

Kind regards,

Selene.

Ace Water Spa

Dear All,

It have been a long time since I write my last review. I am sorry for that. It's because of my new job. Hope you guys don't mind. Anyway, now I want to write a different review. I want to review one place that I really like and enjoy right now. Yes, maybe you can guess from the name. It's Ace Water Spa. The location is in Pasig and Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. The place is clean and organized. There are guards and you have to use proper swimming attire and caps. So don't worry about out of "nowhere" people ^^. You get 4 hours to play in the water. But for me, it's more than enough. Even if you get over time, the over time price is just 100 php per hour. The price is the same for weekday or weekend. But I suggest you go on weekday so there's less people.  

Ace Water Spa is premier hydrotherapy massage according to their websites. I really like it because it feels like you are going to spa but instead of someone massage you, you use the water to massage you. You can choose from soft, medium, and hard jet pump water to spray your body. Personally, I really like their rainfall accupunture and bubble bed. It's really relaxing. Besides, what I also really like is their hot herbal spa. There are Jasmine, Rose, Mint, and Lavender. The hottest one is Lavender with 40 degree Celcius. It's really hot but at the same time relaxing. It was suggested to use the spa for 1-2 minutes. After that you throw into cold pool for about 30 seconds for cold immersion therapy experience. So, you subject your body to very hot and very cold water in order to make your body stronger. At first maybe you thought it's an unpleasant experience but no, it's really enjoyable. But if you are sick, maybe you should not do this. 

Besides the jet pump, there's also lazy river where you can just lay down with mattress and let the water carry you forward. They also have lap pools for people who want to swim properly. Last but not least, the price itself is not too cheap but also not too expensive. With metrodeal, you just need to pay around 385 php or about $10. For me, it's worth it. Unfortunately, the location itself is quite far from my place, especially with every time surge pricing Grab. The total cost is around $25 including transport. Of course it could be cheaper if you use public transport. 

I just remember that there's Ace VIP card that you can buy for around 1385 peso or about $40. You get many benefits with this card. For me, maybe it's not the right time to buy this card since I don't know how long I will stay in Philippines. But maybe someday in the future because I really like this place. 

Update

If somehow by miracle, I will stay longer in Philippines. I will definitely buy this card. But for now, I think I may have to move to another country. But I will always remember about this place and memory I have during my stay here.



Regards,
Angela

Book review: Turtles All The Way Down (2017)

Synopsis: 

Sixteen year old Aza Holmes together with her best friend Daisy tried to solve the dissapearance of billionaire Russell Pickett. They aim to get the $100,000 rewards for finding the billionaire whereabout. 

Review:

This book is really beyond my imagination, in the good way. I never read John Green novel before and this one definitely my favorite. I watched 'The fault in our stars and that movie also touch me as well. 

Aza Holmes, an anxious high school girl who tried to be best in everything she's done. She wants to be a good daughter, a good best friend to Daisy, a good girlfriend and maybe a good detective too. This book really has a good plot and I really enjoy reading it. Even I was sobbing while reading it. I mean Aza' character will touch your heart because that kind of anxiety really happens around us. I like the love connection between Aza and Davis too. I think the ending implying that two of them somehow will end up together, I hope that too.

This book is definetly a must read fiction book of this year. I really recommend it. I hardly put down this book, because this book just so touching and emotionally deep. 

Rating: 4.5/5 stars.

Kind regards, 

Selene.

Book review: The Fragile Ordinary (2018)

Synopsis: 

Comet Caldwell is ordinary girl who loves book very much and likes to experiment with her clothes. She just feel her life is as boring as she is until she meet Tobias King, who makes her life and her feeling upside down.

Review:

I understand the world of Comet Caldwell, I've been there when I was a teenager. It's like turn back time to where all I was thinking is just fiction books and clothes. Comet always wonder how kisses and hugs and intimate with guys feels like, will those be similar to romance books she read? I think almost every girl has that kind of curiousity.

Since she'd met Tobias King, she felt her world rocked upside down. Tobias befriend with Stevie who is drug addict and his fellows who did the same. They did not care about study and act as rebellious students, like mocking the teachers and made dirty jokes. Since Comet loved Tobias so much, she tried to befriend with Stevie, until she felt that she can't accept the drug habit of Steview, she wants to  cut her friend relationship with Stevie and his crew. Apparently they dislike the act of both Tobias and Comet. So they keep torment both of them with nasty acts and words. Comet and Tobias tried their best to endure their nasty behaviours.

Comet herself has problem with her parents. She felt her mother had jealousy issues towards her and treating her like a stranger. She never care about Comet. All her mother care just her husband, Kyle. Even her parents asked Comet to call them by name directly. So when Comet met Tobias, she felt that he is her source of love, the only one who can fully love her. Until oneday, something bad happens to Steview and they lost him and this changed the life of others who ever know Stevie, including Tobias and Comet.

This book has a good plot and writes the emotion of Comet towards Tobias beautifully. I always liked Samantha Young' writting, including this one. I like Comet's poetries. Anyway, I never see something like Comet' parents issue, where a mother is always asked her husband attention very much and Kyle as her husband follow what she wants and they are very romantic until they forget about Comet. It's sound surreal for me. Most of what we see these days is parents who loved their kids too much until they forget to be together again and become distant with each other.

Overall, this is a good book if you're looking into romance or high school romance books or even just family romance books, you definitely have to grab this one.

Rating : 4.2/5

Best regards,

~Selene.