Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth (2010)

Authored by Jeff Kinney
Original language: English
Genre: Realistic fiction/Comedy
217 pages

"Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth" is the fifth book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. This book tells about the friendship Greg and Rowley and whether they will remain friends or not. This book also tells about the experience of Greg in middle school.

Greg finds himself in his final year in high school, where he began to pass through puberty. He tries to get popularity points at school with a textbook, audition for a local ice cream advertisement for an ice cream company, but he fails.

He also through some problems such as his mother will be going back to college for a few months, so the Heffley men must take care of themselves, and most stability falls apart.

It's preceded by "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days" (2009), and going to be followed by "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever" which will be released on November 15, 2011.

Eiffel, Tolong! (2009)

Authored by Clio Freya
Language: Indonesian/Bahasa
Genre: Teenlit/Teen fiction/Adventure
343 pages

Dang! Here I go again. Well this time I'm going to tell you about a novel or teenlit from Indonesia, it's called "Eiffel, Tolong!" or "Eiffel, Help!" It has interesting and yet cool plot. Love this book! :)

The story is about Fey Regina Wiranata- who has just climbed into third grade school. Her parents informed her that she's enrolled in French courses for two weeks in Paris. 

Once set foot in Paris, she's kidnapped by a man who asked her to pretend to be a Malaysian girl named Seena. Since then, Fay has double lives for two weeks. Become an accidental spy if I could say haha.. Problems begin to arise when Fay falls in love with Kent, the nephew of the kidnapper. Fay's life is also increasingly worse when it appears Reno, her course friend. Will Fay carry out her mission and return home safely?

Time Traveler's Wife (2003)

Authored by Audrey Niffenegger
Original language: English
Genre: Science fiction/Romance
546 pages

The story is about Henry De Tamble, who has an ability to explore the time. He can suddenly disappear and appear in unrecognized places. Ten years ago or that will come, while exploring time, he meets Clare Abshire, a girl who lives in Michigan, and then there's a love story. Problems arise because at the age of Henry's back and forth according to its location in time, Clare is on the increase with age normal. But this book is in a way that is so soft and smooth, so this book is not just ordinary love story. I think that the story focuses on Clare Abshire's live, the readers will be able to capture the beauty and strangeness of life. This book was adapted into a movie of the same title in 2009.

Audrey Niffenegger on The Time Traveler's Wife, Part 1

Audrey Niffenegger on The Time Traveler's Wife, Part 2

The Nearest Exit (2010)

Authored by Olen Steinhauer

http://www.olensteinhauer.com/

Original language: English

Genre: Thriller/Crime

416 pages

Weaver's back! Though I haven't read it, seems like this book is an emotionally powerful read. It's pretty hard to find this at bookstores in my country, or maybe it's just because it hasn't been released here yet. I ought to buy this book as soon as it's  released. The curiosity of what's gonna happen next (after "The Tourist") is still swimming in my head :O

"The Nearest Exit" is about Milo Weaver's continuation of life after the events in "The Tourist". He's back in action on the tourism world, after jailed for various charges. Previously he was just a tourist who obeys the rules such as "Do not ask questions. Do not form attachments. Do not look back", he was trained to kill and keep moving. But this time he has to undergo various tests of loyalty, one of which is to kill the 15 year old girl. But for the first time, Weaver doesn't obey the orders.

When a security breach threatens the very existence of Tourism, he has to choose between saving his job, his family, or maybe himself.

In Germany, the book is called "The Last Exit", and translated to German by Friedrich Mader.

I heard that this book is going to be followed by "American Express" or "An American Spy", I ain't really sure about the title.

Pride and Prejudice (1813)

Authored by Jane Austen
Original language: English
Genre: Romance/Novel of manners/Satire/Classic

The story is about Elizabeth Bennet, one of Mr and Mrs Bennet five daughters. Mr and Mrs Bennet have no sons, and that conduces his wife and daughters will be left without any inheritance, money or even a house if Mr Bennet dies, because the inheritance has to be given to his cousin, Mr. Collins. So it becomes important to Mrs. Bennet that at least one of her daughters will marry a man who can protect their wealth. Then one day, Mrs. Bennet is quite interested when there's a news about rich people who move into Netherfield, nearby their area. For the sake of her daughters, Mrs. Bennet immediately urged her husband to meet with the newly arrived neighbor, Mr. Bingley. Some of the Bingley family members will attend the ball. Mr.Bingley has a cousin, Fitzwilliam Darcy, but for Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy appearance is so annoying.

Elizabeth never thought his life should always collides with Mr. Darcy. Although Mr. Darcy is the target of many women because of his wealth, Elizabeth is not interested in him at all. His pride and arrogance make ​​her sick. Elizabeth suspect the possibility of Mr. Darcy has a big role in a thwarted love affair between her sister and Mr. Bingley. She thinks that Mr. Darcy isn't more than most of the the noblemen who despise people under their social status. But then a letter came. For the first time, Elizabeth sees the different side of Mr. Darcy that she never would have thought so far. And before she managed to accept the situation, Elizabeth knew, the man who she has always avoided is the one who secretly been in love with.

The book was adapted into TV series in 1980 & 1995, and also movie in 2005.
This is the snippet of 1995's mini series, Love this version of Mr. Darcy so much!! XD

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1963)

Authored by John le Carré

Original language: English

Genre: Spy novel

240 pages (Paperback)

256 pages (Hardback)

Finally I got the time for doing this, this was a draft for about a week =.=
"The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" is one of the George Smiley series written by John Le Carré. It's about Alec Leamas, a spy for the United Kingdom who already resigned from the Circus (British Secret Intelligence Service) and the command of Station at The West Berlin office of the British Secret Intelligence Service. He is recalled to the  Circus in London after Karl Riemeck (the last double agent), is shot dead while defecting to West Berlin. Lemas is actually being used by George Smiley, as part of a complicated plan to discredit a great spy of West Germany and Britain, also to help an agent get the power in the West German Secret Service. The novel was selected as one of the All-Time 100 Novels by TIME Magazine. In 2006, Publishers Weekly named it the “best spy novel of all-time”. Preceded by "A Murder of Quality" (1962) and followed by "The Looking-Glass War" (1965). This book was adapted into a movie of the same title in 1965.

The Bourne Ultimatum (1990)

Authored by Robert Ludlum
Original language: English
Genre: Spy/Thriller
672 pages

"The Bourne Ultimatum" is the third novel of Jason Bourne series. The story is about David Webb, a retired assassin for CIA already has a normal live, but his close friends suddenly tell him that he is in danger. To protect his family, David brings them to his brother in law's place, and goes to Virginia. His friends and Webb find out that Carlos a.k.a the Jackal (a legendary assassin) is chasing him. CIA informs the Jackal is in Paris. In Paris, He ought to become Jason Bourne, the identity he has left for years. After gets some information from the Jackal's close people, Webb/Bourne discovers that Carlos operates a charity organization in Paris. He goes there, but then figures out that the Jackal wasn't there. So he sends a message to Carlos/the Jackal that led them to Moscow. In Moscow, Bourne is finally led to him, but the Jackal has a plan to destroy a military training named Novgorod. The series were adapted into movies of the same titles, but they all have absolutely different plots from the books.

Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions (2003)

Authored by Ben Mezrich
http://www.benmezrich.com/
Original language: English
272 pages

"Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions" is about an MIT graduate called Kevin Lewis and another MIT students who was in a Blackjack team and made millions by using their mathematics and card skills. Micky Rosa organized one other team to play it. Conflicts between each other ended this MIT Blackjack Team. Although Mezrich represented it as non-fiction, many of the events didn't really happen in real life. Followed by "Busting Vegas" (2005). The book was adapted into the movie "21". Though I haven't read it, but it seems like this book is terrific :)

Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864)

Authored by Jules Verne

Original title: Voyage au centre de la Terre

Original language: French

Genre: Science fiction/Adventure

The story is about a German professor called Otto Lidenbrock (in the original) or Professor Von Hardwigg (in the English translation) and his nephew Axel (Harry) who believe there are volcanic tubes that can make them going toward the center of the Earth based on a coded note written by Arne Saknussemm in runic script that they found on an original runic manuscript of Icelandic. After they have a journey through Copenhagen and Lübeck, they go to Reykjavik, where they meet Hans Bjelke as their guide to Snæfellsjökull and start the journey. "Journey to The Center of the Earth" is the third book of The Extraordinary Voyages series. Preceded by "The Adventures of Captain Hatteras" (Voyages et aventures du capitaine Hatteras) and followed by "From the Earth to the Moon" (De la Terre à la Lune). This book was adapted into many films. It takes about 2 months for reading this book, maybe it's because I was so busy at school.

I just found the trailer of an old movie in 1978 that based on this book, this version's really faithful to the novel.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2007)

Authored by Jeff Kinney

http://www.wimpykid.com/
Original language: English

Genre: Realistic fiction

224 pages

"Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley's Journal" or "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: A Novel in Cartoons" is the first book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, also known as graphic novel. The story is about Greg Heffley who has an academic year's worth of drama as he enters middle school, and how his life is with his family and friends. Full of funny things :D This book was adapted into a movie of the same title.

Jeff Kinney Talks About Diary of a Wimpy Kid

The movie trailer:

The Tourist (2009)

Authored by Olen Steinhauer.
http://www.olensteinhauer.com/
Original language: English
Genre: Crime/Thriller
416 pages

"The Tourist" is the first book in a projected trilogy of espionage novels by Olen Steinhauer that focused on the main character, Milo Weaver who is a retired Tourist (CIA agent). The story begins with Weaver's (still known as Charles Alexander) last job/mission before his retirement, the mission ends badly. After years and years become a family man who already has a normal live and chooses to work on a desk job, he once again put himself in the world of tourism because a legendary assassin known as The Tiger (the one that Weaver chased for years when he was still a tourist) has caught and also because of Angela Yates (his colleague or best friend) who is suspected of treason. However, the meeting between Weaver and The Tiger pushes him to reveal everything that happened in the past, full of intrigue, secret, etc. In the other hand, he also wants to protect his family. This novel reached #19 on the New York Times Best Seller List. In my country (translated to Indonesian), the book has 473 pages. It's followed by "The Nearest Exit" (2010). Well it's one of my favorite novel :)