Top 5 Authors I Admire

Whoa! It's been a week since my last post! >_<

Yeah, I'm at home, so I've been leyeh-leyeh-ing all day long, curling up in my bed, and not caring about the world. Also, the internet at home was being some kinda b*tch, causing all the late posting. *lame-o reason, I know*

Anyway, let's get it on with the Top 5 Challenge, shall we?

This time for the challenge is my favorite author. Hmm. Let's just have at it.

1. John Grisham

He's my most favorite story-teller. He knows damn well how to make the story line goes smooth and interesting. I never know what's gonna happen next whenever I read one of his books. I mean, I always guess, but then I always be wrong, you know? And I hate it when I can guess what's gonna happen, what's the twist, and so on, so I love Grisham's way of story telling. He's a bit lacking in putting a gorgeous ending in each of his book, though. But, I don't mind it, I enjoy the journey. I haven't read all of his published books, but I'm on my way. ;)

2. Meg Cabot

I know none of his book made my top 5 list, but honestly, I love all her books that I've read. Except maybe for All American Girl, but that's only one book, so we can just forget about it. Also, it's too hard for me to pick just one to put on the list. But really, her writing is so easy-digested, perfect for a light-in-between reading.

3. J. K. Rowling

All right, I have to put her on the list. Harry Potter series is one of my very first book collection and also has some influence in my book genre preference. Okay fine, big influence. Not only that, the research for the series was also amazing. I can't tell you why I said amazing, because I totally forget all the details. I only remember it being amazing, so just accept it, 'kay? *sesuka hati*

4. Michael Crichton

The late Michael Crichton was probably one of awesome authors whose most of his books made into movies. It's not just one or two, it's more than that! There's Jurassic Park, The Lost World, Timeline, Sphere, Rising Sun, and more, way more. Which other author has the privilege of having most of his books turns into movies? And I'm talking different title, not a series or some recurring character or something. Wasn't he great?

5. Dee a.k.a Dewi Lestari

Yeah, finally a local writer. It's not that I don't like Indonesian writers, it's just that I don't read a lot of Indonesian books. I don't even have any of Dee's books. I like them, love them, but not interested in having them. I don't know why, it's weird. Anyway, the first Dee's book that I read was Supernova: Akar. I rent the book from my high school's library and I'm telling you, I didn't understand what was happening in the book. Years later, came Rectoverso. I was already in college and my close friend just bought the book. Having nothing else to do in class, it was a boring-large-you-couldn't-even-see-the-lecturer class, I tried reading it. I loved it. I even shed tears. Then I try reading Perahu Kertas and Filosofi Kopi. Loved them. I know I just only read a few of her books, and all of them was lent from a friend, but I know she's very talented with words and I admire her for that.

In conclusion, a well-laid plot and thorough research will always win me over. I'm complicated like that. *trololololol* *kidding* *not really, though* :P

p.s. I guess I'm gonna catch up to the challenge list, and I'm like 6 posts behind, so, behold, lots-a posts a-coming! *fingers-crossed*

Top 5 Songs I've Been Replaying Lately

I'm not really in a mood to post, but since I've made the commitment, I gotta make post.

Without further ado, here's the list.

1. G-Dragon - 크레용 (Crayon)

2. G-Dragon - One Of A Kind

3. Maroon 5 - One More Night

4. G-Dragon - That XX (그XX)

5. Blok B - 닐리리맘보 (Nillili Mambo)

Yea, I'm a K-Pop fan, a VIP and Blackjack to be exact. :P

But I'm not a hardcore fan or anything like that. I just think BIGBANG and 2NE1 are awesome. And full of swag.

Anyway, I feel like I have to elaborate each point on the list, but I'm kinda lazy, so I just hyperlink each song to youtube. You know, just in case any of you beloved reader want to hear the song.

Well, I guess that's all. See ya on the next Top 5 list! :3

Top 5 (Favorite) Movies of All Time

For day 5, the category is 'Movie'. This is way more difficult than I thought. I have far too many favorite movies. But after some debating with myself, I think I'm just gonna go with these 5 titles.

1. The Lion King (1994)

I know I was only 4 years old when the movie's released, for the first time, but I've been watching this movie so often that I can reenact some scenes perfectly with all the lines and intonations. This is the Disney movie I grew up with.

Here's my favorite scene and lines in the movie:

Banzai: Yeah, be prepared! We'll be prepared... for what? 

Scar: For the death of the king!  

Banzai: Why? Is he sick?  

Scar: No, fool, we're going to kill him. And Simba, too.  

Shenzi: Hey, great idea! Who needs a king?  

Banzai, Shenzi: [singing and dancing around Ed] No king, no king, la la la la la la...  

Scar: Idiots! There will *be* a king!  

Banzai: Hey, but you said that...  

Scar: *I* will be king. Stick with me, and you'll never go hungry again!  

Banzai, Shenzi: Yeah, all right! Long live the king! [other hyenas join in]  

Banzai, Shenzi: Long live the king! Long live the king!  

2. Exam (2009)

If you look this movie up on IMDB, its rating is actually not quite good. But I think, this movie is beyond genius. The movie is 101 minutes long, with only 1 main background setting and only 10 talents in total. I mean, how genius is that? With that kind of 'condition', the movie's plot is like the number 1 selling point, right? And  this time around, finding a movie with a decent plot is not as easy as I want. 

There's this 1 Hollywood movie I watched, with all the explosion and crazy ass amazing CG. I liked the prequel, and was kinda hoping that the sequel would be at least as good. But when I watch it, I was like, what the what? That movie's production must spend a fortune, and the story line couldn't suck more. See what I mean?

I believe there are some other movie, that's not a drama, that have great story line. But I think Exam is just exceptional with only 1 main background setting and only 10 cast members.

3. Finding Nemo (2003)

This movie's just full of lessons, if you ask me. Marlin kinda reminds me of someone I know, and I totally get how Nemo felt.

And Dory? How adorable is she? With the "just keep swimming, just keep swimming..." and all the optimism, she's easily my favorite character in Finding Nemo.

And the sharks? The Australian turtles? Clever jokes. Me likey.

Don't forget everyone, fish are friends, not food.

Kidding. I love seafood.

4. RocknRolla (2008)

I love European guys in a movie, British men in particular. But among all, I love Gerard Butler the most. He's just hot.

When this movie was shown on TV, and I noticed Gary Butler was in it, I thought, I gotta have that movie and watch it properly, 'cause you know, in our local TV, there's a lot of things they censored out and I can't watch a movie like that.

So I got the movie, and watched it, and fell in love. Gary Butler is just as hot as ever, but there's this one character who's even hotter. His name (the character) was Archy, and he's played by Mark Strong. Weird thing is, I don't find Mark Strong as hot as Archy.

Archy was the character narrating the movie. I don't know but I have a thing for a movie with a narration, especially if the voice of the narrator is irresistible. In short, Archy is exactly how I imagined a perfect old-school British man would be like, and I like it.

5. Face/Off (1997)

John Travolta and Nicolas Cage's acting is unbelievably amazing in this movie. Both make a great protagonist and antagonist. Confused?

In this movie, Travolta and Cage kinda switched roles. Travolta was originally the good guy, and Cage was the crazy bad guy. Then the crisis happened, and suddenly Cage was the good guy, and Travolta was the bad guy. Got it?

They actually switched faces. That's why the movie's called Face/Off, 'cause Travolta and Cage both had their faces 'off' their head and 'on' to the other head. I know, they're nothing like each other. But their acting? Whew~

Also, the characters' names in the movie are somewhat based on Greek and Roman myth/tale. Cage was Castor Troy, his brother was Pollux Troy, and Travolta was Sean Archer. Yet another reason to put this on the top 5 list. :D

So, I guess that's it. I still have other titles in my mind, but let's just say this 5 is my have-to-be-on-the-list favorite movies. 'kay? :P

What a long post, huh?

Top 5 Animals I Wish I Could Have

I'm not a pet person, but there are actually some animals that I think would be nice to be kept as a pet.

Those animals are:

1. Tiger

Look at it, how majestic is it? Every time I watch Aladdin, I'm always jealous of Princess Jasmine. Not just because Aladdin's one hot lad but also because she has a tiger pet. To me, tigers are just so beautiful. My favorite animal, ever.

2. Polar Bear

They're super cute. So fluffy and pillow-like. God, I wish I could have one to hug and cuddle with, and still be alive afterwards.

3. Black Panther

Just how mysterious looking are they, right? I know they kinda look just like a big black cat, but, I don't know, there's something about them.

4. Penguin

They wear tux and they walk funny. Also, they mate for life. I think that's enough reasons to love them.

5. Siberian Husky

I think of all the animals I listed above, Siberian Husky is the only one that is common as pet. But, since I'm a Moslem, and honestly, afraid of dogs, I can't have it. They're so handsome, though. Their eyes are just...., oh God.

Top 5 Places To Visit Before I Die

There's a saying; a picture is worth a thousand words. Let's just do that.

Here comes the list (of pictures, I know).

1. The Bahamas

2. Italy

3. France

4. Spain

5. Tahiti Island

Oh I need a getaway. A get-out-of-a-city-away.

source: google.com

Top 5 Books That I Love

Yow!

Jadi kategori pertama adalah 'Books'. Gampang-gampang susah nih kayaknya. Let's just start with the list, shall we? :D

1. The Amulet of Samarkand (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, #1), by Jonathan Stroud

Mungkin buku ini biasa aja buat orang lain, tapi buat gw buku ini berkesan banget. Cara narasi-nya menurut gw unik, apalagi footnote-footnote konyol di bab-bab Bartimaeus. Plot-wise, sebetulnya standar aja, tapi karakter-karakternya bro, sangat kuat. Bart, Nate, dan Kitty itu karakter yang spesial banget buat gw. I love them. Even the other magical trio, if you know who I mean, didn't make this kinda impression on me.

Another thing that I love from the book is Stroud's view on the magic world. It's uniquely different, and weirdly believable.

As for why this book is number 1? Karena buku ini adalah buku pertama yang gw baca ulang. And yep, only the first book of the trilogy. The other two books are equally good, but you'll never forget your first, won't you? ;P

2. The Partner, by John Grisham

Oke, siapa yang belum pernah denger nama John Grisham? Semua pencinta buku pasti pernah deh ya denger namanya. Denger aja, atau liat namanya di toko buku, pasti pernah dong ya. *maksa*

Jujur aja, genre favorit gw itu fantasy atau adventure juga boleh deh. Kok bisa bukunya Grisham masuk list favorite books? Jadi gini awalnya. Di rumah itu banyak buku karangannya pak Grisham soalnya bokap gw suka banget sama buku-buku karangannya dia. Nah, pas waktu itu, gw lagi keabisan bacaan. Bete, hilir mudik *lebay*, gw liat-liat lemari buku bokap gw. Penasaran juga, kayak apa sih bukunya John Grisham itu? Pilih-pilih, baca-baca sinopsis belakangnya, akhirnya si The Partner inilah yang kepilih buat gw coba baca.

And you know what, I was hooked. Caranya si John Grisham cerita di buku ini tuh pinter banget, gw gak ngerti lagi. Alurnya baguuus. Gw baca itu buku semaleman, gak pake tidur, and by morning, I was already  a Grisham fan.

3. Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, #1), by Eoin Colfer

Gw sebetulnya suka semua buku di serinya sih, tapi karna judulnya Top 5 Books, jadi 'terpaksa' deh pilih yang nomor 1.

What I love from the book or the series is pretty much everything. I love how genius young Artemis is, how strong Butler is, how heroic Holly is, how disgusting Diggums is, and how the characters grow throughout the plot.

Each book has different crisis and in every book the adventure of Arty, Butler, Holly, and Diggums never fail to amuse me. Di Indonesia bukunya baru terbit sampe jilid 5, jadi gw baru baca sampe jilid 5, and I hardly can wait to read the next book.

On a side note, I really think that Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson would make a great, if not best, Domovoi Butler.

4. Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett

Gw sebenernya gak niat beli buku ini. Pas lagi liat-liat buku yang mau dibeli, gw liat buku ini. First judgement, covernya menarik, sinopsis belakangnya juga sesuai selera. Sempet ragu awalnya, harganya lumayan soalnya, tapi karna emang lagi butuh bacaan, akhirnya gw beli. Trus gw juga udah pernah baca salah satu buku karangannya Neil Gaiman, Interworld, dan menurut gw lumayan, jadi dicoba aja deh.

Gw suka banget humornya di buku ini. Ada banyak banget sarcasm dan irony. Not to mention, the idea of the good and bad side in this book, I just love it.

Buku ini mungkin agak religion-insensitive kalo dipikir-pikir. But hey, who doesn't like a little controversial read every now and then, right? :D

5. The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield

Finally, a female writer, haha. Nggak sengaja juga sih ini, emang penulis-penulis favorit saya mayoritas lelaki, maklum saja ya. :P

Menurut gw yang paling keren di buku ini adalah plotnya. Alurnya smooth banget , bikin penasaran terus-terusan, dan twist di endingnya sukses bikin buku ini jadi salah satu buku favorit gw.

Di awal-awal cerita gw ngerasa agak lambat alurnya, dan agak boring, tapi begitu masuk ke tale-nya Ms. Vida Winter, langsung gak bisa berenti. Kayaknya karena inti ceritanya penuh skandal dan rahasia keluarga yang kelam ala Greek myth and tale deh gw tertarik banget sama buku ini.


So, those are my top 5 favorite books. It's actually not as hard as I thought it'd be. I mean, I do have a lot of books that I like, but these 5 books, I wouldn't mind to read them over and over and over again and still not be bored of them.

Okei then, see you on the next category of the challenge!

Yeah I Did It Again & The Top 5 Challenge

Oke gw bisa bikin banyak banget alesan as for why I didn't make any post sejak bulan Agustus. Sayangnya gw males beralasan dan gw yakin gak ada juga yang mau tau, ya kan? Setuju aja deh biar cepet, oke oke?

Tapi selama gw gak posting, gw bukannya gak buka-buka blogger sama sekali loh. Dashboard blogger selalu gw buka, tiap hari. Nah, kemudian suatu hari *lebay*, salah seorang blogger yang gw follow nge-post satu challenge yang dia bikin sendiri.

Here's the post, in case any of you reader interested: The Top 5

Awalnya gw biasa aja, tapi setelah post-nya yang kesekian, eh kayaknya kok asik ya, jadi pengen ikutan, hihihi.  Maka gw tanyalah ke yang punya challenge, a.k.a Cella, boleh gak pinjem challenge-nya, dan dia bilang boleh. So here goes

The challenge is that I have to make post about my own version of top/most liked/favorite/best/what-have-you 5 of these 20 categories;

1. Books That I Love
2. Places To Visit Before I Die
3. Animals I Wish I Could Have
4. (Favorite) Movies of All Time
5. Songs I've Been Replaying Lately
6. Authors
7. Singers
8. Foods
9. Fashion Items
10. Actors
11. Actresses
12. Inspirational Quotes
13. Wildest Ambitions
14. Things You Can't Live Without
15. Places That You've Ever Visited
16. Beauty Related Wish-list
17. Gift Wish-list
18. Things To Do on New Year's Eve
19. Best Things on 2012
20. New Year's Resolution for 2013

If anybody notices, gw ngeganti beberapa poin kategori dari original challenge-nya, kayak nomor 10, 11, ama 12. Trus, since I don't celebrate Christmas, I also made some changes on the Christmas related category, and added my own as no.20, New Year's Resolution for 2013. I have my reasons, and Cella, if you read this, I hope you don't mind. >_<

So I'm gonna start doing the challenge tonight, and hopefully I'll be finished before 2013.

Semoga selesai ya bray. Mulaai~