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Tell Me Three Things

Julie Buxbaum

Start date: August 2, 2016

Finish date: August 30, 2016

Discussion: August 2016 Book Discussions

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August 2016 Book Discussions

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August Group Read Nominations
By Ayunda · 12 posts · 17 views

last updated Jul 27, 2016 11:41AM

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Aug 04, 2016 mollusskka rated it liked it · review of another edition

Tell me three things I don’t know about you.

Jessie is having the worst time of her life. At least, that's what she thinks. She's (still) been dealing with her mom's death since the last two years and her father remarried with a rich woman who lives in L.A. So, without even having a chance to speak her mind, she moves to this new, strange and luxurious house. Yes, you read it right. LUXURIOUS and Jessie don't feel good about it. (Well, clearly she's not me. I get it) And she's having a hard t Tell me three things I don’t know about you.

Jessie is having the worst time of her life. At least, that's what she thinks. She's (still) been dealing with her mom's death since the last two years and her father remarried with a rich woman who lives in L.A. So, without even having a chance to speak her mind, she moves to this new, strange and luxurious house. Yes, you read it right. LUXURIOUS and Jessie don't feel good about it. (Well, clearly she's not me. I get it) And she's having a hard time adapting with her new school and she's bullied. Until one day someone with an alias Somebody Nobody/SN sends her an email. Since then they become online friends. And of course they finally meet in real life.

And now let me TELL YOU THREE THINGS about this book:

1. I hate how it started with numbers. I suck at numbers and the author already made me count the days. It confused me already. But after these numbers stuff, the writing style is good. I had a good time reading this novel. It's cute and all that. And there's something deep about it. As I wrote above, it's about losing someone you really love and how it leaves you with pain on the inside. And it stays there even when you're living your life like everything's okay. And that "Dear Reader" note did touch my heart. So it's real that it takes years to let go. But somehow I think the author didn't deliver it very well. It just went in the wrong way and not so gripping. That I thought Jessie's sometimes so hard to believe. Are you serious about your grief? You need one example? Okay. Here: I don't understand how Jessie could be so randy about boys, especially Ethan, (she wants to kiss his ear lobe) and thinking about dating a boy name Caleb just at the first time she saw him. And the way Jessie narrated the story... She's too cheerful to be a girl in sorrow. Thank God she loves reading and works in a bookstore that I didn't turn to dislike her. And instead of Jessie, I like Agnes and Dri more.

2. I don't understand the fact that Liam, Ethan and Caleb are parts of the band yet they never seem to hangout together. They often walk on their own. (view spoiler) and it made the uncovering of mysterious SN in the end is lame. So lame. Because honestly this mysterious SN is my main interest in this novel that kept me going. And how did Theo, not play a bigger part in this story? He's her stepbrother and they kinda hated each other. There should've been a better explanation about their lives together.

3. I don't understand Scarlet. (And she has Korean blood! I mean, really?! Enough with the K-pop thing, please!) She and Jessie texted in a good vibe but when Jessie came to visit her, suddenly it was like she didn't want Jessie there. What is wrong with these people? And when Scarlet said Jessie only whined about her life while they were texting, that wasn't true. Jessie did asked about her life too, like how's she doing with Adam and all that. Yes, I'm on Jessie's side here. And what happened to Jessie at her visit did make me sad (And I think this is the best part of the story) How could two besties be like that? And they only two months separated, not years. So, come on! Grow up!

I'm done with my three things. Now how about the ending?

I like the ending. Everything's solved. Not so special, but at least it has something to say to people dealing with loss and having a hard time adapting with a new life. And I hope you'll have a good time reading this novel if you decide to read it. See you ^^

...more

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Aug 07, 2016 Sari Herbita rated it liked it · review of another edition

Awalnya aku kesal dengan si Jessie. Bagaimana tidak? Dia terlalu lebay menganggap hidupnya seperti di neraka. Aku tahu ibunya meninggal, tapi itu kan sudah hampir 2 tahun yang lalu. Mengenai ayahnya menikah lagi, toh si ibu tiri bukan tipe ibu tiri jahat yang kerjaannya hanya memarahi si anak tiri. Ibu tiri Jessie seorang wanita karir yang punya banyak kesibukan yang lebih penting daripada itu. Belum lagi Jessie diberi kuasa penuh di rumah barunya, dan si saudara tiri juga tidak pernah berlaku j Awalnya aku kesal dengan si Jessie. Bagaimana tidak? Dia terlalu lebay menganggap hidupnya seperti di neraka. Aku tahu ibunya meninggal, tapi itu kan sudah hampir 2 tahun yang lalu. Mengenai ayahnya menikah lagi, toh si ibu tiri bukan tipe ibu tiri jahat yang kerjaannya hanya memarahi si anak tiri. Ibu tiri Jessie seorang wanita karir yang punya banyak kesibukan yang lebih penting daripada itu. Belum lagi Jessie diberi kuasa penuh di rumah barunya, dan si saudara tiri juga tidak pernah berlaku jahat.

Keadaan di sekolah Jessie juga tidak buruk - buruk amat. Bukankah wajar seorang anak baru belum mempunyai tempat di lingkungan sekolah? Semua anak baru pasti merasakan hal seperti ini. Malah Jessie bisa dibilang beruntung, dia tidak di-bully hanya karena dia anak baru. Satu - satunya yang jahat kepada Jess hanyalah Gem, itupun dikarenakan rasa cemburu. Jadi wajar kan kalau aku bilang si Jess ini lebay ? >.<

Untungnya ada SN yang selalu muncul untuk menenangkan hati Jess dan hatiku. SN yang selalu muncul dengan manisnya selalu bisa menutup kekurangan yang dibuat Jess. Perasaanku juga sempat terombang - ambing dalam menebak identitas SN di antara Liam, Ethan, Caleb, atau bahkan Theo.

Mendekati ujung, aku baru bisa bersimpatik terhadap Jessie. Pertemuannya kembali dengan Scarlett, sahabatnya, menurutku adalah scene terbaik buku ini. Di situ Scarlett mencurahkan isi hatinya dengan berkata bahwa bukan hanya Jess yang terluka dengan kepindahannya, tapi juga Scarlett karena ditinggalkan. Disini baru Jess sadar bahwa dia terlalu lebay dan terlalu egois, dia bahkan lupa bahwa semua orang memiliki kesulitannya sendiri.

Yang paling aku suka dari buku ini adalah interaksi Jessie dan SN. Komunikasi yang hanya dilakukan melalui e-mail dan IM sangatlah manis. Aku jadi inget dulu juga pernah punya sahabat pena begitu, duluuuuu banget. Jaman - jaman SMA gitu deh, kira - kira 7 tahun yang lalu lah. Astaga tua banget ya aku *baru sadar*

Recommended? Iya kalo kamu suka cerita yang manis semacam All The Boys I've Loved Before ...more

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