MY NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2025 READING WRAP-UP
Eiyo Fadneiras,
Welcome back to Fadima Mooneira. Happy New Year 2026! Whoa!!! I can hardly believe 2025 has come to an end. So, how was your New Year's celebration? My family and I had a different celebration from the one we had in previous years. We celebrated the New Year in the car. Yup, we just returned from a road trip. Hahaha :P But it was a cool one. Hehehe... at least we did something different ^_^
The last pages of 2025 had been a busy moment for me. I hardly had a chance to blog or write something. My family and I had been busy decluttering old stuff. I'm turning 40 this year. So I want my 2026 to be brand new. That's why I'm decluttering everything that doesn't serve the new me.
In this post, I'm going to share my November & December 2025 reading wrap-up. It's a post I was supposed to share earlier. Hahaha :P Okay, now let's not waste time and get started...
#1 A WALK TO REMEMBER
AUTHOR: Nicholas Sparks
PUBLISHER: Warner Books
GENRE: Romance + Slice-of-Life + Self-Discovery
LANGUAGE: English
PAGES: 240 pages
THE STORY
Landon Carter, the ultimate bad boy of Beaufort High, meets Jamie Sullivan unexpectedly. Jamie is the opposite of Landon. She's shy and quiet. She's the daughter of the town's minister. Meeting Jamie changes Landon's life forever. Landon discovers himself, his dreams, and his life purpose. His life started to have meaning. Landon even becomes close to his father.
Landon believes Jamie is his angel and miracle. But Landon does not know that Jamie is suffering from leukemia, and she is dying. When Landon finds out about Jamie's leukemia, he starts praying for miracles to happen to Jamie every day. Will Jamie get her miracle?
MY REVIEW
A Walk To Remember (AWTR) is one of my all-time favorite novels. This is the second time I've read it. Reading it the second time makes me love and appreciate the story more. AWTR is my third favorite Nicholas Sparks novel after The Notebook and The Wedding. AWTR is another divine twin flame love story. Besides romance, AWTR is also about self-discovery. Landon discovers himself through Jamie. He becomes the man he is always meant to be. Landon is not a bad boy after all. He was just a lost soul.
I love Nicholas Sparks's writing style for this novel. It makes me able to feel Landon. It shows Landon's character development. From stoic to gentle. That's brilliant. Nicholas Sparks also portrays good moral values in AWTR. Miracles do not just happen grandly. Simple joys in life are also miracles.
I absolutely love AWTR. I'm giving this novel a 10/10. I highly recommend my fellow bookworms who are into the romance genre to read AWTR. It's a MUST-READ, guys. Plus, AWTR is already listed as an evergreen romance read by book experts.
#2 MAYBE THIS IS LOVE
AUTHOR: Maria Mahat
PUBLISHER: Rumaa Books
GENRE: Romance + Slice-of-Life + Self-Discovery
LANGUAGE: English
PAGES: 317 pages
THE STORY
A hopeless romantic, Sufiah dreams of finding true love. Sufiah has always believed that a good Muslim woman is meant to be with a good Muslim man. Sufiah works hard to be a good Muslimah, hoping that her high school crush, Ustaz Abdul Martin, will reciprocate her love. But unfortunately, he marries someone else. Sufiah gets heartbroken.
Later, Reza enters the scene. Reza is the opposite of the imam figure Sufiah dreams of. However, as the plot unfolds, Sufiah and Reza begin to develop feelings for each other. Both of them are confused and conflicted. Sufiah begins to question everything she thought she knew about love, faith, and destiny. Is Reza Sufiah's destiny?
MY REVIEW
Syukur alhamdulillah, I'm glad that I chose to read this novel. The story has the same vibe as Nicholas Sparks's A Walk To Remember. Maybe This Is Love (MTIL) is more than just a romance story. MTIL is also about self-discovery, faith, dreams, and even family. It's about what we are longing for, what we settle for, and who we are meant to walk this journey with.
In life, we can't predict our future. We never know what we are waiting for. MTIL teaches me to be brave and to surrender to Allah SWT's plans, even though everything is unpredictable and uncertain. Trust that Allah SWT's plan is always the best. What's meant for you will never miss you. And yes, the best love story doesn't have to be perfect, it just needs you ^_^
MTIL is a spiritual love story. I like that the author uses phrases from the Al-Quran and Rumi's quotes in every chapter of this novel. It makes the story more beautiful. MTIL is also a very chic novel. I like that the author uses fashion as one of her premises. As a fashion lover, I found this novel an enjoyable read. And the way Maria Mahat describes the fashion of each character makes it easy for me to visualize them.
The characters that Maria Mahat created for this story are make-believe people. All of them have strengths and flaws. All are prone to making mistakes, yet are forgiving people. Reza is my favorite character in the story. He is so not perfect. But he is sweet and swoon-worthy in his own way. That makes this character special.
Reading MTIL makes me wish to visit Singapore again. I so want to lepak at Haji Lane. Hehehe ^_^ Maria Mahat makes Haji Lane sound chic and hip. The last time I visited Singapore was in 2013. Oh wow! That was 12 years ago :P Overall, I rate this novel 10/10. I love it a lot and will read it again in the future. I highly recommend MTIL to all my fellow bookworms. Trust me, guys, you are going to love MTIL. This novel is a MUST-NOT-MISS for all bookworms.
#3 HATI TERIKAT TAKDIR
AUTHOR: Gee Azeez
PUBLISHER: Karya Publika
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
LANGUAGE: Bahasa Malaysia
PAGES: 490 pages
THE STORY
Girl boss, Azzalea, had always heard stories of Putera Fahad, but she had never met him in person. Putera Fahad is a young conglomerate and the son of Azzalea's family friend. One day, a homeless man named Ipin came to Teratak Azalea (a resort owned by Azzalea) to get a job. Azzalea hired Ipin as the resort's gardener. As days went by, Azzalea and Ipin started to develop feelings for each other. But unfortunately, Ipin did not stay long at Teratak Azalea. He decided to return to his homeland, Sabah.
Not long after that came a charming man named Danial. Danial had an eye for Azzalea. But Azzalea found Danial annoying. But Azzalea did not know that Ipin and Danial had a connection with Putera Fahad. Who is Putera Fahad anyway?
MY REVIEW
Whew! I'm glad I read this novel till the end. I almost DNF it. Sorry, author, I need to be honest that I did not find Hati Terikat Takdir (HTT) an enjoyable read. The story has a very slow pace, and I can't detect the main character's objective. However, I do find the plot of the story unique and interesting. I like that the author uses the azalea flower as the symbol of romance for this story. Azalea is beautiful, unique, and rare. The flower suits the female lead's image. Overall, I rate HTT 7/10. And still recommending my fellow bookworms to check out this book. Just because HTT is not my cup of tea, there is no guarantee it won't be yours either ^_^
#4 SENDIRI
AUTHOR: Tere Liye
PUBLISHER: Sabakgrip
GENRE: Fantasy
LANGUAGE: Bahasa Indonesia
PAGES: 317 pages
THE STORY
The story follows a 70-year-old man named Bambang. Bambang is in grief after losing his beloved wife, Suzi. Bambang dreams of Suzi every night. Those dreams make Bambang believe that Suzi is not dead. Bambang believes that Suzi is probably trapped in another realm or time zone. Bambang vows to search for his beloved wife.
One day, Bambang finds a portal under the bridge where he first met Suzi. Bambang opens the portal, and it leads him into a different realm. Is Suzi in the realm? Will Bambang find Suzi in the realm he enters?
MY REVIEW
Sendiri is the first Bahasa Indonesian novel I've read. Reading in the Indonesian language is a cool experience for me. I learned some new words. Yay me ^_^
Sendiri is quite an enjoyable read. But I need to be honest that it is not a brilliant one for me. The story fascinates me at the beginning. I thought Sendiri was a slice-of-life novel and was going to explore the life of a lonely old man. Well, the blurb gave me the impression. And I was really surprised to find out that Sendiri is actually a fantasy novel.
The pacing grows slow and draggy in the middle of the story. I felt bored. But I like the ending of the story. Yup, Sendiri has a very good ending. I like the moral message of this story. Death is part of life, even though it is hard to accept. Nothing in this world is forever. Everything comes and goes. All you need to do is be grateful for your blessings and appreciate all the people around you.
Overall, I rate this novel 8/10. I do believe Sendiri is a good novel to read. I highly recommend Sendiri to my fellow bookworms who are into the fantasy genre. I'm sure you will enjoy Sendiri, guys.
#5 PUTERI-PUTERI LEGENDA DARI SERATA DUNIA
AUTHOR: Emila Yusof
PUBLISHER: Orked
GENRE: Picture Book/ Children's Book
LANGUAGE: Bahasa Malaysia
PAGES: 42 pages
THE STORY
Puteri-Puteri Legenda Dari Serata Dunia (PPLDSD) is a picture and children's book written and illustrated by Malaysia's famous illustrator, Emila Yusof. This book consists of 17 different stories, 17 princesses from 16 countries. Some princesses are folklore icons, and some are historical icons. Each story consists of two pages - one page for the story, and one for the illustration.
MY REVIEW
If you're a fan of Emila Yusof, this book is a must-have on your shelf. I always love Emila's illustrations of princesses. They're stunning and beautiful. Emila is good at drawing princesses. Plus, she has her own style.
If you love tales of princesses, folklores, and history, this book is a must-not-miss for you. Besides entertaining, the stories in this book give you inspiration and motivate you to become a better version of yourself. Being a princess is not just about owning the title, crown, being beautiful, and wearing luxurious outfits. You have to inspire others to do good. This book can also broaden your knowledge of the world's folklore and history. Overall, I rate PPLDSD 10/10. This book is worth buying and reading. PPLDSD is not just for children. Adults can read it too. Trust me, guys, you're never too old for tales of princesses ^_^
#6 KENJI OSAMA
AUTHOR: Aunie Ayunie
PUBLISHER: Fajar Pakeer
GENRE: New Adult Romance
LANGUAGE: Bahasa Malaysia
PAGES: 594 pages
THE STORY
Kenji Osama is an ultimate rich bad boy who has everything. But Kenji only cares about parties, nightclubs, and girls. Nothing else! But things change when Kenji is forced into an arranged marriage by his father. Kenji is not happy with his father. But things change again when Kenji finds out that the girl he is going to marry is Jasmine Aurora, the one he has been longing for.
Jasmine does not like Kenji. To Jasmine, Kenji is spoiled, childish, and irresponsible. Plus, Jasmine only loves her boyfriend, Sahil. Will Kenji and Jasmine have a happy marriage? Will Kenji win Jasmine's heart?
MY REVIEW
Okay... I'll be honest. I actually don't enjoy Kenji Osama (KO). To me, the story has too many dramas that don't suit the plot and purpose. Plus, the pacing is quite draggy. And I can't detect the moral messages that the author wants her readers to bring home.
However, I do believe that Aunie Ayunie has a good idea when she writes this story. Plus, the male lead, Kenji Osama, is a very interesting character to study. I wish the author would focus more on Kenji's spiritual awakening instead of drama.
Overall, I'm giving this novel a 7/10. Even though I did not enjoy this novel, I still want to recommend it to my fellow bookworms who are into the new adult romance genre to check it out. Just because it is not my cup of tea doesn't mean it's not going to be yours either. Hehehe ^_^ However, there are some mild steamy scenes and adult dialogues in this novel. So Kenji Osama is not a novel for teenagers under 16 to read. Uhuuu...
Okay, so these are the books I've read during November and December 2025. Syukur alhamdulillah, I had two good reading months before 2025 ended. Insya-Allah, I will read more good books in 2026. And I hope to read my author friends' works in 2026. I know you guys are working on your new projects. I wish you guys the best and hope your works will be published this year. I'm looking forward to reading them. Hehehe ^_^
Okay, this is all for now. Insya-Allah, I'll see you guys again in my next post. And in my next post, I will share with you my wrap-up of 2025. So stay tuned ^_^
XoXo,
Fadima Mooneira ^_^
(Authorpreneur, Novelist & Crafter)
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