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Diary of a Rich Kid #1

Diary of a Rich Kid

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Robin and his friends go a on wild trip to the Bahamas! It's pretty exciting—sandy beaches, relaxing by the pool. It's looking like the greatest vacation of a lifetime. But when there lurks a secret danger in the waters of the Bahamas, Robin will have to find a way to salvage what's left of his vacation ... Diary of a Rich Kid is an exciting book series that will appeal to readers of all ages. Told in a diary format, the book is pumped with nothing short of excitement, suspense and humor!

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Malcolm Mejin

11 books72 followers

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5 stars
135 (36%)
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97 (26%)
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85 (22%)
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31 (8%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
Profile Image for Kon R..
313 reviews165 followers
October 13, 2021
*** I was provided a free copy for my honest opinion.

Seeing how I'm on a "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" binge currently, this seemed like the perfect book for me to review. This book is clearly a copycat of that series focusing on rich kids. The name of the book, the page layout, and the comic book style illustrations are sadly the only things it has in common with it.

I found the concept interesting. There's definitely a lot of humorous opportunities for the author to play with. The illustrations were well done. They were a lot more realistic and less cartoony than the Wimpy series. I felt like I needed to write something positive because the rest of the review is going to get very ugly.

This book has clearly not been edited. The amount of broken English in this book is staggering. It reads like a foreigner writing a book that will appeal to Americans based on often untrue stereotypes. The Malaysian teenagers in the book use phrases like "momma mia", which seem so out of place. Here's a good example of the awkward writing style:

"It will be safe!" Dad assured me, looking at the information guide. "According to the guide, the tour is hundred per cent safe. Great safety measures are taken... so don't worry!" It was easy for Dad to say.


Easy for dad to say, but difficult for me to read. If this is supposed to be a diary why is 90% of the content conversations? I’ve kept a diary as a kid and I don’t remember writing word for word what conversations I had that day in vivid detail. The overuse of hyphens in places they don't even belong has me wanting to never use hyphens again. Here's an example where it's clearly unnecessary:

Nobody said anything but I could see the expressions on their faces which said please-let-the-song-end-soon-or-kill-us-already.


That quote brings up another issue I had with the book. Who is target age demographic for this book? There are talks of killing, shooting, guns, floating dead heads, blood, and brutal shark attacks. A good portion of this book reads like a spinoff of Jaws with a hint of sci-fi. In the same book as these gruesome descriptions are kids who almost vomit from being touched by worms, tell fat jokes and make fun of underarm pubic hair. I honestly don’t want my 7 year old reading this book as there is enough adult content here that I wouldn’t want her exploring.

“…I mean, we have to write. And if we don’t, Ms. Lauren is going to drag us to the school garage and shoot our heads.”


The unrelenting attempts at humor came off extremely cringy. In many parts the author had to explain the joke as if that will make it better. The number of times he name dropped iPhone, iPad, Louis Vuitton, and other brands was nauseating. According to him, rich people use iPhone and poor people (yes, there’s one poor character in the book) use Samsung Galaxy. Why even say that? Almost every sentence is about how rich they are, how luxurious something is, how much gold and diamonds went into the item, or how much it costs. I’m fairly wealthy and I know a few people way richer than me. We don’t talk like that. It comes off condescending. According to the author’s biography, this book is based of his own super rich life. I highly doubt that because he doesn’t have a clue about how normal rich people speak (hint: they speak like everyone else). This book also suffered from writing the same thing numerous times. If the author is going to explain something why have a character on the next page explain it again in almost identical words?

I think it’s safe to say I won’t be reading the second book in the series. I read some reviews and it’s the same thing anyway.
Profile Image for aly ☆彡 .
424 reviews1,684 followers
December 12, 2021
(I would like to thank the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)

I read this with an open mind because I know the standard would be different for a middle-grade book as I tend to nitpick. And generally speaking, I think the choices of words here were great, it's following the trend but at the same time rich with vocabulary for middlers to add to their knowledge. Some of the puns were on spot too. I was wondering if middle grade me would actually enjoy this.

However, I still couldn't find myself liking it as much. To start, the main character Robin has some qualities, sure: he is sensitive, loyal and patriotic. However, he is also a stuck up rich kid who will whine (over trivial things) just because he does not get what he wants. These rich kids literally have different priorities and problems at hand that I failed to comprehend.

As a Malaysian myself, I am glad to learn some things about Sarawak and their culture but this book would be more valuable and unique if it does not come from haughty patrician of a character. Like Robin's friend Charlie, who is a snobbish, spoiled brat that complained over everything which unfortunately, gets to nerve sometimes. I also feel like some of the plot does not make sense and very idealistic because all the catastrophes are too heavy for the characters to still be alive (´∀`).

Still, this is a great attempt and the characters are becoming more likeable at the end. I also like the fonts and the illustration. So, kudos to that.
Profile Image for Meisha (ALittleReader).
246 reviews61 followers
August 13, 2021
Books one and two were sent to me by the very sweet and generous author in exchange for an honest review. For these reasons I feel really bad giving this book such a low rating. However this book was... not great. :/
This book desperately needed an editor or some beta readers. There were so many grammatical errors and incorrect uses of common phrases. It was a lot like trying to read an entire book through google translate. So much of it was very cheesy, cringe worthy and unrealistic. I also found fat phobia being a consistent thing throughout the entirety of the book. Which, to be honest, probably bothered me more than anything.
The plot, underlining story line and characters were things that I really struggled with too. Robin constantly talks about how conceited his friend Charlie is. And while that is true, Robin does things that make him just as conceited and self indulged. The only character I found decent was the middle class character, Ken. And he was rarely mentioned. Barely a part of the book at all. I get that this is a book about rich people so I can see that it's possible that the author may have purposely intended them to be snobby and conceited. It just bothered me that Charlie was made to look like the conceited one out of the group. When Robins actions prove him to be just as bad.
In the beginning of the book, Robin gets his credit card taken away. This is obviously a big deal for him so his friend Charlie chooses to pay for a vacation. The very exagerated story goes from there. I was hoping that this event would come full circle and possibly have a deeper meaning. I thought that it was a good opportunity for some character growth. And for the kids to discover that there's more to life than money. Maybe even becoming a tad more humble. But that was not the case... the card (which was taken from him so that he could learn a valuable lesson) was given back to him half way through the book because he was "having a bad week." While he's on a trip in the Bahamas!?
So what is the moral here? I really dont understand what we learned from this book...
With that being said, I do think that this book has potential. There were parts here and there that truly did make me laugh. And I enjoyed the friendship dynamic between the small group of friends. I think if an editor or a couple rounds of beta readers go through this to correct the grammar and what not, this book would immensely improve.
I also don't want to discourage anyone from reading this or picking it up. I do see that some people have enjoyed this. If you can get past the Grammer, you might like this. I do want to put a Trigger Warning here though for Animal Cruelty, Fat Phobia and some Racism....
The author did send me the second book but I think for both his and my sake, I won't be continuing with the duology.
Thank you again so much to the author for sending me a copy to review!
Profile Image for Nas.
149 reviews68 followers
June 18, 2021
First of all, this book gives me the first impression that reminds me of Diary of the Wimpy Kid & Crazy Rich Asian! Yes, it has that sort of vibe! Only, it is more Malaysian .

Imagine being extremely rich at the young age, born in an infinite wealthy family! Money comes to you like snapping the finger!

Packed with action, I find myself thrilled with the story. Having a bad experience and nearly-killed by a mutated shark is definitely a forever nightmare in your vacation memories!

The story is adventurous enough for me as something that is rarely happening when one goes to a vacation in Bahamas😂 who wants to have their days haunted by a mutant creature while on vacation?

The humour and sarcastic jokes amused me right until the end of the story. The characters are so close to my heart as the way they talked are the same like we Malaysians talk. I can definitely relate to their frequently used phrases like “or something” and “like” when talking.

The plot are perfectly developed and it falls just fine for me. It also highlights life lessons such as friendship and the importance of family.

If you’re looking for a light and fun reading, this book is great for you! It’s also meant for kids.

Thank you Malcolm Mejin for sending me the ebook copy in return for an honest review.



Profile Image for Shannara.
556 reviews114 followers
February 18, 2022
I haven’t read a middle grade book for a few months now and I must have missed it because I love this one!! The characters are super fun, ranging from ridiculously wealthy to not so much and it made for a dynamic story. Throw in a rampaging shark and you’ve got yourself a fun time!!

Was it a bit outlandish? Absolutely, but that’s what made it so fun! I mean, who doesn’t love a raging shark and kids that are so rich they are punished by confiscating their gold cards?!?! I loved reading about all the spoils that wealth could possibly be. Super entertaining!

I also loved the drawings!! They are so cute and humorous!! Each picture made me smile and there were lots to enjoy.

I highly recommend this one to middle grade lovers!! I’m fact, excuse me while I binge the next in the series!!!

Please keep in mind that this is a book written from the point of view of a middle grade kid, so there are bound to be grammatical errors.

Thanks so much to the author, Malcolm Mejin for providing the opportunity to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion!! Very much appreciated!!!

Check out my cover pic and other reviews on my blog @ https://shannarareads.com/?p=586
Profile Image for Carrot :3 (on a hiatus).
332 reviews118 followers
May 14, 2021
~ ebook provided by the author for an honest review.

Rich kids acting spoiled despite knowing they’re spoiled.
Robin’s pov feels like an adult imitating a child and all the references were just cringey. All the characters were pretty annoying and the events outlandish.
Robin and Charlie break the characters too. The writing felt weird with overuse of sayings and not in a typical way.

All in all, I don’t even know if a kid would enjoy this.

Total time spent: 1h 38min.
Profile Image for dinah (dinahthereader).
30 reviews19 followers
December 18, 2020
Thanks to the author for providing me with an e-copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book was a fun, light and hilarious read which I managed to read in a single day.

At first glance, it gave me vibes off Diary of a Wimpy Kid which I read when I was younger and instantly made me feel nostalgic. I love the skippy writing style and the ability of the author to make me burst out laughing (several times).

I think that this book is great for kids and teaches us to cherish the friendships and family relationships that we have. The few illustrations in between paragraphs were invigorating and kept me invested in the book because they were all so funny!

However, I did have a problem with this book but first...

(spoiler alert)

(SPOILER ALERT)

(this is your last chance to look away before SPOILERS)

Remember when Alibaba killed off the shark Amanda? Yeah well I had a problem with that. I know that this is just a kid's book but I was horrified that the shark was killed off! I mean, a lot of shark species are already classified as endangered and it might give a wrong idea to kids who are reading this book. I know Amanda was aggressive because of some mutation or something like that but couldn't it have ended with it being handled by the proper authorities? They could have reversed the mutation or whatever.

That said, I still think Diary of a Rich Kid is worth the read and it gave me a nice break from all the heart-wrenching YA novels I read.
Profile Image for Darlene I read WAY to many books.
3,661 reviews2,389 followers
February 10, 2021
So this is different from what I read and I wanted to break away from my romance books.
This book reminds me so much of Diary of a wimpy kid but with a dash of Crazy Rich Asian mixed with it. And I havent read diary in ages lol

You have Robin and 2 of his friends going on a vacation to the islands their vacation shall be smooth and easy they think lol nope its anything but that. Funny light harder and a good book to pass the time.

I did enjoy how these characters acted with one another and the drama (SHARKS!!!) That happened on this trip.

Recommend- maybe
Cover-⭐⭐⭐
Profile Image for M☆♡ Khan.
81 reviews38 followers
July 18, 2021
Firstly I'm truly happy to review this book, I was given an e-book by the author himself. I wish him all the best for future.
Secondly, It was such a fun and breezy read through and through.
I finished it in a day, I thought I was going to take longer. Some books I've read become partly boring and dull in the beginning or middle or end, but it's not the case with this book. I just couldn't put it down once I started.
It's a story about 3 best friends, two from rich families and one from middle-class. They go on a trip which is somewhat of a roller coaster ride for them.
Reading about young rich kids, their worries, their priorities, their families, their school, their activities, their encounter with sharks, their moaning/whining, in this book was hilarious.
Looking forward to reading book 2
Profile Image for Spens (Sphynx Reads).
732 reviews37 followers
February 18, 2021
The author sent me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I feel like a total monster rating this book as it is considering that I was given a free copy, that this is a debut graphic novel, and that it is from an indie author of color, but to make up for it I opt not to leave a review on Facebook and Instagram to spare it a bit of negative publicity.

First, the good: This book was funny at times, the illustrations were really cute and well-done, and the overall story can be viewed as a satire about financial privilege and the many things that come with it. It explored some themes similar to Crazy Rich Asians with a Jaws twist. I did feel this book had a lot of potential. The nonsensical humor was there and even though it wasn't to my taste, I can see younger fans of The Diary of a Wimpy Kid appreciating this. 

However, the bad: This book badly needed an editor. Two rounds of editing (or having good alpha and beta readers) would have done wonders for both the writing and the story. Also, I know this book is meant to portray how ridiculous these rich kids act, but I feel that it would also have benefited from a general sensitivity reader who could check for sexism, racism, and fatphobia. The one that really took the cake is the unnecessary animal cruelty that takes place near the end.

Overall, I didn't hate this book, but it needs a little bit of work. For the sake of the author and mine, I will not be continuing with the next book.
Profile Image for Nadia.
110 reviews53 followers
February 11, 2021
✨This is my first time reading this kind of book and all i can say is that it's a very amusing and entertaining read😍
It is a light middle-grade graphic novel about the three kids from Sarawak who went on their holiday at Bahamas Islands.
.
✨The story is made into perspective of Robin written in a diary style which make this book so exciting and not boring at all!
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✨I didn't expect their trip could turn into a tragic encounter with sharks, worms and all but three of them seems hilariously cool and fun. With Charlie and Robin having their nonsense argument about their richness, Ken, who came from a middle income family always there to put a balance among them.
.
✨Above all, the author managed to put a valuable lessons throughout the story which are friendship and family relationship. No matter how often they quarrel, the three of them always have each others back. Charlie who at first hate his mother relationship with Alibaba finally accept them as well as become closer to his stepfather.

✨A big thanks to the author who provide me with an e-copy of this book in exhange for an honest review, i truly enjoy reading this one!🤗
Profile Image for nadiaizzaty.
171 reviews16 followers
November 12, 2020
For me it was a light reading , fun and hilarious read . Most of the time , I laugh out. 😁. At first , I thought the story will be all about rich kid story only but it is not. But, the book do have some lesson learnt.

Some lesson learnt that we can get from the book:
📚 A balance friendship is a beautiful friendship - due to Ken is from a middle class family , he always calm down the competition / argument between Robin and Charlie. Ken such a down-to -earth person.
📚 Whatever class of family you are coming from , being kind and respect each other is the most important thing in friendship.
📚 Life is not about competition always .
📚Don’t easily judge people before we know them.

I like this quote from the book :
“ Something close to my heart . Friendship . “ ❤️

I totally recommend this book if you want to read some light reading with humour.
Swipe next for the some book snippets.

Thank you to the author for sending me this e-book in return for an honest review.
Profile Image for Rosh ~catching up slowly~.
2,322 reviews4,721 followers
June 10, 2023
#ContainsMinorSpoilers
Ok, let’s begin with the obvious. The first thing that comes to mind on seeing this title and cover is the famous ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ series by Jeff Kinney. However, unlike “normal” adults, I have read most of the Wimpy Kids series, so I think I am in a better position to judge the similarities between the books. :D But, as Julie Andrews sang, “Let’s start at the very beginning”….

Robin and Charlie are two uber-rich kids, scions of wealthy families and studying at the most prestigious school in Sarawak. They do have problems as most teenagers do, but their problems are all First World problems, such as no credit card or having a Botox-loving mom who insists on being called by her first name to feel younger. Along with their “poor” friend Ken, who is JUST upper middle class, the rich duo are about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime in the Bahamas. Does Bahamas turn out to be a dream or a nightmare? Read the book to find out.

So far, so good. Let’s check out the book in detail now.

Plot: The story is pretty good and moves very fast, just as a middle-grade graphic book ought to. Some part does feel a bit repetitive, especially in the second half, but overall, it was enjoyable. At the same time, there were some things that were very scary (and a bit gory.) In addition, there is a lot of sarcasm that an adult might be able to understand as self-deprecating humour but a child will take literally. There is fat-shaming, minor bullying, plastic surgery abuse, lifestyle show-off, and animal cruelty. These made me feel that the book would suit an older audience than the usual target for such books. So I’d would honestly not recommend this book to younger children, maybe 14+.

Characters: The three friends have distinct personalities and this is well-written in the book. The characters are likeable if you have your sense of humour intact. Else, you will just find them obnoxious and showy. I enjoyed their antics as I keep all logic aside while reading such books. ;)

Humour: Very sarcastic. The jokes are all tongue-in-cheek, and you will either laugh with the rich kids, or laugh at them. There were many LOL moments in the book. However, let me repeat, not for younger children. It sends the wrong message in places if not understood correctly.

Language: I’m guessing that English isn’t the author’s first language. There are a few grammatical errors in the book, especially in the usage of prepositions, articles, and words. But as this is a self-published book by an indie author, I can understand the lack of a professional editor or proof-reader. So though grammar is something I look at seriously in case of large press publication, I am willing to ignore the minor problems in an indie book. At the same time, I would like the author to take this feedback seriously as not everyone is kind to grammatical errors.

Illustrations: Pretty good, and pretty funny in most cases. The only big issue I had was that the outfits of the trio hardly change in the entire book, no matter where they are. And from their outfits, they don’t seem rich. I guess I was expecting some jazzed up clothing. Having one character in a vest throughout the book really didn’t match with his being the richest and snootiest of the lot.

And the main thing….

Is it a Wimpy Kid rip-off?
In one word, No. Ok, this needs more words. Let me use three words: “Most probably, no.”
Unfortunately, whether the author likes it or not, he will find it tough to escape the Wimpy Kid (WK) connection. The books are very similar visually in terms of title, font and style (journal entries plus simple pencil illustrations). At the same time, the WK series has a very different kind of humour and targets a slightly younger crowd. There is not much sarcasm in those books. The illustrations in the WK series are also very different in style. So if a child has read the WK books and wants something similar, the Rich Kid series would be worth opting for. Of course, reminding you again that this series targets an older audience than the WK series.

All in all, Diary of a Rich Kid does offer you great laughs and can be a fun read if you know that the author is trying to provide a satirical glimpse into the lifestyle of the ultra-rich. But it does have its problems and must be read with a clear content warning in mind.

My rating: 3.25.

Thank you to the author for providing a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.



***********************
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Profile Image for Readingwithnee.
107 reviews2 followers
January 15, 2021
This is the first book of Diary of a Rich Kid, it tells a story about three best friends spending their school holiday at the Bahamas Island. The main character is Robin, a son of the wealthiest businessman in Kuching, who goes to the most luxurious and expensive private school in town.
I was enjoying this book so much! The plot is adventurous and unpredictable, just like one of his best friends, named Charlie, who is so dramatic and spontaneous that even Robin and their other best friend, Ken, are always unaware of how Charlie would react to anything that comes to him. And Robin's thoughts and comments in every situation are so hilarious.

This is a light and entertaining read which could be finished in one sitting, moreover, you would probably be hungry as well after reading this book😂 because it mentions Sarawak Laksa so many times! I think the author did a great job at making those characters keep emphasizing on the branded stuff or expensive things they use in almost every conversation to remind us this is a book about the life of a rich kid, then he also includes the cosmetic surgery in the story as well as in the illustration which somewhat reflects the trend in real life.

Things I've learnt from this book is true friendship doesn't have rules, no matter what their family background is, they will always have each other's back.

Thanks to the author for sending an e-copy of this hilarious book to me in return for an honest review.
Profile Image for Hanie Noor.
228 reviews31 followers
February 3, 2021
Totally a fun, light and hilarious read that I managed to finish in a day! This is the first book of the series and it introduces us to Robin, and his two good friends, Charlie and Ken on their luxurious and adventure-filled journey to Bahamas. Despite their reputation as a rich kid, they still stumble upon unfortunate events along the way where all the fun begins!

This book definitely give off that Crazy Rich Asians vibe but teen version! One of my favourite part is when Ken offered his PDI shirt to rich friends when they were deciding between Prada or LV shirt 😂 bcs um 🌚 you don’t say. They have rather sweet and quirky friendship which I really adore. Speaking of entertaining read, it have all scenes we’d love to devour; Bahamas trip, dining at Michelin star restaurant, sweet sport car ride to school, scary scene of The Jaws, all the good part.

I can see that the book is written to fit the millennials and modern teen nowadays (I’m pretty much included). Love the whole concept plus structure of the book and the author never cease to make me burst out laughing. Undeniably a fun read in between homework so please pick this up to loosen up a bit 😉
Profile Image for Sophia.
99 reviews
January 22, 2021
A shocking look at the eccentricities and trama of the one percent. Robin, son of two Sarawakian billionaires, is your average rich kid. Until his father cuts his credit card privileges, and he's dragged to the unholy hellscape that is the Bahamas for his frenemies mother's wedding. There, he is pressed relentlessly by a danger like no other and isn't able to eat his precious Sarawak Laksa. Let's all press F for Robin, because he deserves some respect after everything he's had to endure.

In all seriousness, this was a very fun read! it was really cool to see how kids live in other parts of the world. It's also very funny, (Mama mia! eggs still has me rolling) and I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys The diary of a wimpy Kid's books! Thank you Malcolm for the wonderful book!
Profile Image for Chamomile Freedom.
14 reviews
December 21, 2020
First of all I would like to say thank you very much to the author for giving me free ebook. So in return I'll be giving my honest review about this book. 😊

👉Entertaining books with full humor and moral value. My experience reading this ebook, I laugh out loud seriously I'm not lying. If you want to know the humor, you should read it by your own because I'm not going to tell the spoilers😉

👉I like the storyline of the book. I think the story is neatly arranged by the writer and me as a reader can understand the humor very fast. I can say this is a light novel which is suitable for all ages to read.

👉The most I loved about this book is friendship between Robin, Charlie and Ken Pok because they are from different family status which are Ken Pok just from a middle class family while Robin and Charlie from a wealthy family but they still click with each other and be close friends.

👉 When Charlie have the problem, Robin and Ken Pok try many ways to make their friend happy. In this book, I like Ken Pok character because he always have for Charlie and Robin which is whenever they fighting with each other, Ken Pok will be there to make the situation turn to calm.

👉Last but not least, after I reach in the middle reading, 🤔I find that this book kind of adventurous too. Actually Charlie want to avoid meeting his mom, Manda fiance a.k.a his stepdad soon. So, he think many ways to avoid him. Charlie idea is going vacation JUST with his bestfriends. But everything his plan gonna be? I tell you that I'm not gonna tell the spoiler because you should experience the reading by your own.

👉 This book should be given 5stars⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ because of the interesting storyline, plot and characters. I like all of them. I recommend this book book to be read by all ages. Please go get this book right now. No regret.
Okay that's all my short review about this book. Thank you very much😊😊
Profile Image for Cryleo.
156 reviews1 follower
November 8, 2020
Welcome to Crazy Rich Asians -Tween style! When I was reading this, MTV Crib & Beverly Hills 90210 (my time), all came to mind, because of how young these characters are and the privileges that they are accustomed to. Hah! What a life.
Meet Robin & Charlie the superich kids and their sidekick Ken whom is your normal kid at school. Everything standard in Ken's world (which is what any normal kid would be experiencing) is abnormal to the megarich Robin & Charlie. While Charlie is unabashedly spoilt and somewhat melodramatic, Robin on the other hand is sensitive and would unwittingly offer help or unwanted advice or solution whenever a friend is in need. Both of them are kept grounded by the sensible and practical Ken. My favourite part is when Ken offered his PDI shirt to his born with a silver spoon friends when they were arguing over whether to wear either Prada or LV shirts. But differences (read: laksa Sarawak vs sirloin steak vs mee kolo) aside, they are the bestest of friends and boy did they have the adventure of a lifetime together! From vacationing in Bahamas, to dining in Michelin star restaurant, to ride in expensive sport cars to school, to scary scene of The Jaws; reader just have to leave their reasoning behind and enjoy the ride. I know I did!
Profile Image for Aisyah Umaira .
133 reviews
October 30, 2020
Honestly, I didn't expect so much from a graphic novel. Especially when it is a middle grade. But just tell me why this is so fun to read? I am seventeen and this book made me want to be a kid again.

Diary of a Rich Kid follows a Sarawakian, Robin with his wealthy life of childhood. He and his friends, Charlie and Ken went for a vacation in Bahamas and experienced all worst thing possible. Same goes to the road trip where they discover culture and nature around Sarawak .

What can I say is this is a very light read and absolutely enjoyable. It took the format like Diary of a Whimpy Kid. The illustrations deserve thumbs up 👍👍 the illustrations describe their imagination so well. I burst out laughing on some, hilarious! And some are just relatable and reminds me of my childhood.

The characters are very diverse. We have people from all over the races we have in Malaysia. And they are all quite wealthy ( except for Ken ) I like Robin the most because I think he is the most calm throughout the story. Charlie was quite annoying though, he caused so much trouble but he's the only reason why the story went so well with the conflicts and stuff.
Profile Image for delimatulis.
76 reviews1 follower
February 5, 2021
Big thanks to author Malcolm for the ebook in exchange for an honest review!

I was very much impressed that we have a local (Malaysian whoop!!) narrative in the style of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Dork Diaries etc which I find very cool! I love the fact that the main character, Robin is obsessed with Laksa Sarawak and you can really feel the author's love and pride for Sarawak shining from this book (especially with the subtle details revolving around Kuching at times)!

The main theme is friendship and the author did a good job of balancing the other 2 characters (which are Robin's best friends) - Charlie, the rich snobby kid and Ken, your average middle class kid (I can definitely relate lol). The switching perspectives of the 2 characters from Robin's lens is very ideal... you'll understand when you read the book.

It was such an entertaining read which I get to finish within hours which was a good distraction from my stressful work (Aha). As an adult, I rather enjoyed it so I figured it would definitely be a delight for younger readers. Plus, there's a plethora of new vocabs, idioms, metaphors & whatnot so I think it's good for them! Cheers!


Profile Image for Ilya Ali.
11 reviews
January 26, 2021
The Diary of a Rich Kid is a book written from Robin's perspective about his life as a son of wealthy billionaires. This story revolves around Robin, Charlie and Ken and their adventure to Bahamas for their school holiday. Except it's not your typical vacation.

To be frank, I have never read this type of book before so I didn't know what to expect but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story drags a bit at the beginning where it mainly focuses on the typical life of a rich kid but towards the middle of the book, things got wild. Things started to get more exciting and thrilling and at that point I was absolutely hooked on the story because I needed to know what crazy things are going to happen to the trio next.

I also appreciate the illustrations that shows some of the scenes of the book. It made the reading experience much more fun.

All in all, it was a quick, funny and light-hearted read and I would recommend it to young readers who want a simple and fun read!
Profile Image for Namelessbookworm.
12 reviews1 follower
January 24, 2021
Have you heard of Diary of A Wimpy Kid? Well, this book is kind of like that with it's own unique personality! It has a Malaysian twist.

I enjoyed reading this book and this book is well written! The characters were all unique and had their differences and similarities. I didn't like Charlie but is that really a bad thing? That may be a positive because that means the author did a good job writing the character.

The plot is also really good! I felt the emotions and I really enjoyed it! The plot was written well and there was some *slight* foreshadowing I think.

Either way, I really enjoyed reading this book! I enjoyed the humor and plot. The characters were written splendidly, they acted differently and weren't all spoiled brats, which I like. The only *kinda* spoiled brat one is Charlie. Other than that, most of them were normal.
Profile Image for Malini Stargirl.
16 reviews2 followers
January 29, 2021
Thanx Malcolm for giving me this e-book in exchange for an honest review.
What a fun book to read! It's really funny and entertaining! There are so many scenes that actually made me laugh out! 🤣
Robin, Charlie and Ken heads to the Bahamas with Robin's dad and also Charlie's mum where she will be having her wedding with Alibaba, soon to be Charlie's stepdad.
Trouble starts when they went to the beach and all the way until the end of the book just filled with so much funny incidents! So many events, and it is all full with laughter, well, for us the reader of course! 🤭 I love Charlie,it is because he is so annoying that makes it all so much funnier! Also the comics are entertaining would be great to have slightly more 😉
I believe the story should center more on Robin, as he is the main character.
This book would definitely be enjoyed by younger readers. Thanx again Malcolm 😃
Profile Image for the faerie book.
11 reviews
February 8, 2021
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“I love being rich! I can get almost anything I want in my times of distress.”
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I had a great laugh when i read Diary of Rich Kid. From the beginning till the very end, it packed with hilarious moments, full with exciting twists and gave Crazy Rich Asian vibes but in kids version. The author brought us to luxurious adventure of three kids , Charlie, Ken and Robin to Bahamas where they embarked multiple hilarious moments together. I love the friendship between them despite differences personality.

“A friend in need is a friend indeed.”

Diary of Rich Kid can be enjoyed by all ages and if you are in a reading slump, this hilarious book can drag you out of it.

Thank you to the author @malcolmmejin for sending me this e-book in return for an honest review. 🤍
Profile Image for tasha_reads.
7 reviews2 followers
January 24, 2021
I like it. It was a light reading, even though sometimes giving me heart attacks especially at the shark parts. What's more, at the same time it gave few moral values which is good especially when the book is suitable for the whole-family-readings.
🦈 Friendship between these 3 is examplary. Robin and Charlie who are megarich still befriended with Ken from the middle class family.
🦈 Don't judge someone before we knows him/her truly.
🦈 It is good to always be humble and remember our roots, even how rich we are/became.
🦈 This one might not be highlighted clearly in the book but the relationship between family is precious no matter how life had 'washed' us accordingly.
Profile Image for Ashila Hanim.
37 reviews
February 25, 2021
Mamma Mia!

Okay. Firstly I wanted to thank the author for giving me the ebook copy for an honest review.

I was born in a middle-class society and so I don't really understand the life of a rich person. So I just read this in a middle-class person POV.

This book has so many elements in it. There are comedy, suspense and friendship.

The plot and scenes:

The plot was quite slow at the beginning but gained faster pace when they finally went to Bahamas for a trip.

I really loved those scenes with Amanda (the mutated shark). Those scenes really kept me guessing of what's going to happen next. And the concept of a mutated shark is really interesting.

However there were so many times where I would feel extra glad if those encounters of sharks finally could harm Robin or Charlie just a bit. That was a bad thought of mine. But I really really hope to teach those rich kids some lessons 😜

There were some adult scene like when Manda and Alibaba were so in-love that they cuddled and kissing in front of the kids and so I thought those scenes were quite inappropriate. I know that Manda and Alibaba were super rich but being rich does not mean that you could be inappropriate in front of kids

The characters:

Most liked character: Ken & Amanda (yes, I liked the mutated shark)
Least liked characters: Robin and Charlie

The kids are really rich that I felt really annoyed with their spoiled behaviours. And seriously Robin and Charlie are such spoiled brats. I have to admit the only character that I liked is Ken since I can relate myself with him more. Ken is much composed and calmer than those spoiled rich kids. I haven't read the second book, and I really hoped that Robin and Charlie can learn so much more lessons in life in the next book. They were so childish to be arguing about Prada shirts, but then again, they are still kids and that is much more annoying. 😂

Alibaba - I WAS REALLY SCARED AT FIRST TO KNOW THAT MANDA WAS DATING AN ARABIAN GUY AND I WAS SCARED TO THINK THAT MAYBE SOME PLOT TWIST COULD REVEAL THAT ALIBABA WAS A SCAMMER FROM A LOVE SCAM. but it didn't happened so i was really relieved to know that scams and frauds are not involved in this story

Strongly recommended book to be read!🌟
Overall I enjoyed the book and there were so many times that I smiled and frowned by myself. Totally enjoyable book. I will definitely read the second book as I am curious for Robin's next adventure 😍
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Shahridzuan Azali.
159 reviews1 follower
January 16, 2021
I'm glad I did some research before flipping the (digital) Pages because I was under the impression that this book was related to Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The title and design similarities misled me. That aside, I knew that this book would be a good pick for young readers when it comes to learning proper English. Good vocabulary grammar usage.

I appreciate how the author dug the extraordinary in the ordinary. The events in this book aren't that uncommon but a creative spin made them exciting. There's also a sprinkle of a message about friendship. The three characters were crafted in a way that projected this sentiment.

I would have preferred, however, had the author inserted another message about not getting too caught up in a luxury lifestyle. I get that it's supposed to be entertaining but it would be a good bonus to remind young readers that money isn't everything. I also detected an overuse of similes. There were too many sentences with "...like (something)" and some of the direct comparisons were a little too common that they became glaring.

While the book was an average read for me, I deem it a good choice for the intended target market. I definitely applaud Malcolm's ability in preserving proper English while infusing a dose of humour. For his upcoming books, however, I hope the characters would have less obvious traits to make them more believable.
Profile Image for Letter From Afifah (Afifah).
133 reviews1 follower
January 13, 2021
First of all, thank you very much to the author for giving me this review copy.

This book about Robin, a rich kid that lives in Kuching. His best friends are Charlie and Ken. All of them enrolled in Hodge International School, the best private school in Kuching. The book is light, humourous but makes me panic sometimes due to its events (cannot tell what events are they). Robin and Charlie are the definitions of rich kids, have chauffeur, wear expensive clothes, and have credit cards while in school, (I can’t relate). Meanwhile, their friend Ken is coming from a normal family, I mean not from a wealthy family like Robin and Charlie. Robin is a true Laksa Sarawak lover . This book contains stories about their shenanigans, making it funny.

In my opinion, the main theme of this story is friendship. True friends stay despites of your flaws. These three friends come from different backgrounds and ways of thinking but they still stick together. Other messages are don’t be too prejudice against someone you do not know yet and everyone has their own issue because, in my opinion, nobody has everything. From the writing perspective, the writing is simple but manages to get my interest. Well, it is a diary, right? In other words, it is the owner’s thought.
Profile Image for Auddy.
19 reviews2 followers
August 30, 2020
"Diary of a Rich Kid" and "Diary of a Rich Kid : Road Trip" by Malcolm Meijinn were an absolute delight to read. Written in a "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" format, the snarky humour and sarcasm shines through. The writer weaves a story full of funny incidents, dabbling in the realms of science fiction and slice-of-life that suffices as an entertaining read for children and adults alike.

Meet Robin, scion of a wealthy business tycoon born with a diamond spoon in his mouth, growing up in Kuching City. But even rich kids don't have it easy. From credit cards getting confiscated to being kidnapped by the Russian mob; from holidaying in the Bahamas to being attacked by man-eating sharks with 'hormonal issues', Robin and his friends have their own first world problems to wade through in this hilarious duology.

The quality of the books is absolutely top-notch and I do not want to imagine how many sleepless nights he had to spend to take the illustration and writing to perfection. I hope to see more DOARK books in the future!
Profile Image for Xin Ya Jian.
400 reviews36 followers
June 21, 2021
First of all, I wanted to say thank you to the author, Malcolm Mejin, who reached out to me and gave me a free ebook version of the Diary of a Rich Kid for an honest review.

When I received this ebook, it reminded me so much of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Maybe because of the diary concept or the cover? But, no worries. I love it! I have always wished I can be a good writer and write down every adventure I have had in my own diary so that I can collect all of my memories with a drawing in my journal.

Besides the concept, I also love is the author's writing! I pictured in my head, imagined myself as one of the kids in the story, having those fascinating adventure while reading. I would love to visit other countries one day, but minus the part where they met and haunted by one of the dangerous animals in the world. That sounds creepy! Oh, there were also certain terms used by the author that I think kids won't understand but so glad he did provide an explanation or examples when he uses the terms. I believe kids can learn a few new vocabularies here. Good job!

Other than that, I really appreciate and love to see the relationship or friendships between our main character and his family and friends in the story. Although they're coming from different backgrounds and characters; Robin (our main character - who is rich), Charlie (who I assumed is super-rich and spoiled), and Ken (a normal boy); they still accept each other for who they are and be there for each other no matter what. They tried their best to support or help their friends. It tells kids and everyone in this world that there is no guarantee that you will find someone who is perfect. There will always be an argument with family and friends, there will always be a part of yourself that cannot understand why someone or a person behaving or deciding something different from you, but these imperfections is the one that makes life more lovable.

However, there is a part that I'm not sure how I feel about it. The ending is a bit vicious for me. I wish there is another way to solve the problem when it comes to animals. I know there are lots of movies out there showing similar solutions, but I don't like it when anyone uses this method to solve a problem when their experiment went failed and we, human are the one who creates it. Maybe they can use a different method or find a vaccine to cure or make a backup plan if something as that occurs to solve the problem, not only in books but in real life. It will help to teach kids to appreciate their future and environment. (Trying my best not to spoil the ending 😅)

That all from me. Thank you.
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