Category: Place of Reviews!

Book Review: The Eternity Train by M Ahsan Al-Haadee

First of all, I will start by saying thank you, Ahsan, for sending me the digital copy of the book. So basically, as you all know, I love mysteries and thrillers, but what better could it be when magic is also added to the same? The Eternity Train is a book with everything you would ask for: thriller, mystery and magic, and I don’t think I have ever read such a beautiful description of things. The book is about a fourteen-year-old girl named Daffodil who, after an argument, runs away from home and boards an unsettling train at Moor Street Station. At first she doesn’t notice, however, as the journey goes on, Dafoodil realises that the train doesn’t seem normal and she is stuck. The only way to escape is by solving the puzzle and uncovering the secrets.

First, I need to start with the plot. I have never read anything like this before. I am not going to lie, at first it was hella confusing to wrap my mind around what was going on, but later with Daffodil I was also on the wild ride. The book is a part of a duology, so it is still very much incomplete to see how Daffodil will move forward. The description done by the author was so fantastic because everything about this train and the way it was surrounded was out of this world. I absolutely loved all the descriptions; it made me feel that I was in the book.

Then talking about the Character of Dafoodil for a fourteen-year-old, she is one of the smartest girls who knows how to use her brain. I really like her emotional as well as her intellectual mindset. I liked her interaction with other characters, and the way she started to know how to play this game was amazing to read.

In the book, I found some of the interesting characters with such an amazing plot. My favourite thing was definitely the description of things, and the author’s writing made it easy to understand where the story is heading. I was really looking forward to what unknown land the train would take us to, and each time it didn’t disappoint. The ending shocked me, so all I am going to say is.

I highly recommend this book.

Rating: 4/5

Till we meet again, Be Happy, Be Grateful, and Keep Smiling – a girl who likes to write.

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Review: ‘Goblin’ K-drama (2016)

“Every moment I spent with you shines. Because the weather was good, because the weather was bad, and because the weather was good enough. I love every moment of it.” – Goblin

Another classic K-drama that really brought it to the global level, as well as made ‘Globin’ famous. There was definitely something in the air of 2016, because every K-drama of that time was immensely popular as well as different, like ‘Goblin’. I rewatched the drama again so that I can write the review on it. So basically it’s a fantasy drama about an immortal Goblin, Kim Shin, who has a curse that he can’t die unless he finds his bride, who will remove the sword from his chest, and end his life. He waits centuries to find his bride, but can’t find her until a schoolgirl named Ji Eun-Tak confesses that she is the chosen one.

Let’s start with our female lead, Ji Eun-Tak, whose mother dies really early, leaving her with their horrible relatives who abuse her. So she wants to go away from them, and she stumbles upon the Globin. I absolutely loved her character, even though she went through a lot then too; she was so courageous in every situation. I loved how she was so alone in the world like the goblin, but as her destiny intertwined with his, she found her peace. Her funny expression while following the goblin was hilarious, as well as their normal conversation was so funny.

Then we have our goblin, who made the world know what a goblin actually is. At first, he looked so serious, but as he lived for centuries, we could see he started to lose his mind and just wanted to die. He is so funny, let me begin with it, especially his expressions. Even though he lives for centuries, he is unable to talk to humans, and when Eun-Tak entered his life, he just didn’t know how to act, and he just does funny things without even trying. His Goblin side chef kiss, especially his backstory, added so much to his character.

The chemistry between them is so good because they are hilarious together, apart from their sad scene. I didn’t find them boring. I liked that there was not much romance; rather, it focuses on the bond both share. Both of them trying to live with each other and get used to each other was so much fun to watch.

My favourite character of the drama is the Grim Reaper, Wang Yeo. He is an absolute cinema with mind-blowing expression, and his banter with Goblin. I loved his Grim Reaper side so much. Definitely a second lead that I won’t forget. Also, his backstory with Kim Sun is so freaking sad. I loved their chemistry, and Kim Sun’s character is hilarious.

Another one of my all-time favourite side characters is Yoo Deok-hwa. The only human apart from Eun-Tak residing with the Grim Reaper and the Goblin. This comedy timing is so good, whenever he comes on the screen, I can’t control my laughter. He added so much freshness to the drama.

I absolutely loved the plot; it was so interesting. It was not only intense but also had many fun elements added to the drama. I felt that the drama is not boring as we get to see Goblin and Grim Reaper’s bromance, Eun Tak’s cuteness and Kim Sun’s sassiness. The back story is so heartbreaking, especially that of Grim Reaper and Kim Sun.

The best thing in the drama that elevated it was the cinematography, which was absolutely beautiful, and now it has become a tourist spot. The other thing is the OST; no matter how many OSTs come, this one, “Stay With Me”, will always top the chart for me. The rhythm of it is just fantastic; it literally transports you to the goblin world. I think everyone knows Goblin’s Ost. The ending fits so right for a supernatural historical drama.

I highly recommend it as it’s a classic and one should definitely watch it once.

“Someday, we’ll meet again. It’ll be the happiest day. I will go to you like the first snow.” – Goblin

Total Episodes: 16

My Rating: 9/10

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Drama

Till we meet again, Be Happy, Be Grateful, and Keep Smiling – a girl who likes to write.

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Book Review: The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf

I am really in my thriller era, and the next on my list was The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf, and it was the first book I picked by this author. I wanted to read a one-room thriller with a mysterious vibe, and I think this one did a great job. The book follows the story of a woman, Wylie Lark, who retreats to a small cottage in the middle of nowhere to write her new novel and gets stuck in a deadly snowstorm. Things turned bad when, in the middle of a snowstorm, she received an unexpected visitor, which left her in shock. But she doesn’t know how that visitor is going to tangle her with her own secrets.

Let’s start with the character of Wylie, a woman who is trying to build a good relationship with her son. At first, I couldn’t guess how she would be connected, but OMG, the plot twist. And she is definitely a hard-core thriller main character who would survive it. I saw the plot twist coming from miles; however, when it got revealed, it was so good. There are many characters in the book, and all of them are just mindblowing and the way they got connected. I think that is what I really loved in this book, and perfectly, all of the timelines and POVs got connected.

The plot is amazing. At first, I felt a little confused keeping up with all the POVs, but the way it all got connected in the end was absolutely mindblowing. The storyline is emotional, I won’t say it’s creepy for me, and definitely the curiosity to learn what happened. It is fast-paced, and the writing is really good.

This thriller is in four POVs, and it narrates the story of three different timelines. It was definitely a task to keep up with three different timelines, but the author’s writing really made it easy to focus. There are many plot twists. I saw some coming while others were different and shocked me, and it was amazing.

The ending is beautiful, especially the last line before the epilogue. I prefer ending where it all makes sense.

I highly recommend it.

Rating: 4/5

Till we meet again, Be Happy, Be Grateful, and Keep Smiling – a girl who likes to write.

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Review: ‘Strangers From Hell’ K-drama (2019)

“It’s better to say what you want…and act how you’d like…rather than bottling it all up within yourself. That’s more human, don’t you think?” – Seo Moon-jo

I was looking for a mystery and a crime drama, and I had this drama at the back of my mind, so I decided to watch it, and I literally had no idea what this drama was all about, because based on the description, one can’t say what the drama is about. However, I just finished watching it and let me tell you my mind is not in the right place at the moment. Let’s just begin with the review, and I will explain it. So the drama is about a young man, Yoon Jong-woo, who recently moved to Seoul because of his job. But he has no place to live and finds every dorm room so expensive until he stumbled upon the advertisement of a dorm room available at a cheaper place at Eden Residence. However, the Eden residence is a very creepy place with other residents who are very bizarre and suspicious.

Let’s begin with the character of Yoon Jong-woo, played by Si-wan Yim. At first, when I saw him, I knew he had been dealing with a lot, and the boy was fed up. With such creepy residents he shares the restroom and kitchen with, his girlfriend is not listening to him, and his boss/friend just bragged about how he got him the job. I feel so pitiful for him and only him in the drama; the residents really brought the hell out of him. He also realises that people who are close to him are also not far away from good. But can we really talk about his acting? It’s mind-blowing.

Then we have the main character of the drama, who actually is a psychopath named Seo Moon-jo, played by Lee Dong-wook. The acting of his is incredible, he truly looked like a psychopath even when he pretended not to be. Just his standing brings creepiness to the scene. His laugh and smile are literally enough to show how big a psychopath he is. His talks were like another level of riddles. His and Yoon Jong-woo’s chemistry is incredible. I loved watching them, especially when Seo Moon-jo uses words like “babe” to annoy Yoon Jong-woo. We can actually see he was obsessed with Jong-woo, loved it.

Then we have the other residents, and let me tell you, without them doing any action or saying any dialogue, just them standing brings so much creepiness to the scene. I think when they do actions, it’s like ewww, but when they just stand in the corner of the room and smile, that legit knocks my breath away.

There is no character in the show except the police officer, So Jung-hwa, who is not suspicious or evil. The plot is incredible, it’s basically about a psychopath who unaliving people for fun and doesn’t regret it. The setting is fantastic, the hallway of the residence and the small, cramped room really brought another creepiness to the drama. The cinematography is top-notch, which really hooks me to the screen.

What I didn’t like was that the action was not in-depth, and only in the last three episodes did I feel the intensity of the drama. I felt that something was missing. I loved watching Yoon Jong-woo’s flashbacks and how much he has kept inside him, but still, I felt something was missing.

The ending, if you are a horror watcher, you will see it coming, and it’s so good.

I recommend it if you want to watch a drama with a psychopath vibe.

You don’t think you fit in here, do you?

“I’m Different from these people.”

But you’re also kind of anxious. – Seo Moon Jo to Yoon Jong-woo.

Total Episodes: 10

My Rating: 7/10 (Please check the trigger warnings)

Genre: Horror, Psychological, Thriller

Till we meet again, Be Happy, Be Grateful, and Keep Smiling – a girl who likes to write.

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Book Review: The Only One Left by Riley Sager

I think this is my first five-star thriller, and I have been waiting to write this review. The book has been stuck in my mind since last week, and I can’t wait to share it with you all. I never thought I would find a five-star thriller, but here I am. The Only One Left, another book by Riley Sager, I think he has become my favourite thriller writer, because the first book I read, The House Across the Lake, was a 4.5-star for me. This book follows the story of a caregiver, Kit McDeere, who gets an assignment to look after Lenora Hope, who lives at a house situated on a cliff. Lenora Hope is not an ordinary person but someone who has unalived her whole family.

Let’s start with the plot; it is everything I wanted in a thriller. There is a twist at every point, and it’s also horror, which makes this book thrilling and mind-blowing from start to finish. I was unable to get any twists right because when twists happened, I was shaken to the core. The storyline is so twisty, it felt at first that the story was going to be dragged, but what twist upon twist was just pouring. There are not many characters, as well as the setting is just one gothic mansion, but the writer did an incredible job by not just repeating the same thing again and again, but added a twist in almost every chapter.

The setting is definitely creepy, plus the mansion is on the cliff, so it makes the book more intimidating. The character of Kit is one of my favourites; she is actually a mind-blowing person for a thriller. The way she got tangled with Lenora Hope was chilling to watch. Lenora Hope is a character you can’t describe without a spoiler unless you have read the book. The characters are very complex, which made it hard for me to guess the twist, and I didn’t get it at all. I was not thinking about it; it just appeared when Kit found out I was shocked with her.

The ending is so beautiful, it is such an irony to write this about a thriller book, but believe me, when I read the last chapter, I was smiling because it was so heartwarming. I don’t think so, I haven’t read any thriller where the ending is so beautiful.

There is everything that I loved about this book, from its plotline to its characters. If you want to take any suggestion, please take this one.

Rating: 5/5

Till we meet again, Be Happy, Be Grateful, and Keep Smiling – a girl who likes to write.

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Review: ‘Happiness’ K-drama (2021)

“For you, it’s money. For me, it’s Sae-bom.” – Yi-Hyun.

My all-time favourite Korean drama out there. If somebody wants a recommendation, then I recommend this one only because it’s so freaking good. Honestly, I never thought I would love this drama this much. The drama follows the story of Sae-bom, who recently moved into a new high-end apartment complex, dreaming of starting her new life with Yi-hyun. But suddenly, a disease spread in the apartment complex, strangling them with new challenges and life at stake.

Let’s start with the character of Yoon Sae-bom, our female lead. A thriller drama needs a strong-headed, smart and badass lead, and she is the one. I love everything about her, from her fighting skills to her presence of mind. I never thought I would like this about a character, that alone in a thriller, but Sae-bom’s dressing style is top-notch. It totally made her a badass lead with loose denims and t-shirts. I want to dress like her.

Then, the character of Yi-hyun, why is he so underrated as the green flag? He loves Sae-bom so freaking much that he got ready to marry her just for her. His love was that he gave up everything for her without caring about his life. I can’t accept that people don’t talk about him enough. His action scenes are a chef’s kiss, and the expressions are just amazing. Their emotional scenes are just beautiful because they never spoke about their feelings, but through their eyes, they knew how much they were afraid to lose each other.

Sae-bom and Yi-hyun’s chemistry needs to be talked about more. Basically, Yi-hyun likes Sae-bom, but she doesn’t; however, he still agrees to enter into the arranged marriage with her, so freaking cool and cute. They were literally like husband and wife, but at the same time, best friends. I love their dynamic where they could do anything. They are seriously the couple who die for each other. Additionally, their supporting roles and collaborative efforts make their action scenes even more impressive. Without romance, they gave a lot, also their meeting again scene was my favourite. Their action scenes are amazing and worth watching.

The plot is so freaking good, as you know that I love zombie dramas, everything related to it. This drama devours the plot; the storyline literally kept me hooked till the end. I think what made this drama really good was that everyone was trying to save their loved ones amidst such a dangerous situation. Not the people but the situation made the people villains, which made a lot of sense. Also, it revolves within the complex, but everything is so twisted and keeps me on the edge.

The only thing I wanted was more episodes; the ending was too fast, like literally, I wished to see more of them. I was so disappointed that they just ended it so fast.

I highly recommend this drama, please just watch it.

“If I lose Hyun, I might lose everything.” – Sae-bom.

Total Episodes: 12

My Rating: 10/10

Genre: Horror, Action, Thriller

Till we meet again, Be Happy, Be Grateful, and Keep Smiling – a girl who likes to write.

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Book Review: No Exit by Taylor Adams

Another thriller I picked up was “No Exit” by Taylor Adams. The blurb seemed interesting; however, the book is totally different from what I expected. It’s more intense than a mystery. The book is about Darby Thorne, a college student who gets very badly stranded by a blizzard at a highway rest stop in the middle of nowhere. She is not alone but with four complete strangers, and she has to spend the night with them. Then she discovers that one of the parked cars has a little girl locked inside, and the story gets intense.

OMG, this book is so intense, there is literally no time to breathe in between, nor for Darby, and none for the readers. I felt that this book had a lot of potholes, and the only thing that kept me on the edge was the intensity of Darby running to save her life. Just like any typical thriller character, Darby was an absolute idiot at the beginning. At first, I thought she might be using her brain, but no, my assumption was wrong.

She is with four strangers and she is guessing by their clothes who is good and who is bad, which should never be done because clothes tell nothing, nor do the good behaviour that strangers pretend to have. The second, the stranger started being good with Darby, I knew it was a huge red flag, but Darby didn’t see it. I was so confused throughout the book about whether I should be mad at Darby for sharing everything with the stranger or pray that she survives.

The culprit was revealed very early, according to me, and then the plot twist happened, and I was expecting it after reading so many thrillers. The book is totally about Darby and the girl running away from the culprit and surviving the blizzard. So many times they could have been saved; however, the situation made it worse.

I can guarantee you that throughout the whole book, you are going to scream at Darby to save her life and be out of the situation, as well as pray that she doesn’t get caught. The plot is all about the chase between Darby and the culprit, and it’s too intense; I could feel Darby breathing for her life.

If you are expecting that this thriller is all bout mystery and plot twists, then this book might not be for you, but if you are expecting crazy chase and intense fight, then please go ahead.

Rating: 3/5(please check trigger warnings)

Till we meet again, Be Happy, Be Grateful, and Keep Smiling – a girl who likes to write.

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Review: ‘The Prisoner of Beauty’ C-drama (2025)

“Who says there’s no love between me and Lady Qiao? I admit, I married her for Panyi. But after spending time with her. I saw that she’s not only beautiful but concerned for the people. She has the talent and bearing worthy of my wife.” – Shao Wei

I think every other country’s drama can change, but Chinese drama will always maintain its supremacy. I have never watched any historical Chinese drama, but heard a lot, and finally, The Prisoner of Beauty, the recent Chinese historical drama, caught my eye. The drama follows the story of Xiao Qiao, who gets married to Shao Wei, her kingdom’s rival family, in order to end the hatred between them.

In this drama, there are every kind of trope which had me hooked. There is forbidden romance, arranged marriage, a rival’s daughter, a green flag, a smart, strong and cunning female lead. You know that I am a sucker for the arranged marriage trope, as it gives tension and intensity in a drama that I absolutely love.

Let’s start with our main attraction of the drama, the female lead, Xiao Qiao. I love female leads who are smart, cunning and absolutely hold their ground. Xiao Qiao is a huge green flag because she understands her husband, even though the marriage is all about alliance, she takes the best care of him. She understands him and the situation he went through as a child. I liked that she was shown as a mature female lead rather than stubborn in the wrong ways. She is so manipulative and cunning, OMG I loved that. I loved that even though she married the rival for alliance and even took care of her husband, she still held ground with her principles. She is an absolute drama queen; the acting just to get away with things was mind-blowing.

Then we have our male lead, Shao Wei, who went through a lot, and everything he does makes sense. The boy has a traumatising childhood, obviously, he can’t trust anyone, especially the female lead. However, even though he hated her, he still treated her with utmost importance. His fighting skills are amazing. However, he is absolutely clueless in romance. When Xiao Qiao is flirting with him, he acts so clueless, making me and Xiao Qiao wonder when he will understand. I loved his clueless side. Xiao Qiao helped bring out the child in him that he had lost and was just burdened by responsibility. He is so funny and shy when it comes to romance.

Their chemistry was pure and intense. I liked that their story was relatable, given that they were rivals. Slowly, there was a development rather than just like that. He took his time understanding and trusting her, and she understood that about him. The slow development was everything as they slowly realised that love is greater than hate. The love and respect he shows her, and always stands with her, and she always defends him and takes a stand for him, is so heartwarming to watch; they truly are worthy of each other.

The plot is all about the history between Shao Wei and Xiao Qiao’s family, and to remove the hatred marriage alliance is formed, it is so good and well written. I loved that in historical drama, loyalty is shown as top-notch. Be it Shao Wei’s companion or Xiao Qiao’s companion, the loyalty they have shown was beautiful to watch. The friendship group is amazing and hilarious.

The cinematography is amazing, given that it’s a historical drama, the culture and the costumes are just beautiful. All the side characters were amazing; they made the drama more fun. Shao Wei’s grandmother, a true Queen, knows how to properly give advice, a great woman.

I highly recommend it if you want to watch an arranged marriage between rivals, which includes forbidden romance and captivating leads.

“You’re an exceptional lady. I’ve never admired any woman the way I admire you.” – Shao Wei

Total Episodes: 36

My Rating: 8/10

Genre: Romance, Revenge, Historical Fiction

Till we meet again, Be Happy, Be Grateful, and Keep Smiling – a girl who likes to write.

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Book Review: The House Across The Lake by Riley Sager

Yes, I am in my thriller era and will be in it for a long time. The next thriller pick of mine was The House Across The Lake by Riley Sager. I read so many good things about his writing, so I knew I had to pick, and I started with this book. The book follows the story of Casey Fletcher, an actress whose husband recently passed away, and she is trying to escape the press. So she retreated to her family’s lake house to find peace. However, the house across the lake was recently bought by a couple, Tom and Katherine Royce. The couple from outside seemed glamorous; however, as Casey from her house started spying on the couple through binoculars, things went absolutely crazy.

Let’s start with the character of Casey Fletcher, just like everyone says, never trust anyone in a thriller book. Even when the story is told from the main character’s point of view, that doesn’t mean they are not crazy. I couldn’t believe what I read when the plot twist happened; my jaw was on the floor, and I’m not exaggerating. I don’t think so, anyone would get the plot twist because the writer, through his writing, made everything so clear yet clever. I will just say Casey is absolutely crazy, but in a good way for a thriller book.

Then we have the couple, living across the lake and just like the description, there is a problem going on between the couple; however, I would say it can be deceitful. I don’t think so, I can say more otherwise it won’t be fun. However, it’s so good, the plot twists OMG what?!?!?! I really want to talk to the writer because what was he thinking writing the plot twist?

Then we have the plot, basically a drunkard girl who is trying to find peace, finds that the couple across the lake is not what they seem, as Katherine goes missing, and Casey thinks it’s Tom who has unalived her. And now she is trying to investigate, simple, right? No, it’s all deceitful in a good way. I absolutely couldn’t get the plot twists, and I don’t think anyone could because it’s so different and jaw-dropping. No, I seriously want to talk to the writer because the plot twist was mind-blowing and nobody can guess it because it’s so out of the world. And all the plot twists just come out at the same time, connecting the story, that’s my favourite part.

I highly recommend it if you want to read something different and jaw-dropping.

Rating: 5/5(please check trigger warnings)

Till we meet again, Be Happy, Be Grateful, and Keep Smiling – a girl who likes to write.

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Book Review: Confessions by Kanae Minato

I just watched a recommendation for this book, and the synopsis was so intriguing that I immediately read it. This was originally written in Japanese and then translated into English. When I tell you, my mind went crazy after reading this, because it’s truly a psychological thriller. Yuko Moriguchi is a single mom of a four-year-old girl, Manami. She is her everything until an accident took Manami away from her. But Yuko knows it was not an accident, but her pupils killed her daughter, and now she is out for revenge.

The book is from many points of view, which makes it very interesting for me. When I say it’s revenge, it doesn’t mean physical harm, but mental harm. Yuko is one of the best characters because she took her revenge in such an interesting way without any physical torture, but mental torture. I was shocked on every page because the book is written very clearly and simply. The character tells the story in a letter or lecture manner, and OMG, it’s phenomenal.

The plot is simple about the incident of the child, and the people who are related to it are talking about the same. However, it’s very unique and unexpected because revenge is all about the mental and psychological way, which I loved.

I went into this book thinking something else and more like a detective vibe, however, it’s all psychological. My head was spinning the whole time I was reading this book, and the plot twists made it more intriguing. There are many characters; however, I do not want to spoil anything, that’s why I am just talking about Yuko. The book talks about mental issues and how they relate to the incident, and it’s so freaking interesting. I don’t think so, I have read such a unique book in my life.

I highly recommend it, please just read it.

Rating: 4.5/5(please check trigger warnings)

Till we meet again, Be Happy, Be Grateful, and Keep Smiling – a girl who likes to write.

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