Book Review: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

You know that one classic book that everybody should read for the thriller genre is The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. It’s a psychological thriller and let me tell you this book has altered my whole brain system not because of the twist but the thoughts and what was going on in the main character’s mind. It is about Rachel who catches the same train every morning and she knows when the train will stop at what signal each time, overlooking the back gardens. She started to feel that she knew one of the couples who lived in one of the houses and they seemed the perfect couple. However one day she sees something very shocking that changes everything about her life and now she is not just a girl on the train anymore.

For a thriller, the plot twist was not shocking, I saw it coming at the start of the book. The plot is also basic it’s nothing extraordinary however the writing of the author legit sucked me in. Rachel the main character is very complex, she is going through a lot and the author’s writing made me feel every emotion that Rachel was going through. The book focuses on Rachel and how she is dealing with her life and basically, I think I was in the mind of Rachel the whole book. The other characters are good and it is great to see how they get tangled in the mess with Rachel or Rachel gets tangled with them.

The psychological aspect is very high because Rachel is already going through a lot and finds herself in a twisted situation. I don’t dare to pick up this book again because even though I read it a year ago, I still remember my mind was not having a great time reading what Rachel was going through.

I will never forget this book ever and I highly recommend this book but please check the trigger warnings.

Rating: 4.5/5

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

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August 28, 2024 2

Book Review: Verity by Colleen Hoover

This is the only Colleen Hoover book I have read and this book is so crazy. This is a psychological thriller book with romance as a subplot. So it focuses on Lowen Ashleigh who is struggling as a writer and is about to go bankrupt. Jeremy Crawford is the husband of bestselling author, Verity Crawford. However Verity is severely injured, so he hired Lowen to complete his wife’s remaining books. She started living with them and one day found a disturbing manuscript of Verity and from that point, her life changed completely.

So I read this book after reading The Housemaid by Freida McFadden and if you have read it you know that the characters are the same in both the books, two women and one man. So I already know the plot between the three of them and what it would be, however, the suspense and plot of the books are totally different. The book Verity is very fast-paced and you won’t realize how much you are engaged until the suspense starts to keep you on the edge of the seat. The plot is astonishing as the manuscripts are so disturbing. My mind was having an internal battle because if I were in the place of Lowen I would have packed my bags the first day and would love to go bankrupt but again in thrillers characters are supposed to be dumb and curious. Apart from manuscripts, Verity herself was deranged which adds another bone-chilling point to the book.

Jeremy Crawford, I don’t know what to say about this character because you can’t figure him out. The way he is written, he is just too good as a person which means in a thriller he should be on the top of the list as a prime suspect. Verity, she is crazy however the book doesn’t let you know the truth, so it is up to you to decide what you feel about her. Lowen is the main storyteller of the book and there is nothing extraordinary about her except the shocks she gets when she reads the manuscripts.

The book ending left me gasping, that is all I am going to say, and it is up to you to figure it out. So the book is delivered into POV, first Lowen’s current POV and second Verity’s POV through her manuscripts. So the audience is divided into a team letter or a team manuscript. Or maybe Jeremy is the real psychopath, nobody knows that.

I wish I could say that this is the best thriller book I have read but the romance ruined it for me. I can’t stand romance in a thriller book. And in this book, it was so cheap and unrealistic. The setting is definitely creepy and brings more thriller to the book. But this book is still in my mind, I read this almost a year ago but I still remember everything because of the ending. I think that fulfills the main aspect of the thriller and the author did an incredible job of writing the book in a way that will make you gasp every time you remember this book.

I will definitely recommend this book.

Rating: 4/5 (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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August 14, 2024 0

Review: ‘Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo’ K-drama (2016)

“We can’t do anything about the people we hate. You’re pretty and popular, but that’s not everything. You should be a decent human being first.” – Kim Bok-Joo’s father

I will never stop raving about this K-drama ever. I am not usually someone who has comfort dramas but this right here proves me wrong. I watched this drama years ago but I remember every piece and how much it has brought me comfort. If you watch K-dramas you might know that the male leads are often portrayed as cold-hearted and serious. But this drama brought back the male lead who is unserious, comedic and crazy. So basically it is about Kim Bok-joo who is pursuing her dream to become a weightlifter, she gets a crush on her friend Jung Joon-Hyung’s older brother Jung Jae-Yi.

Let’s start with Kim Bok-joo, she is so funny and cute. Her whole friendship group is hilarious and she did an incredible job of portraying an athlete. Her father runs a chicken shop with his brother and both are hilarious which adds no boring scenes to the drama. The main focus is also on their food and how a weightlifter has to maintain their body. Even their eating scenes are full of comedy. I love how she has a crush but is clueless about how to express herself. This is where the main hero, Joon-Hyung, comes into the picture. He tries to help her but each scenes turn into comedy. There are a lot of comedic scenes that went viral and still make me laugh.

Jung Joon-Hyung is a masterpiece character written in K-drama history. He is so unserious, hilarious, and unhinged. He is a swimmer with a past and meets Kim Bok-joo in college again. He is a green flag and truly gives her the right advice. His acting is on point, the hilarious face he makes or unhinges talks of his takes the drama to another level. They became good friends and their scenes were so calming because you can see how a beautiful relationship they have created. The confession scene is iconic, it’s the right word to describe it. She is so clueless when he gives her hints about his feelings, it makes the drama more hilarious because of her response.

The chemistry is electrifying. Even after they get into a relationship. The bond of their friendship still surfaces. They are still hilarious and a teenage couple trying to figure out each other. There is so much depth to their chemistry that I loved every moment of theirs. I think their pair can maintain a romance and comedy to their relationship which is one of the reasons why I loved this drama so much.

The plot focuses on sports, friendship, love, food, comedy, and the depth of being surrounded by the people who love and encourage you in every step of your life. I highly recommend this drama. Watch it if you want something different filled with comedy, friendship, love, and food.

My Rating: 10/10

Total Episodes: 16

My Favourite Episodes: All

Genre: Friendship, Romance, Comedy, and Sports

“Everyone keeps a few painful wounds buried in his / her heart. If they can move on, it’s great. But even if they can’t, they still live. They become numb to the pain with time” – Jung Joon Hyung

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

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August 7, 2024 0

Book Review: Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

What I am most afraid of is that one day I wake up and realize that my life is all fake and the people I am living with are not recognizing me. If you want a better perspective of what I am trying to say read the book Dark Matter by Blake Crouch and get lost on how perfectly the book is written. First of all how in the world he came up with this incredible and astonishing idea? I will not give a lot away but it is about Jason, a simple man whose life gets turned upside down when he gets kidnapped in a way you could probably never imagine in the whole world. It is sci-fi, which is amazingly written with a twist of thriller that perfectly balances out the book. The entire time I was so engaged in what would happen next and till the last page my reaction was thrilling and shocking.

The story is so engaging and at a certain point in the book my mind was blown by what was happening. This book truly shows that the decision we make in the past definitely at some point in our life affects our present which leads to the future being uncertain. The book also focuses on family relationships, Jason keeps going and not giving up because he wants to see his wife and son and that courage worked out for him. This sci-fi is not at all boring as there is a mixed thriller, which makes it very interesting. Till the end I was not bored, the book is definitely a page-turner as nothing will make sense until the very end which I am saying in a good way. I highly recommend this book, just pick it up and thank me later.

Rating: 5/5

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

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July 31, 2024 0

Review: ‘Vincenzo’ K-drama (2021)

“If you walk alone, you reach quickly. But if we go together, we can go far.” – Kwak Hee Soo

“Vincenzo” this drama has me in a chokehold and I will never be able to escape it. I went into this drama blindfolded and it was the best decision. It was so good because everything was unexpected and in a good way. I typically thought it was a Mafia drama so it would have a lot of action and heroic scenes but it was filled with comedy. So basically in a Mafia world, they try to keep it low and do not get engaged with anyone until somebody challenges them. And I think that was portrayed really well in this drama I saw some people want more Mafia types of scenes. But Vincenzo Cassano as a Mafia lawyer needed to keep it low to not get attention until he was challenged and he truly showed his ability. I love how this show portrayed that the Mafia not only includes action but also intelligence and Vincenzo rocked it.

I loved the courtroom scenes they are hilarious I would say that expect the unexpected where you would expect something you would get unexpected scenes. Hong Cha-young, the girl she is and I love how she is portrayed, a little silly, crack-head, and noisy, but at the same time intelligent and confident. Vincenzo is one of my favourite fictional characters, he is handsome duh, but honestly, he has control over how to deal with people and circumstances. He knows some problems are inevitable and he will face them and how he smartly has many plans to deal with so I think that really made him stand out.

Now let’s talk about the main heroes of the drama, the Geumga Plaza family or the Cassano family and how each of them helped and stood with Vincenzo till the end. The bond they created with Vincenzo and Hong Cha-young was so beautiful and the main star of the show. Then comes Jan Han-seo, he and Vincenzo created a brotherhood that he could not find in his own brother. Ahn Gi-seok, we need to be forever grateful for him and the way he helped Vincenzo. The whole family stood as a shield for Vincenzo, their cornsalad and protected him with their life and it was so heartwarming to watch. Special shout out to Inzagi if you know you know.

“Regret is the most painful thing in life” – Vincenzo

The chemistry between Hong Cha-young and Vincenzo was beyond the words. Actually, they prove that friendship is the most superior form of love and even one real friend is enough. Jang Han-seok is one of the best villains created in K-drama history and all the drama really kept me at the edge. The plot was engaging, dark, entertaining and super fresh.

The only thing I hated in this show was the prosecutor should have been tortured more, he died very easily and I still can’t get over it. He was the reason why most of the problems happened.

I loved the ending, I think it suited the drama very well. I know some people wanted a happy ending but I think the open ending suited it a lot and gave a realistic meaning to the drama. I highly recommend this drama.

My Rating: 9/10

Total Episodes: 20

My Favourite Episodes: 6, 14, 16, 17, and 18

Genre: Crime, dark comedy, action, friendship

“Friends are like two souls in one body. Don’t get hurt since it will hurt me, too.” – Hong Cha Young

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

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July 24, 2024 0

Book Review: King of Pride by Ana Huang (Kings of Sin #2)

“Even when we broke up. Even when I walked out. Just knowing you existed somewhere in this world was enough.” – Kai to Isabella

Let’s get ready for my unexpected review of this book. King of Pride is the second book in the Kings of Sin series by Ana Huang and honestly, I liked it better than the first one. I know I might get a lot of hate but hear me out. The book’s plot is written more diligently and feels like a proper book than the first one. It’s about Isabella Valencia and Kai Young who cross paths with each other and attraction begins, but both try to restrict that. It has a straightforward plot but I don’t know why I enjoyed this book so much. I giggled, laughed and even blushed maybe because of Kai Young, he is a gentleman who should be appreciated more.

I know a lot of readers like MMC that are grey and here me out I am one of you as well. However, saying Kai is a gentleman does mean a perfect gentleman but also a sultry gentleman that one look from him and you are under the mercy of him. I loved Isabella’s character, she is so outgoing, has no filter, and is actually entertaining. I loved their banter, it was actually bantering and hilarious. The book vibe is very cool and easygoing which I liked. It is a simple book but at the same time will give you a fun read. I liked the fact that there is no breakup, they are very open with each other. They have one of the healthiest relationships filled with sultry flirting, dirty talks, romance, and actual communication.

“I’m never going to stop being me, Kai, and I don’t want you to stop being you. So how can we be together when we belong to separate worlds?”

“By building one of our own.” – Kai to Isabella

Like I said the banter was bantering which was one of the reasons I liked this book. Their silly jokes, straightforward answers, and the tension everything I found were perfectly balanced in this book. The plot is simple, there is nothing extraordinary but still, I liked it maybe because it’s like a palate cleanser but with more banter, I guess. This is one of the few books where I liked the MMC and FMC equally.

I would recommend this book if you want a quick read with a straightforward plot, hilarious banter, likeable protagonists, and romance.

Rating: 4/5

Check out the review for the King of Wrath (Kings of Sin #1)

“Rest assured, you’re not my type, so you don’t have to worry about me hitting on you.” – Isabella to Kai

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

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July 17, 2024 2

Review: ‘Flex X Cop’ K-drama (2024)

“In the movie, a cop’s life looks so interesting. They chase the criminals with fascinating actions and handcuff the criminals. You know what they don’t show. A labour of detectives in reality.” – Lee Gang-hyun

One thing you should know about me is that I am a sucker for action and thriller dramas. I don’t care much about the storyline if the action scenes are performed well, and I am satisfied. And it is even better when it has enemies to lovers, friendship and comedy incorporated in them. And guess what “Flex X Cop” is that drama for me that I never expected to like much.

It is about a rich brat, Jin I-soo who became the prey of the wrong time and wrong place. Due to this, he was assigned to work as a detective in the violent crime department under the leadership of Lee Gang-hyun and two other detectives. Now Jin I-soo in a typical bart manner is very not likable and is very blunt so he is not liked by his leader. The enemies-to-lovers trope in this drama taught me that romance is not needed for it to be successful. Both in the starting can’t stand each other but slowly he becomes an important part of the group.

The plot line is great there are many cases included and each was solved in 1 and a half episodes. The end twist was amazing I did see it coming but at the same time, I did not expect it to be like that. I loved the fact that they did not show him overly smart but did include flaws as he is not a real detective which makes it relatable at times and perfectly balances out his character.

Lee Gang-hyun, the girl she is. I loved the fact irrespective of not liking I-soo she thoroughly accepted and did her responsibility as a leader. She looked for him and involved him in the cases. Her action scenes were done so perfectly, I just love her.

The acting was top-notch, the cases involved were astounding, and the ending was mind-blowing. I am not very sure about romance and romantic relationships in action dramas because then the main focus just shifts and allows the drama’s main aim to go down.

In this drama there is no romance at all, both never really thought at all about feelings or relationships which I think was great because it never started so there is no point in ending and nobody gets hurt. The drama does not focus on romance at all but on friendship. Both the leads look and care for each other which shows their proper teamwork.

Talking about the ending, I liked it as it perfectly fitted for the drama. The friendship all four created they didn’t know when Jin I-soo became a part of their group and Jin I-soo did not know what true friendship was until he met them. When it is said that the chemistry in non-romance dramas is so intense that is what I will say about their chemistry.

If you want to watch something action-packed but not too intense this drama is perfect as it has a flow of comedy within it.

My Rating: 9/10

Total Episodes: 16

My Favourite Episodes: 12 and 16

Genre: Crime, Comedy, Action

“Everyone has their own task in their life. But I’ve never believed that. Living with no purpose was not that bad.” – Jin I-soo

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

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July 9, 2024 0

Book Review: King of Wrath by Ana Huang (Kings of Sin #1)

“Get rid of any romantic notions you may have of us falling in love and living happily ever after. It won’t happen. This is a business arrangement. Nothing more. Are we clear?” – Dante to Vivian

King of Wrath was my first book by Ana Huang and I was disappointed. I have not read her twisted series but I have heard that they are way better than this series. For me, it’s the vibe of the book if I enjoy reading, if I smile, giggle, and laugh then I would love that book. However, this book went flat for me, the main genre was marriage of convenience which I think was not greatly written. I just forgot the book because I did not vibe with the book at all.

Dante Russo and Vivian Lua belong to a wealthy family and are set up for arranged marriage for their respective reasons. I know how much people loved Dante Russo but I couldn’t love him, he did not give me a standard fictional man energy. It was like a Wattpad hero trying too hard, I even cringed. Please do not come for me, if you like Dante that’s great I just didn’t and it’s okay.

Vivian Lua, I don’t know what to say about her she is wealthy and has her own business but is a puppet for her family. I think her family drama was way too dragged, she is independent but can’t take a stand for herself, I thought we were in the era where strong female leads are highly appreciated and maybe a new background story.

I will just say this is another Wattpad kind of read because marriage of convenience is a very hard trope to write. The perfect balance between meeting, banter, and realization is hard to write for this particular trope and this book messed it up. I just think this book missed the whole middle plot, they went from hating each other to craving each other in a matter of seconds I did not understand how it got such a big switch without a proper unfolding.

Just read a Wattpad story that would be better. The book was not for me but might be for you, so all the best.

Rating: 1/5

“You don’t think we’re a good idea but I’ll prove we are. Give me time, mia cara. That’s all I need, besides you.” – Dante to Vivian

Side Note: I just want to clarify that this is entirely my opinion, you are free to love this book and I am free to give my opinion on this book. I would be very happy if you loved this book but please do not take this review to heart; it is okay to have different tastes. Thank You.

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

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July 6, 2024 1

Review: ‘Hidden Love’ C-drama (2023)

“He’ll have his family in the future. He has me and many others who love him. We all love you” – Sang Zhi

I will just start by saying that I love this drama so much that I literally think about it every single day. The chemistry, the visuals, the love, the friendship, the bonding, the maturity everything is good in the drama. This drama tells the story of Sang Zhi who at the age of 14 gets a crush on her brother’s best friend, Duan Jiaxu. Now here is one of the reasons why I love this drama more is because he never weirdly looked at her but only as a sister until she turned 19 and he realized his feelings. This is what hooked me to the story, he never romanticised her or thought about her in a weird way when she was a minor.

As you know how so many dramas create female leads as childish and immature this drama right here proves everything wrong. She is a lovable person and she is so thoughtful towards Duan Jiaxu from the moment she gets to know him, I think it is not enough to talk about how much of a green flag Sang Zhi is. She cares for Duan Jiaxu and is very sensible and mature for her age literally even Duan Jiaxu is shocked to see how someone can love him so much.

This drama also breaks the stereotype about how every time a female lead has to suffer, she becomes a problem to the male lead. Talking about Duan Jiaxu, I just want to say he is a man that every woman desires. He is so strong in the amount of things he has dealt with and still can smile and care for others is so courageous. He understands Sang Zhi without any words spoken. He literally cried when he learned how much Sang Zhi loved him for such a long time.

I love that both equally love each other so much. He is there for her and she is there for him. They both trust each other so much which is like a jackpot which is hard to win. There is no break-up, they handled the problem so gracefully and I can see that both were never ready to let go of each other. Also, I love Sang Zhi’s brother, Sang Yan he is the reason why they got together.

The OST is to die for, every time it plays I also sing along. The cinematography was breathtaking. Also, the whole drama is just focused on them there is no second lead couple, it is just basically them which I loved because then we truly can enjoy every aspect of the drama and couple properly without getting bored.

The vibe of the drama is so cute, chill, and just beautiful. It is like a breeze of fresh air that we need very much. Highly recommend this drama, please just watch it and thank me later.

My Rating: 10/10

Total Episodes: 25

My Favourite Episodes: All

Genre: Romance, Brother’s Best Friend, Youth

“She helped me out of the past, I’ll be responsible for her future.” – Duan Jiaxu

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

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June 29, 2024 0

Book Review: Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

Then She Was Gone was my first book by Lisa Jewell and I think there are way better books she has written than this one. It is about Laurel Mack, whose daughter, Ellie Mack disappeared 10 years ago. So Laurel Mack is trying to move on and meets a man named Floyd Dunn and his daughter Poppy who look exactly like Ellie Mack and then the story begins.

This was the thriller where I predicted everything the second every character was introduced, which is in the starting part of the book. I had already imagined everything and was flipping pages to read. I have seen many reviews saying it was dark and obviously what happened to Ellie was devastating, however, I did not find this book that dark it was okay for me maybe because I knew what was going to happen. Honestly, I expected more from this book as there is only one plot twist and other times it is just the story going on with no revelation which might be boring but since Lisa’s writing is so simple and addicting and just like that I was finished with the book. For me why it was not dark because Ellie’s POV is not much what was happening to her was told in just a few lines it was from another POV also Laurel’s feelings for her daughter’s disappearance were not explored enough and it was rushed what I felt.

Talking about the setting, it did bring some creepiness to the book and Poppy’s character definitely elevated more. However no other characters stood out to me as such, I felt it was very basic. The other characters were not much explored even Floyd which I felt if explored would make the book more thrilling.

The ending was rushed as I expected more but it ended in a very basic way which for a thriller I did not find thrilling. It was not a bad book, you could definitely read it but I personally would not find myself thinking about this book in the future.

Rating: 3/5 (Please proceed by looking at the trigger warnings.)

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

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June 22, 2024 0