Category: Place of Reviews!

Review: ‘Healer’ K-drama (2014)

“Fate, destiny, I believe in that kind of stuff. If it didn’t exist, why would words for it exist, right?” – Young Shin

I just re-watched the drama to write a review after reliving the old vibes from this K-drama. I watched it years ago and since then I re-watch it once in a while. I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since this drama was aired. It is a mystery and thriller drama with intense chemistry between the leads. Chae Young-shin is a failed reporter who aspires to become like Kim Mun-ho, a star reporter. Then she crosses paths with Seo Jung-hu, a mysterious criminal named ‘Healer’, and their lives intervene.

It is one of the finest K-dramas out there with such a good plot line, the whole time I did not have a dull moment. The mystery is very much intervening however the execution is done so well. The twists and turns were amazingly inbuilt and I loved how the main characters were so greatly connected. The drama is filled with suspense and slowly the mystery is revealed and how each is connected.

Chae Young Shin is a sunshine that was developed amidst black clouds. I loved her and her talks. Seo Jung Hu is a character who truly knows how to show his duality. He in black is everything and I love the duality in him a lot. I loved Kim Mun-ho, if not for him the drama wouldn’t have progressed. The biggest shout out to Jo Min-Ja, she is hilarious and the best side character to exist in K-drama. I loved Cha Young Shin’s family and how much they loved her.

The chemistry is insane, you all. I loved every scene of them especially when things were getting revealed and how they are connected to each other. The love is pure as both went through so much and fate brought them together again. I would say, he was sunshine and she was midnight rain.

I highly recommend this drama if you want to watch a story filled with suspense and intense chemistry.

My Rating: 10/10

Total Episodes: 20

Genre: Romance, Action, Suspense, and Mystery

“The truth doesn’t always end with happiness. Sometimes it can be hell.” 

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

Pinterest Instagram Twitter Tumblr Blogging

2

Book Review: Better Than The Movies by Lynn Painter

“She’s not you.”

“What?”

“She. Isn’t. You.” – Wes to Liz

This is my first ever rom-com book and I have not heard any single bad thing about this book so I decided to read it. It is a cute romantic book without much melodrama and to be honest I like books with more melodrama. The story is very simple it is about Liz Buxbaum who wants her real-life love story to be exactly like movies. She is a hopeless romantic and loves to live like it. Wes Bennett is her next-door neighbour who will take any chance to annoy Liz so they are frenemies. When Liz’s crush Michael comes back she wants him to notice her and Michael is getting along well with Wes. So she asks Wes to help her to get to Michael.

Overall the book can be defined as cute, the plot is very straightforward as it is based in high school. The entire book is in Liz’s POV but I wished the author would add Wes’s POV as it would make the book more interesting. I won’t lie and say that I wasn’t annoyed by Liz. Since the whole book was in her POV sometimes she acted to impulse according to me, however, since she was in high school I can look past it. I loved Wes, even from the POV of Liz, I got to know him so much. He is a cutie pie like a typical high school boy and a next-door neighbour. The whole story revolves around Liz becoming close to Wes instead of Michaal and I loved that the author also pointed that out.

In the middle of the book I loved Liz, the kiss scene was just a chef kiss. I was not expecting it at all and the author wrote it so well and captured all the emotions of them. There is no romance romance because till the end Liz is figuring out her feelings. It was also kind of disappointing, but since it’s the book vibe, I did not mind that much. I loved the conversation of them while they were figuring out their feelings. I loved Helena, Liz’s stepmom and she gets most of the credit for making Liz aware of her feelings.

The relationship between Wes and Liz as friends was beautiful, Wes thoroughly understood her. However, since they get together in the end there is not much about their romantic relationship. But there is a sequel to this book called Nothing Like The Movies.

If you want to read something light-hearted, I will recommend this book.

Rating: 4/5

“I fell in love with teasing you in the second grade, when I first discovered that I could turn your cheeks pink with just a word. Then I feel in love with you.” – Wes confession

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

Pinterest Instagram Twitter Tumblr Blogging

0

Review: ‘When I Fly Towards You’ C-drama (2023)

“If fate could have told me in advance that I would meet such a person, could I have choosen to meet her a little earlier?” – Zhang Lu Rang about Su Zai Zai

This C-drama is a package of everything. Everything is shown so beautifully from childhood to their marriage that I wish I could rewatch it for the first time. So, I have already said in my previous post that I love reminiscing about my school days and this drama brings back good memories from my school days. It is about a cheerful transfer student Su Zai Zai who on her first day of school encounters a cool boy, Zhang Lu Rang and falls for him. Now their love story is shown through all the timelines from school, college and job so you can see their love story in different aspects which I loved.

Talking about Su Zai Zai, she is a girl’s girl. You all know that I do not prefer bubbly FMC however, she is a huge exception because it suits her face. She has an inner child in her and the way she is so bubbly all the time makes her character so adorable. But she is so mature and loving which speaks out for her innocence. On the other hand, Zhang Lu Rang is a green flag. It is hard to find a lead who is cold-hearted but at the same time respects the FMC without saying harsh words to her but again he is an exception. He is cool and calm and loves to adore Su Zai Zai. There is nothing about their characters that is extraordinary, however, that is the reason maybe they fit each other so well.

OMG, their chemistry is amazing. Even after getting into a relationship Su Zai Zai is still the same because Zhang Lu Rang loves her the way she is. Zhang Lu Rang is not much of a talker but a listener to Su Zai Zai. There are scenes where he is so grateful to have a partner who understands him without words. Their confession scene is so good like their story is calm and beautiful. And the proposal is endearing that’s all I am going to say, it’s so heartwarming I still remember screaming because it’s hard to find that in real life.

There is no breakup or misunderstanding. It’s a simple and sweet love story of theirs from childhood to their marriage. The friendship group is hilarious but sweet. The second couple Jiang Jia and Gu Ran have a mind-blowing love story that fills the whole drama to its brim in the best way possible. Their wedding is also fun to watch and both look beautiful. Overall there are no dull scenes in this drama, the cinematography is stunning it’s like breathing in fresh air

If you want to watch a sweet love story where you think you are part of their life then I highly recommend this drama.

My Rating: 10/10

Total Episodes: 24

My Favourite Episodes: All

Genre: Romance, Comedy, Youth

“Perhaps every girl can become a princess infront of the one she loves.” – When I Fly Towards You

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

Pinterest Instagram Twitter Tumblr Blogging

0

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.

Pinterest Instagram Twitter Tumblr Blogging

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.

Pinterest Instagram Twitter Tumblr Blogging

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.

Pinterest Instagram Twitter Tumblr Blogging

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.

Pinterest Instagram Twitter Tumblr Blogging

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.

Pinterest Instagram Twitter Tumblr Blogging

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.

Pinterest Instagram Twitter Tumblr Blogging

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.

Pinterest Instagram Twitter Tumblr Blogging

0

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑