Tag: review

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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Review: ‘Put Your Head On My Shoulder’ C-drama (2019)

The craze this Chinese drama had in 2019 was insane. I think it became the first C-drama for a lot of people, as it was dubbed in many languages too. The story follows Situ Mo, an accounting major on the verge of graduation, who is struggling with her uncertain future. Amidst this, she unexpectedly meets a physics genius, Gu Weiyi, who constantly clashes with her. However, neither of them knew it was just the start of their unexpectedly blooming love story.

Let’s start with the character of Situ Mo; she is a relatable character. We see how she has planned everything she wanted; however, as she reaches there, nothing feels right, and I think most of us relate to this so much. Apart from this, she is funny as hell, because what is she even doing half of the time, just getting herself in embarrassing situations, which makes her more relatable. Her character is dynamic as we see so many different shades of life through her as she navigates it, and we come to realise that we might also be sharing the same journey.

Then we have the male character, a typical Chinese male lead, who is cold-hearted, a genius, loves to be alone and doesn’t like the female lead. One of the things that I really adore about Chinese dramas is how the female lead comes and makes everything so chaotic for the male lead. That’s how I would describe their relationship. Gu Weiyi is funny too when he doesn’t know how to act even in normal situations, as he is like a person who follows the same schedule every day. I absolutely loved seeing him being so frustrated and clueless when Situ Mo came to live with him. He is actually a really good male lead.

Now, talking about chemistry, it’s beautiful. Their height difference OMG, he sits on his knees, then too, he towers over her, which makes their hug more beautiful. He legit confesses his love to her through physics language, I think it’s one of the funniest scenes in the drama, and then she gets upset as to why he is giving her his physics notes, and his dumbfounded face will forever be engraved in my mind. They are truly a chaotic couple who never fail to make me laugh. Their love story is so pure, and their realisation that they are in love was so beautiful to watch.

The plot has amazing tropes like enemies to lovers and housemates, actually, it’s unexpected for them and the audience. Basically, both of their moms are friends with each other and decide to let them live together without telling them. But in reality, just like us, the moms also wanted them to be together. The plot is very straightforward and simple; it actually manages to bring laughter and a smile to my face.

The side characters are also amazing, and the cinematography is top-notch. The drama has a cool and pleasant vibe, which makes everything better. The ending is super cute and lovable.

I highly recommend this drama.

Total Episodes: 24

My Rating: 8/10

Genre: Romance, Comedy, Friendship

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

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Review: ‘Business Proposal’ K-drama (2022)

“Do you know what my love for you and this credit card have in common? They both have no limit.” – Kang Tae-moo to Shin Ha-ri.

If you want to watch something chill with both the main characters being unserious, then please watch Business Proposal. This 2022 drama really hooked people up with binge-watch entertainment as it’s chill and stressful to watch. This drama has spawned numerous memes that are still fondly remembered by the K-drama community. The drama follows the story of Shin Ha-ri, who, in place of her friend, goes on a blind date and acts like a spoiled brat so that the blind date will go downhill. However, the person she went on a blind date with actually liked her and wants to marry her. Later, Shin Ha-ri finds out that the person she went on a blind date with is her boss, Kang Tae-moo.

Let’s start with Shin Ha-ri, she is always surrounded by trouble, the scene of the flying slipper, OMG I was laughing so badly because this is the least one could expect to meet someone, especially the president of the company. The girl, after going on a date, was living a stressful life because her boss, who knows nothing, wants to marry her, and that is stressing her out. I like that she was also somewhat relatable with the problems in her life. No matter what she does, people will always leave her out, and it was so relatable to watch. She is so funny, especially her expression, which added more comedy to the drama.

Kang Tae-moo, at first, you will think he is so serious until he opens his mouth. He is freaking hilarious and didn’t know what to talk about which led him to talk exaggeratedly. The guy is under pressure because his grandfather wants him to settle down, and when he finds the girl he likes, she doesn’t want to marry him, which gives him more stress. The boy is left thinking that a girl doesn’t like him. He is so unserious and I loved it. But definitely a green flag as he always helped her knowingly and unknowingly.

The chemistry is great, especially since both are freaking funny. Another aspect was their understanding that both were always there for each other, which I really liked. I liked how Shin Ha-ri’s craziness is what attracted Kang Tae-moo towards her. A chill couple with a beautiful story. The jealousy scenes are so funny, especially Kang Tae’s expression, which was a cherry on top.

The second lead couple is equally crazy but hot; their chemistry is intense. Cha Sung-hoon and Jin Young-seo are some of the best side couples. Their banter was so entertaining to watch, it was filled with their unserious talks, and I can’t stop laughing about it. Their story is very interesting and chaotic. Cha Sung-hoon is the best character of Business Proposal.

The plot is straight and simple, nothing much, but the vibe is really good and fresh. I think if one wants to watch for the vibe and chaotic moments, then this drama is really good, and it’s short too. The cinematography was top-notch, the OST is one of my fav, and the ending is beautiful.

I highly recommend this drama.

“I have feelings for you. And I won’t give up. If you reject me, I’ll ask you out again and again.” – Kang Tae moo to Shin Ha-ri.

My Rating: 9/10

Total Episodes: 12

Genre: Romance, Comedy, Melodrama

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

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Book Review: None of This is True by Lisa Jewell

I came straight after reading the book to write my review because I felt insane about what I just read minutes ago. This book is insane, and my head is spinning at a high rate. The book follows the story of Alix Summer, a famous podcaster and a woman named Josie Fair whose past is full of pain. Josie and Alix share the same birthday, and Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcast and comes up with a plan that she might be a good subject for Alix’s podcast.

Let’s start with the character of Alix. I can’t believe she is a famous podcaster who interviews so many people and can’t even tell how a person is. I found Alix’s character to be so unrealistic that I hated her; she was the reason why things turned out that way in the end. She is such a famous podcaster and has a family, and she is so okay with inviting a random lady she met by accident just a few days ago to her house and letting her stay as well. I wanted to throw the book at her because she meets so many people and can’t tell a person’s nature, that’s impossible. Definitely the dumb character in the thriller I hate, and guess what, she is also the main character. She is to blame for everything, by the way.

Josie, what a character! She is someone who will gaslight and manipulate people so easily, but only a naive person like Alix, the famous podcaster, will believe it. The author has not exactly gone into her mind, but very simply, through her talks, we get to know her character. Then, too, her character was intense to read. The end was unexpected, actually, that’s more like the plot twist. We might think Josie is the main character, but no, it’s Alix as she gets tangled in her own mess she created, and she can’t even clean that up ever.

The plot is excellent. I won’t say there are any plot twists because it’s very clear what is happening. I think it’s more frustrating to see Alix’s character and realise how dumb she could be given her profession. The book is very fast-paced, and I read it in less than 24 hours. The second half of the book was pretty intense and thrilling.

The book is more like a warning than a thriller about how we should never trust a stranger and not bring them home if we have a family, because we never know what that stranger can do, and it can lead to a forever loss like what happened to Alix.

There are no plot twists, everything is clear as water; however, the last ending, OMG, is what made my mind go spinning because wow. It was definitely unexpected, and in a thriller, we never trust any person, no matter what, and that’s what the ending says.

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: ‘Descendants of the Sun’ K-drama (2016)

“Don’t feel embarrassed just because I found out that you like me. Even so, it doesn’t change the fact that I like you more…” – Yoo Shin-jin to Kang Mo-yeon.

No drama can ever be able to match the hype and the aura of this drama. This drama still holds a special place in many hearts, and I don’t think any drama will ever be able to replace it. The drama follows the story of Yoo Shin-jin, a soldier belonging to the South Korean Special Forces, who falls in love with a hardworking and beautiful surgeon, Kang Mo-yeon. However, when their relationship began, their lives took a turn, forcing them apart.

Beginning with the plotline, a soldier and a surgeon, hell yeahhhhh!!!!! I think this drama balances out the romance and the climax part so well that nothing feels overwhelming or underwhelming. The drama was way ahead of its time, and a 2016 drama, it will be forever remembered. The depth of the plotline was so intense, but then their romance balanced it out. The earthquake sequence, the surgery sequence and the ending were amazing to watch.

Talking about Yoo Shin-jin, what a marvellous character. He is such a sweetheart, but at the same time, a magnificent Captain. For a 2016 character to be funny and flirty was a huge thing, especially since there was a trend of cold-hearted male leads. Yoo Shin-jin looks so serious, however, his talks make him a hilarious character. He, as a captain, was a hell of a ride to watch; the depth of his character made him stand out.

Then we have our surgeon, Kang Mo-yeon, who is one of my favourite female lead characters. Her character is balanced so well as we get to see her being smart as well as funny, her expressions were my favourite. The way her character was written showed us some of the beautiful aspects of her and the drama.

Their chemistry doesn’t even have the right words to describe them. When you first watch, you will think how serious the drama and the couple are; however, when you actually watch this, you will realise how silly they are. I think that is what stood out because both are equally crazy and funny together. Their scenes of teasing each other were everything.

The second couple is everything, a forbidden romance between an army surgeon, Yoon Myeong-Joo and an army officer, Seo Dae-Young. I don’t think so, any second couple will ever be able to match them. First of all, their visual screams their forbidden love; we can actually see the pain and love in their eyes when they are standing apart and just looking at each other. The tension is everything, and I don’t think I will ever get over it. Their ending OMG was so beautiful to watch, even though they talk and taunt each other, we can see the care and love for each other in their eyes. Their OST will forever be engraved in my mind about the heart.

“Say it’s just a strategic retreat. Tell me to wait for you, tell me you’ll do whatever it takes to come back to me.” – Yoon Myeong-Joo.

The team of doctors were incredibly funny, I couldn’t stop laughing because each of them was one heck of a character. They made the drama more alive. The cinematography is breathtaking. The camp added such intensity to the plot, and the famous scenes that went viral were magnificent to watch. The OSTs, each of them are beautiful, and I still listen to them on auto-play. Just like how the drama is intense, the OSTs are also intense, so whenever I listen to the OSTs, I get flashbacks of the couples.

I think this drama still holds a special place in people’s hearts because of the vibe, the OSTs, the cinematography, the dialogues, the plot, and how it was so different from other dramas, and I don’t think it will ever be replaced by anything.

I highly recommend this drama, please watch it.

“You are very charming but dangerous. I don’t like it. Every time I catch your eyes, I am charmed. Should I become a girlfriend of this dangerous yet charming man?” – Kang Mo-yeon.

My Rating: 10/10

Total Episodes: 16

Genre: Romance, Action, Melodrama

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

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Book Review: The Hypnotist’s Love Story By Liane Moriarty

I will start by saying that this book is deceitful. It was one of the few books that gave me such a headache that I wanted to beat my head against the wall. I just seriously wanted this book to be finished as quickly as possible, and I wished I had DNF this book, but as I was early in my reading journey, I thought I needed to finish every book I picked up. The book follows the story of Ellen O’Farrel, a hypnotherapist who works out of the strange beachfront home she inherited from her grandparents. Her professional life is going well, but she can’t say the same about her personal life. Until she meets a young man named Patrick, who is handsome and single. But Patrick has a stalker, his ex-girlfriend, Sasha, who won’t leave him alone, and now Ellen wants to meet Sasha.

Honestly, when I read the blurb, I thought it would be a thriller; however, the whole book, I was waiting to read a plot twist, and legit nothing happened. What was this book? I think I was definitely getting hypnotised because of how long this book was, and I was going in circles. The same thing was getting repetitive, and I was over it. The character of Ellen was written really well. She was someone who got really intrigued by things that normal people would want to stay away from. Sasha is a stalker of Ellen’s boyfriend, and Ellen wants to know everything about Sasha rather than her boyfriend.

Then we have the perspective of Sasha, again, the writer did an incredible job portraying her character. Her actions were kind of nutty, however, as a reader, I did get sympathetic towards her as I got to see in depth what happened to her and her situation. Patrick was kind of an illogical character as he didn’t do much about the situation with Sasha. If he handled the situation well, maybe it would be better for everyone else.

I have to say the writer’s writing was really hypnotising. The book and the story are very unique, but I wish there was more depth to the plot. As the book was super long, it got me frustrated to just continue reading it without seeing any dramatic structure to the plot, as the blurb says it will. The plotline would be excellent if there were plot twists and more drama in the book.

The blurb is deceitful; that’s all I am going to say.

Rating: 2/5

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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Review: ‘Train to Busan’ Korean Movie (2016)

“We’re all just trying to survive, but what’s the point of surviving if we lose our humanity?”

I love action movies, especially when zombies are involved. I know I need to watch Train to Busan as it has everything I love, and I was not disappointed. Basically, Train to Busan is a Korean movie that follows the story of a daughter and father who have a strained relationship. Seok-Woo and his daughter, Soo-an, are on the way to Busan; however, the journey becomes a nightmare when a virus breaks out, turning people into zombies. And now they are trapped inside the train, and Seok-Woo needs to do anything to save his daughter.

If we start with the character of Seok-Woo, he is a father who sees nothing but his work. He has a hard time expressing his love for his daughter. He doesn’t really understand his daughter, or we could say he is so invested in his work that he doesn’t try to. The character development of Seok-Woo was phenomenal to watch; however, looking at him, we understand that we never know how much time we have. So we should learn to care about our family when we have time, otherwise it could be too late and only regret is left behind.

Soo-an, her character is such a sweetheart. She is so kind for her age that even though his father doesn’t understand her, she understands him so much. It is so good to see her lecturing her father and making him realise. During the hard time, she gets to repair her relationship with her father, and her father did everything to keep her safe.

Sang-Hwa, another masterpiece character of the movie. He is in contrast with Seok-Woo, and it was amazing to watch him. He has a heart of gold and is ready to help anyone, regardless of being in danger himself. He is one of my favourite characters that I will not forget. Nobody would have survived if he hadn’t helped. Sung-Gyeong, the wife of Sang-Hwa, another favourite character of mine. She is the epitome of beauty with kindness. The way she took care of Soo-an and how her bravery was beautiful to watch.

The plot is phenomenal yet heartbreaking. At some time, it was so heart-wrenching to see what keeps happening to the people and their families. Because what was happening to their loved ones was happening in front of them, and after surviving, they will never get back to normal. The dialogues, cinematography, and everything are top-notch and kept me on the edge. The acting of each and every character made the movie so haunting and realistic.

I highly recommend it, but please be ready to witness heart-wrenching scenes and an ending no one is ready for.

“Even if we make it to Busan, what kind of world will we find there?”

My Rating: 10/10

Genre: Horror, Action, Supernatural

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

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Book Review: Keep It in the Family by John Marrs

Another thriller book by John Marrs, and just like the previous book, it is one of the weirdest books I have read, where I figured out every plot twist and wondered what I was reading. The story follows a couple named Mia and Finn who are busy turning a derelict house into their dream house. As their dream house gets ready, Mia discovers a chilling message: I WILL SAVE THEM FROM THE ATTIC. Following the clue, the couple discovers that their dream house was once a house of horrors.

I picked this book up because the blurb looked freaking interesting however, the book was not. I probably went into it thinking something totally different, so maybe that is the reason I didn’t like it. Every character in this book is weird and predictable because the twist is just out there. The characters, even though they were predictable, were all so unrealistic, and I cannot picture them as humans at all, especially Mia and Finn’s baby.

The plot was kind of questionable because what was even that? It was so clear who the culprit was and what the plot twists and I think that is what shocked me. The plot was so unrealistic, and the plot twists made no sense, as everything was hard to believe in what was happening in the book.

It was like a horror movie where we know something is going to come out of the dark, and we are going to scream. But this book didn’t make me scream, but it made me so frustrated that I had to pause and think about my book and life choices.

You probably won’t be missing much if you don’t read this book.

Rating: 2/5

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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Review: ‘Bring It On, Ghost’ K-drama (2016)

“Female ghosts with a lot of regrets are strong. A saying goes that a woman’s vengeance knows no bounds. – Monk Myung Chul.

Another 2016 drama that I can’t let go of, the amount of time I have rewatched it is insane, which says how much I liked it. Something was definitely there in the year 2016 because each drama that came in that year was phenomenal, and almost a decade wrote a review on it. The drama follows the story of Park Bong-pal, who can see ghosts, and he hates it, as nobody wants to be friends with him. So he became a young exorcist in order to earn money and treat his eyes. Amidst that, he meets a female ghost, Kim Hyun Ji, who helps him send ghosts to the afterlife while waiting for her turn.

Let’s start with the hero himself, Park Bong-pal. His story is so sad. He can see ghosts, and because of that, he is constantly alert, which leads him to overreact. When he was a kid and all the other kids were afraid of him, and he was unable to find friends. He is a lonely boy surviving college and doing exorcisms in order to earn money and treat his eyes. His transition when he made friends was so heartwarming to watch because a lonely boy who doesn’t even know how to laugh has new people by his side. I was mind blown when I got to know how he can see ghosts and how he is connected with the female lead, Hyun Ji.

Kim Hyun Ji is your typical high school girl who lost her life in an accident, and now she is roaming around, searching for ways how she can go to the afterlife. Her and Bong-pal’s first meeting was iconic. I was laughing so much. She makes a deal with Bong-pal that she will help him find the ghosts while he will help her go to the afterlife. She is so chaotic, and a perfect magic sprinkles in Bong-pal’s dull life. I loved her so much; she was so brave in what she did, which almost cost her life.

The chemistry is also good, as in we will look at them as a couple with action. Their fighting scenes, them working together and then having a whole banter about it is so good to watch. According to the storyline, their chemistry was perfectly written. As it is a fantasy drama, falling in love becomes more tough as one is real and one is not and seeing that aspect in this drama was so heart-wrenching.

The side characters, the friend group of Bong-pal, I am in love with both of them. One of the reasons why I liked this drama was because of the friendship group. It is said that truly unexpected friends bring another kind of magic to one’s life, like Choi Cheon-sang and Kim In-rang brought to Bong-pal’s dull life. Both are so chaotic, their scenes make a breath of fresh air amidst the intense storyline. Their dialogues and banter were top-notch.

The storyline is Chef Kiss. What is not there, horror, mystery, comedy, romance, and a lot of tears. It was so intense because we audience got to know before the characters what happened, and I was so bumped up as the characters didn’t know anything. The way the storyline wrapped up around Bong-pal and Hyun Ji was brilliant. And when the secret was revealed about Hyun Ji, I was flabbergasted. In the beginning, the drama will look chill and about exorcism; however, as we move on, it will become more intense, and secrets begin to reveal how Bong-pal and Hyun Ji are interconnected. Also, a series of them capturing ghosts and the backstory of it was brilliant to watch.

The ending was amazing, I liked the fact that it was not in a hurry, but it made more sense how it wrapped up. Highly recommend this drama, please watch it if you want to go on a rollercoaster ride.

“It wouldn’t hurt to have a friend help you out when you need it.” -Kim Hyun Ji.

My Rating: 10/10

Total Episodes: 16

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Romantic Comedy

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

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