Tag: reviews

Book Review: An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena

I started this book because I saw the review that it was fast-paced and enjoyable. And I am not going to lie, it was indeed enjoyable. And I know this author’s book is always hit or miss. The book follows the story of characters who get a chance to spend their weekend at an amazing inn deep in the woods. All gathered, excited to spend the weekend; however, suddenly everything went downhill when one of the characters was found to be dead, and soon others followed. The chaos began when a heavy blizzard strangled them, and maybe the killer is among them.

The plot was nice, but I felt that something was missing. I wanted more, and I kind of guessed what the plot twist would be. The book was definitely thrilling as bodies were randomly found around the house. The setting was good too, with an ice storm covering the entire inn, and the inside was all old, like a cosy cottage. The book begins slowly, and I was not having it, but it did pick up its pace.

I liked the plot as it was from twist to twist, especially the last revelation that happened, and I definitely found it over the top, but I think with the story, it went well.

The characters are the main part of the story. I doubted everyone because all of them were unhinged and extremely creepy. I mean, it won’t be a thriller if characters aren’t unhinged. The way all have something to hide or have done something extreme in the past was great to read.

Would I recommend it? Only if you want something quick to read, but nothing over the top. It’s a good book, but not something I would go all over for.

Rating: 3/5

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

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Book Review: Daughter of Mine by Megan Miranda

This book was a headache to go through; I am not lying when I write it. I know books are meant to be dramatic; however, this thriller was on another level. It frustrated me so much that I wondered why I even picked up this book. The book is about Hazel Sharp, the daughter of a detective. She inherits her childhood home and is drawn to the town and its people. After a decade, Hazel is back, and she is going to discover something unexpected that might change her life.

I don’t know how and why I finished this book, but I have to say nothing made sense to me. After reading the blurb, I thought it was going to be all detective, but it all dived into family relations. I felt that it focused a lot on family dynamics rather than being a thriller. More than half of the book was based on family dynamics, and in the end, a revelation happened, but I was so fed up that I just wasn’t able to enjoy the twist and the ending.

The character of Hazel was so annoying, like, why is she engaging in things when she doesn’t have to? So many moments she was told to just mind her business, but OMG, she won’t listen. I couldn’t like her at all. I hate characters like this; it frustrates me so much. Also, so many things were happening at once, and it was so confusing. Like the round-up of the story and its relation was not well executed; it made more of a mess, according to me.

I want a thriller that I enjoy rather than one that gives me a headache, and this one was not for me.

Rating: …

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, and 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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Book Review: Guess Again by Charlie Donlea

For such a long time, I really wanted to read a mystery thriller, a proper one with a detective and all and when everyone started raving about Guess Again by Charlie Donlea. I knew it was time, and everyone liked it so much. So the book is about a girl, Callie, who disappeared 10 years ago. And the detective working on that case, Ethan Hall, now works as an ER doctor. He gets a call from his former detective partner to reopen this cold case and find unfinished answers.

I have to start with the plot, it was amazing with twists and twists coming every second. Throughout, it was engaging, and I really wanted to know how it would end. However, the book is huge with many chapters that are so short. The different places and timelines were so chaotic that I couldn’t keep up with them. Because of it, I was dreading continuing. At one point, I wanted to know, and at another point, I was getting confused with all the names of the places. I wish it were not written that way; it would have made the book fast-paced and more enjoyable.

I legit guessed the plot twist. I guess I don’t have to guess again! (hahaha) I will be honest, I didn’t like the plot twist, it was too predictable, or would I say too common for a thriller book. I like the vibe of the book, the chapters are short but very chaotic, which, for a thriller, might be a part I didn’t like, and till the end, it never really made sense to me about the places.

After reading the blurb, I thought that the detectives would work together; however, the entire book is totally different. The storyline is good, the vibes match with it perfectly; however, it was very common, so I didn’t find it amazing, or something I will rave to others.

The characters are good, including Ethan Hall, the main protagonist. The pressure of finding out what exactly happened to Callie, while his own personal and professional life is getting mixed up. As we move through so many POVs and characters, nobody really stands out as such.

If you want, you can give this book a try.

Rating: 3.5/5

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

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Book Review: That’s Not My Name by Megan Lally

I heard so much about this debut book, so I picked it up. It did intrigue me as I went through its blurb; it felt mysterious and creepy. I love books with mystery and thrilling vibes, and this one stood out to me. So basically, this book follows the story of a teenage girl who is found shivering in a corner of the road. However, she knows nothing about herself, no name or where she came from. But a man shows up claiming that he is the father of, and her name is Mary, with all the proof. On the other hand, a teen named Lola disappears and the entire time believes that Dew, her boyfriend, murdered her.

Honestly, I had high expectations from this book, and unfortunately, it did not deliver. Starting with the plot, it has two points of view, one from Mary and the other from Dew. The story is very straightforward; everything is as clear as water. I liked the fact that the author tried to mislead me into believing something that wasn’t true, and then the plot twist happened. I liked it as it was very fast and very disturbing. However, there was nothing new about the book or the plot.

The character of Dew brought a lot of emotion to the book, which I liked. Also, the last plot twist was amazing. I didn’t see it coming at all, and that made me feel really bad for Dew. There are creepy moments in the book, but it’s short, so I flew by very fast. The book is really short, so it is suitable for beginners.

Overall, the plot fell really flat for me as it’s very clear in the beginning what it is about, except for that one plot twist, which I have to say I liked.

The book has a thriller, mystery and emotional side, so if you like to read it, please go forward.

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

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, and 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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Book Review: His and Hers by Alice Feeney

It was good, but I was waiting for it to be great. That was the only thought that came to my mind after finishing the book His and Hers by Alice Feeney. At first, I picked up Beautiful Ugly by her, but DNF’d it. But I really wanted to read a book by her, so I picked this up. The book follows the story of newsreader Anna Andrews, who is put on a case about a woman’s murder in Blackdown, a British Village. The detective Jack Harper suspects Anna; however, later, he becomes the suspect in his own murder investigation.

Just like the title emphasises, the book is from his and her point of view, which was definitely entertaining. The character of Anna was intriguing; it was traumatic to read what happened to her. Definitely, the twisty past kept me hooked till the end, so I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

The character of Jack was not particularly important; however, I appreciated how the author linked the murder to Jack’s past. Overall, the plot is good, but the plot twists were predictable from miles away. Maybe I have read so many thrillers that it felt like I had already read this story.

The past definitely felt really traumatic and disturbing, which made the book really dark. Another thing was that it was twisty; twists were coming, but I guessed it all. The main culprit, when it was revealed, I knew it, so no shocking factor was there while reading this book.

The ending was really good, so much was happening that I felt the rush in my mind while reading.

I recommend it.

Rating: 3.5/5 (Please proceed by looking at the trigger warnings.)

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, and 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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Book Review: Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

After reading two books by Riley Sager and giving them 5 stars, I knew that Riley Sager’s plot twists are something very different and out of this world, which I love. So I decided to pick up Lock Every Door from him. So this book follows a girl named Jules Larsen, who is broke and doesn’t have a place to live until an opportunity comes to her. Basically, she gets the offer to do an apartment sitting at one of the most prestigious yet creepy Bartholomew apartments. Being broke gave her no choice but to take the opportunity, and after living there for just 2 days, one of the apartment sitters, Ingrid, disappeared without a trace. And Jules can’t sit and decides to find out what exactly happened.

First of all, the entire book is from Jules’ point of view. At first, I thought she was dumb because she was looking for a girl whom she had just met. But as we move on and get to the twist, that dumbness saved her life. Which I think is one of the smart ways to write a character in a thriller. I also loved that she suspected the culprit quickly and didn’t try to list out an excuse, given their past relationship.

It’s fast-paced and creepy; however, the plot felt flat for me. I already suspected the culprit, and when the revelation happened, as to why people are disappearing, I don’t know, but it didn’t make any sense at all. I just felt that more could have been done as the vibe of the book and the revelation don’t sit together. The book is creepy, but the revelation made it not good.

The plot, again, was very unpredictable; however, I already guessed the culprit, so it went flat for me. I wanted more, as the setting was so good, so it would be better if something paranormal had been the twist.

I don’t think so, you will miss out on much if you don’t read it, but again, it’s your choice.

Rating: 3/5

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

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Review: ‘Boys Over Flowers’ K-drama (2009)

“Guys didn’t do things for no reason in front of a girl they like. There’s always a reason.” – Yoon Ji Hoo

Yes, I am in my early K-drama zone because now K-dramas don’t hit like they used to. So I am back with the iconic and classic K-drama of all time, Boys Over Flowers, which is almost 2 decades old. And the irony is that whenever I watch this drama, it never feels that old, as if it belongs to the 2000s. This storyline is adapted in so many languages, and I have watched it in almost all. I don’t know, but the storyline is very much suitable for an adult like me. The story follows the life of Geum Jan Di, who belongs to a lower class, and one day she gets a scholarship to study at one of the most prestigious Shin Hwa High School. Because of her bubbly and stubborn nature, she gets picked on by Gun Jun Pyo, one of the most popular students of the school. But later, he finds himself attracted to her.

A classic 2000 storyline, and I have seen so many adaptations of this, but classic always remains classic. Definitely in today’s time, we will never appreciate Gun Jun Pyo, and to be honest, I never approved of him, especially because of his horrendous hairstyle. I want to start by stating that I am a member of Team Yoon Ji-hoo, just like Team Edward or Team Jacob. Gun Jun Pyo and Yoon Ji-hoo were the two leads, and fans would fight over who they were supporting.

Let’s start with the character of Gun Jun Pyo, a big red flag because of his emotional trauma. It is very important in a relationship for both to be there emotionally; however, Gun Jun Pyo couldn’t be. And that was the downfall of his character. I mean, we can’t blame him, as that’s his situation, but definitely not someone I could ever be with. I don’t know why she ended up with him when there was a whole green flag waiting for her. But then I remember, Gun Jun Pyo is the male lead, not the second lead, so she has to end up with him.

Then we have my favourite character, Geum Jan Di. Her innocent look and the way she talks are just worth watching. She is not cringy but a wholesome character. No wonder so many fell for her. Yoon Ji-hoo is the greatest green flag, but he was also the second lead. No matter what, I wanted them together.

The chemistry is good, but so much is happening as we start from enemies to lovers, and there are so many chaotic moments between them, which I honestly loved. The cinematography is amazing. The OST, I still very much listen to. So Yi Jung, an early crush for everyone, I mean, his smile is absolutely breathtaking, and his chemistry with Cha Ga Eul is just beautiful. Their love story is like a fresh breeze of air.

Song Woo-bin, an iconic character with his iconic talks. The storyline is very appealing and has high school vibes. The atmosphere is a mix of laughter, love, fighting, happiness, and tears. I loved the chaotic side of the story. I loved Gun Jun Pyo’s clueless side and Geum Jan Di’s talks. The highlight is definitely the fading away of the difference between the boys and her, and how they all became close and supportive of each other.

“What’s so hard about Love? You simply grab the other person’s hand and refuse to let go.” – Gun Jun Pyo

It’s a classic, do watch it if you want to indulge in 2000s high school vibes.

Total Episodes: 25

My Rating: 8/10

Genre: Comedy, Romance, Drama

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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