Have you watched While You Were Sleeping? If you did, then actor Jung Hae In shouldn't be a stranger to you. In that drama, he played the role of a policeman having a crush with the female protagonist and although he was a supporting role there, his popularity has risen quickly due to his fresh look and boyish charm. With his increased recognition, it is no surprise he has landed on a leading role in this latest K-drama, Something in the Rain (aka Pretty Sister Who Buys Me Food).
This story explores the relationship of a couple from the stage of friends to lovers but their biggest challenge lies on their age difference and that the woman's family is strongly against their relationship, in particularly the woman's mother as she viewed him as her "son" since they knew his family for a long time. Plus, she has high expectations for her future son-in-law and she feels he doesn't make the cut. Thus, this make Seo Joon Hee (starring Jung Hae In) and Yoon Jin Ah (starring Son Ye Jin) in a difficult position, and all the more for Jin Ah since she and Joon Hee's elder sister are best friends.
But that is not all for Jin Ah; she faces sexual harassment from her superior at work and the company's CEO doesn't want her to blow up the matter and tarnishing its image. On the other end, Joon Hee is estranged from his father and has no wish to come to terms with him and not even Jin Ah could make him change his mind. With the obstacles and others' views that their relationship wouldn't work, could the couple's love survive through everything and have their happily-ever-after?
This drama is a slow-burn and focus much on the characters interactions in the beginning but once it hit the middle mark it has become more interesting as the problems (for the couple) start pouring in. I think part of the challenge between the couple lies in the lack of communication with their family members from the start; then there is the "over-protectiveness" from Joon Hee and Jin Ah's "don't-want-to-bother-Joon Hee" mentality that pose as an issue for them at times, thus misunderstanding arises and so forth. But of course the biggest challenge is the objection from Jin Ah's mother for she is both a conservative and a stubborn woman. From a mother's viewpoint I can see she wants the best for her daughter, not that Joon Hee is a bad choice. On the contrary, he doesn't act like his age and from his actions one could see he is a responsible man and he loves Jin Ah very much. Watching this couple together touched my heart and I was convinced of their chemistry both on-screen and off-screen. The moments they had were all so sweet and those were the scenes I enjoyed best. Overall I did enjoy it and I loved the "real love breaks age barrier" theme.
© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
Random House Publishing Group | February 2018 | 400 pgs
Source: Library
There are books that make great escapism, then there are books that make you think and reflect along the ride and I've to say this book belongs to the latter.
The book opens with our main protagonist, Nate McHale, returning to his childhood home in Greystone Lake after fourteen years. His purpose of visit is to attend the funeral of his first girlfriend, Lucy Bennett. Lucy and his Adirondack hometown brought him many past memories, including an automobile accident that had claimed his parents and his younger brother's life. Then, there were the teenage angst fueled by life's unfairness as well as some deeds done by a few fellow schoolmates and their families. Together with his three other friends they formed a pact to right the wrongs, calling Nate the "Storm King" and naming their deeds as Thunder Runs. With the thunderstorms as their perfect guise, what they've done are easily dismissed as accidents caused by natural disaster. Their deeds vary from pranks to "accidents", until a day Nate felt he's done enough and thereafter left Greystone Lake for good until he's heard news about Lucy's death and that there are someone who seem to be copying what they did those years.
As the adult Nate reconnects with his estranged friends and even old enemies, he has a feeling that what's happened in the past isn't the end of everything and that a reckoning is coming and they've to pay for the deeds they'd done.
Wow. Where shall I even begin? This book is probably one of the best books I read so far this year. Great plot, great characterisations, great writing and not to mention a great message behind this wonderfully crafted story. This may be a suspense story but I felt there are so much more than it - coming-of-age, the atmospheric feel between the storms and the haunting legend of The Night Ship Girls surrounding Greystone Lake and finally, the psychological thrill of a murder crime. This will be one of those books that will stay with me for some time. Highly recommended!
June is approaching and the school holidays have started today. And what does that mean? Busy and a short break is in order but I've scheduled two reviews (a drama and a book review respectively) to be posted next week, though. Until then, and happy reading!
© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
Zaffre | March 2018 | 432 pgs
Source: Library
Have you ever thought of what you'd do if your superior treats you unfairly and sexually harass you and no amount of complaints or actions would do anything to him because the person has status whom everyone respect and like and on top of it, he is smart enough not to have witnesses so it's your words against his. Sure, there's law and order but what if the police couldn't do anything because you've no evidence and again, it's your words against his. These issues are part of the core of this story and will make you think what you'd do if you were the protagonist. Most of all, is it even right or wrong to take matters into your own hands?
Sarah Haywood works as a part-time lecturer in a University. She is separated from her husband and is working hard to raise their young son single-handedly. Aside from the financial issue, she is also worried about her job but what really troubles her is she is being sexually harassed by a top professor whom she works with. Prof. Alan Lovelock is an outstanding scholar and a gifted researcher and his works are often recognised not only in the academic world but also publicly since he also has his own BBC2 series. But what makes him untouchable is that he has landed one of the biggest grants given out to their English department and needless to say, he is like a priceless gem to the Uni.
Sarah is at a loss, until a chance encounter led her in rescuing a girl who happens to be the daughter of a Russian mob leader. Volkov is a man who lives by his own rules and he believes all debts must be repaid. Thus, he offers Sarah a one-time deal but that offer expires in 72 hours and that once Sarah agrees to it there is no return. 29 seconds is how long Sarah took for that phone call and a deal is made. But is there a consequence and could one really run away from law and justice?
This book blown me away on many aspects. The plot, the characterisations, and of course the morality issue behind what seemed to be a controversial decision Sarah made to solve a sticky situation. Then, there is the issue about sexual harassment and the question if the victims should risk their job or swallow their pain. Reading about Sarah's experiences had both saddened and angered me because I felt her helplessness. And in a moment of anguish and despair, Sarah made a decision which chilled my heart because although I felt her pain, I wasn't sure if it was a right path and what about consequences? I raced through the book because it was that compelling; and of course I'd hoped for a closure but I won't say anything as I'll leave it to you to find out yourself.
© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
High Society is a story about family status and wealth as well as finding true love amid the different background between the rich and the poor.
Jang Yoon Ha (starring UEE) works as a part-time employee at a supermarket but actually she is the youngest daughter of a chaebol family. Since young, she is viewed as a jinxed child in her mother's eye so it is no wonder she has received the least attraction among her three other siblings. However, this doesn't bother her and she has no interest in the family's business anyway. Her goal is to find a man who loves her as who she is and to lead a normal life like everyone else. She and her co-worker, Lee Ji Yi, (starring Im Ji Yun) are best friends but the latter doesn't know about her real status.
Choi Joon Ki (starring Sung Joon) is the supermarket's deputy manager and is an ambitious man. Determined to leave his poor background he strives to do well in his job; he even has the thought of marrying a well-connected woman so he could start a new life. He encounters Yoon Ha by chance and is attracted by her confidence and he only knew about her real identity a bit later after seeing she is acquainted with Yoo Chang Soo (starring Park Hyung Shik), his ex-high schoolmate, who is the director and the heir to the supermarket where he's working.
Meanwhile, Ji Yi is shocked upon learning Chang Soo's real identity as previously she has viewed him as an unemployed with his careless attitude. Chang Soo likes her for her directness for she is unlike the other women he's met. He decides to woo her despite his mother's objection of him marrying a woman with a low background. Will this quartet finds true love despite everything?
This is another older drama (2015) which I binge watched because of Sung Joon. I think I liked this one better than Discovery of Love and I Need Romance 3 as he played a more prominent role here in terms of the character and scene-wise. I also liked that the two female protagonists here aren't intimidated by life and do the things they want to do regardless of others' views and the challenges they faced. Although there are sub-plots like family dynamics and power struggle among the chaebols, at its core is the romance of the four main characters. I enjoyed this drama thoroughly, and of course Sung Joon is part of the reason.
© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
Gallery Books | January 2018 | 336 pgs
Source: Library
Eve is a dreamer. She is also quirky, sensitive to emotions, likes
having fun with her girlfriends and a worrier, too. She finds herself attracted
to a guy in class due to his poetic charms and his talent in song writing and
they hit it off quickly. They continue their relationship even after they
graduated from Columbia University but both are brought
down by the harshness of reality as Jesse struggles with his music band and Eve
finds herself miserable with his hot and cold treatment and on top of that, the dread of him being
caught as a drug runner. Their relationship finally ended but Eve still feels
she is missing something in her life.
Ben is an engineer who likes order and facts. He is a man of few
words but that doesn't mean he has no opinions and ideas. He is usually calm
unless something annoys or irritates him. He knew Eve when they were both
students at the University but they were never close and there were no sparks
between them as they have no common ground. But fate is a strange thing and
they find themselves crossing paths again and again. Their friendship gradually
leads to a connection they've not thought before, but it is fragile as Ben
later finds out the truth regarding their parents' life-and-death encounters
during the 9/11 attacks. However, Eve has this trust issue which stemmed from
her unhappy tween years and one can say she is a pessimist. Adding her clashing
personality with Ben's, she doesn't think they've a future and thus she finds
herself destructing the relationship she has with Ben.
Part coming-of-age and part romance, this book chronicle two different people's meeting and their falling in love. We first follow Ben and
Eve in their 20s and we learn about their ups and downs as youths and thereafter
the challenges in life and work as adults. Truth be told, I never felt a
connection with Eve throughout the book while Ben, who seemed insignificant and
non-existent from the beginning grown on me instead. The story was simple and
common enough, but Ms. Cohen has a way of writing that will draw you in to her
characters and into their stories. I'd have liked this story more if not
because of Eve (she got on my nerves) and that being said, I'll still look forward to
Ms. Cohen's next release.
© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
HarperCollins Publishers | January 2018 | 496 pgs
Source: Library
Alafair Burke's latest release, The Wife, is a domestic suspense which is part police procedural and part legal thriller and revolves around issues like secrets, deceptions, kidnapping and murder.
The story opens with the wife, Angela Powell being questioned by the police on her husband's whereabouts the day Kerry Lynch went missing. Jason Powell is an economics professor at NYU and aside from his lecturing profession, he also has a consulting firm and has written a bestselling book which put him (as well as his family) in the spotlight. As much as the fame and wealth are doing well for the Powells, Angela, on the other hand, is trying hard to avoid being in the limelight. She is worried that someday the media would find out about her past given her connection to Jason and that is what she fears most - her past identity exposed and an incident which has changed her life ever since. Jason didn't know about that past, and she intends to keep it under wraps until he is embroiled in a case with two women accusing him of sexual innuendo and rape respectively. Angela chose to believe and stand by Jason until one of the women disappeared.
The Wife was an unputdownable book filled with suspense and twists with the "he said, she said" information and I found myself engrossed in this complex story between husband and wife and how well do you really know your other half. Jason and Angela are both intriguing characters; and truth be told I'm not sure how I felt about them. They aren't really likeable, and there are times I didn't know who to believe (Jason or the women?) and why Angela chose to stand by him. When pieces of the puzzle began to fit to form a whole picture, I began to marvel at the author's skilful craft of weaving this story into something else which I'd guessed at some point but not wholly and definitely not what I'd anticipated. Recommended.
Note: The Wife will be adapted as a major motion picture by Amazon Studios according to the author's website and she will be writing the screenplay.
© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
Penguin | November 2017 | 352 pgs
Source: Library
This is not a horror story. It doesn't even consist of any paranormal element so this is not the book for you if you are looking for something that goes bump in the night. However, if you're a fan of psychological suspense or domestic thriller, this book might interest you.
Jack and Sydney are looking for a place to settle in. They've finally found one but didn't think they'd have a chance of getting it. The real estate agent claimed the owner didn't want to sell it in the first place, but he is ready to leave behind everything for the sake of love. By everything, he means all the stuff in the house as a whole package. Jack and Sydney didn't want to get their hopes up, but as luck would have it they got it. Sydney is elated but Jack isn't so sure. Doubts and fear set in as he thought he heard something (or someone?) in the middle of the night but couldn't find the source that rattles him. Until one day the police came and said a body was found at the back of their house.
The House (also known as The New Neighbors for the US edition) is nothing I've expected in the beginning, be it the writing style or the story direction and I meant it in a good way. Written in a form of exchanges between Jack and Sydney, at times this style of writing read like a personal journal and their account to the police and since I don't think I've read something like this I found it to be refreshing. Jack and Sydney are both intriguing characters and honestly I think they made an odd couple considering of their clashing personality. They have secrets and hid some things from each other. This may classify as a domestic thriller but let me assure you this is not the same as what you may have come across of the same genre. This book also touches on domestic abuse issue and again the direction isn't what I'd anticipated. While the intensity didn't really keep me on edge, it was actually the sense of foreboding which had me captivated. The author has a new book titled The Liar's Room to be released in August 2018 (UK edition) and I'm looking forward to it.
© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
These two dramas (2014) reviews are long overdue since I'd finished watching them a while back but haven't got around to writing them. Since both of them revolve around friends, love and relationships, I figured I'd compare and share about my likes/dislikes of each drama instead of writing up a full review like the others. Please note both blurbs (in italics) are extracted from Wikipedia and DramaFever respectively and are not my words.
Discovery of Love (aka Discovery of Romance)
Han Yeo-reum (starring Jung Yu-mi) is a furniture designer who owns a workshop space that she shares with other designers. For the past year, she's been dating Nam Ha-jin (starring Sung Joon), a plastic surgeon with a sweet and gentle personality. But Yeo-reum's peaceful existence is shaken when her ex-boyfriend Kang Tae-ha (starring Eric Mun) suddenly reappears in her life. The CEO of an interior design company, Tae-ha is a smart, confident man with a strong competitive edge who always gets what he wants. Meanwhile, Ha-jin comes across Ahn Ah-rim (starring Yoon Jin-yi), whom he recognizes as the girl he treated like a sister when they were both children living in an orphanage. As she begins working with Tae-ha, Yeo-reum is forced to re-evaluate her romantic history, which sets her off on a search for true love.
My likes :
- Interesting set of characters. I liked Yeo-reum's determination when it comes to her work.
- Ha-jin's gentlemanly and thoughtful demeanour. He was a perfect boyfriend in many aspects.
- The many events which would lead you into thinking about different aspects of love and relationships.
My dislikes (may contain spoilers) :
- Yeo-reum's fickle-mindedness when it comes to choosing between Tae-ha and Ha-jin. Really, is it that difficult? And why did she has to hurt Ha-jin the way Tae-ha had hurt her before? Is it necessary, considering she knew the pain and misery?
- Ha-jin being not honest enough to admit to Ah-rim that he was her long lost "brother" until the end. Why? I knew he felt bad for the adoption swap, but still, what's wrong?
- The drag. This story would be over too soon if not because of Yeo-reum's indecisiveness. Then again, there wouldn't be a story without this, isn't it?
(3 stars)
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
I Need Romance 3 (aka In Need of Romance 3)
Shin Joo Yeon (starring Kim So Yeon) is a successful 33-year-old career woman who, because of bad past relationships, is jaded and no longer believes in love. That is, until she is reunited with a much younger family friend, Joo Wan (starring Sung Joon), who has made a name for himself as famed DJ Allen Joo. He's smitten with her, having harbored a crush on her since their younger days, and pursues her relentlessly. Will his love heal her heart and make her believe in true love again?
My likes :
- Joo Yeon's devotion in her work and never-say-die attitude.
- Sweet and romantic. There's nothing like having a hero who is so totally into the heroine despite their age difference (he is six [or seven?] years her junior) and their clashing personality.
- Joo Wan being totally supportive of Joo Yeon, even if it means she finds a man she loves other than him.
- Joo Wan's patience and tolerance. How many men out there are willing to witness the women they love flirting and falling in love with other men while still hoping (and waiting) that one day the woman will realise his love (and her own heart) and return to him?
My dislikes :
- Some secondary characters who got on my nerves (luckily they aren't the lead characters).
- Love betrayal between one pair of couple. Again, thankfully they are only supporting characters.
- Not a fan of love manipulation. Why does one has to make use of another to make your other half jealous? Thankfully it's not Joo Wan. I'm beginning to sound like a broken record here.
(4 stars)
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Verdict on Discovery of Love and I Need Romance 3 : Both are average romcoms which are entertaining. To be honest, actor Sung Joon was what drove me to watching these two dramas since I'd not seen any of his work as a lead character (the only one I'd seen is his role as a bodyguard to the daughter of a martial art master in a historical drama, Gu Family Book, and I thought his role was underrated. I know I know, Lee Seung Gi was the lead character there.) Anyway, his two roles in these romcoms are quite similar as we see him playing a devoted guy who is into his love and both of them have a respectable profession. The only difference is, Joo Wan knew how to draw a line when his love took him for granted, while Ha-jin totally submitted to his love without a direction, sigh. That said, love is a complicated thing and well, who can really judge aside from the said party themselves?
© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
Posts
