With the aftermath of an explosion that ripped apart a Chicago building as a backdrop, this story follows the life of three women who are somehow connected to one another and the secrets each hold amid the nation's mourning and the scrutinisation of the media. With the one-year anniversary coming up, documentary filmmaker Teo Jackson approaches one of the women, Cecily Grayson, to be interviewed for his documentary as part of a memorial. Cecily was late for an appointment on that fateful day on October 10th and due to her lateness she had survived from the tragedy. Her husband, Tom, wasn't as fortunate. Cecily was captured by Teo's camera during the chaotic moments later and therefore made her the "Poster Girl" the nation recognise, but Cecily would rather prefer no one remembers her.
On the other end, Kate and Franny, the other two women who are thrust into the limelight have their stories to tell as well. Unlike Cecily, Kate has something to hide revolving a decision she had made before the tragedy while Franny is looking for her biological mother whom she'd had the chance to meet for only a few times before tragedy struck. However, the stories these three women tell are only half true and the secrets which they struggle to hide will slowly come to light as the story progresses, questioning the reader about the reasons and the motives behind their lies as well as how they will all impact their lives in one way or another.
I've enjoyed a few of McKenzie's books in the past and therefore I was very excited to dive into this latest book by her. While it was a good character-driven story, I felt something was missing yet I couldn't put a finger on it. Catherine's writing skill continues to shine and she has a knack for writing intriguing (sometimes annoying) characters but in this book I didn't feel a connection with them. I did sympathise for the three characters' loss and the things they had gone through but all along the ride I felt more like a bystander instead. Perhaps it was the slow pace at the beginning which I felt it was a bit dragging (perhaps this is the author's intention for the characters development) and despite the pace took a different turn towards the end I felt it came a bit too late. Still, it was overall an intriguing story and the author's writing had me glued to the book.
This is based on a real site in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea and is
featured as the 7th freakiest places on the planet according to CNN Travel (see article here). Whether if it is truly haunted, I suppose only the daredevils who have the guts
to explore will know but for now I'd settled with a fictional story. Ironically, despite the authenticity, most of the scenes were filmed in an abandoned school
in Busan instead of the real site with the production team adhering closely to the floor plan of the actual hospital (according to Wikipedia). I understand the real site is closed off to the public and CCTVs are even installed at the front gate of the entrance but this doesn't discourage the adventurous ones from going in (see videos below).
The story opens with the formation of a group of seven
people (4 males and 3 females) who dare themselves to explore the haunted site.
Among the group is the leader, Ha-joon, who is the host of "Horror Times"
(think YouTube channel) and his aim is to hit a million views through their
live broadcast of their exploration and earning some money through
advertisements. Before their exploration, there are rumours about a cursed room
and the director of the asylum killed the patients before she disappeared.
Whatever the motives are (to find answers or to gain viewers; or maybe both),
this group of explorers enter the site with their spirits high and little do
the females know the guys are planning to play a few pranks on them. But of
course we can all foresee what would happen next and this is when the real
horror truly begins.
I've noticed that this found footage technique for horror
films has become quite a trend after The Blair Witch Project and a few others.
While I found the idea refreshing in the beginning, personally I felt the
technique lacks the novelty as it goes so while it still hold a certain charm
to some viewers, for me I'd still prefer the "third party viewer"
more than the "first person account" method (hope my statement makes
sense). That being said, I'd a good scare towards the end and that's what
counts for a horror movie, right?
Below are two videos I watched taken from the true explorers and both claimed they heard footsteps or doors slamming. Whether if there are ghosts or not, I shall leave it to you to judge them yourself. ;-)
This book is possibly the most unforgettable book I read thus far - a well structured storyline, great characters development and a complicated, multi-layered plot to boot. Thrown in some secrets, deceits, frauds and two murders and you have the story of Our House. Fiona and Bram Lawson is an ordinary couple living in a suburban neighbourhood at Trinity Avenue with their two young sons. Fi and Bram have owned their home there for years and have no intention of selling. Until one day Fi comes home to find a family moving into their house and Bram couldn't be reached. Thinking it is all a mistake, Fi tries to reason with the family who has claimed ownership of their house but with transactions evidence and solicitors statements, there is no way such a drastic mistake could be made, right? And where is Bram when she needs him most? Bram has broken Fi's trust by committing an affair. Although they are still legally married, they are actually separated and have set up a co-parenting plan they called "the bird's nest" custody arrangement. Each of them rotates to see and care for their sons, and they maintain their shares to keep the family up and running. Unlike other separated couples, they still talk amicably and no one would have noticed their "unusual" marital status from afar. Why Bram left Fi in a ditch is a mystery, and this is what the core story is all about and all the truths will be laid bare through Fi's story told in a podcast interview and Bram's through a written document (as a confession in the end). And this is all I can say about it because you have to read their account and let me say it is quite a journey; both for the Lawsons couple and for you as a reader. If you think you have read enough domestic suspense to guess everything, this might be a book to challenge what you have read of this genre because the plot is multi-layered and oh that ending just left me feeling dumbstruck. Go read this book and let me know what you think about it.
Eighteen years ago, Louise Wandsworth left home and ran away to France with Mike Hughes, who was her karate teacher then. She thought Mike was her everything, and that no one else understands her more than he did but she was wrong. He left her life in pieces and Louise is never the same person again.
Now at 32, Louise thought she has moved on from that terrible past. She did find someone but deep in her heart what feelings she has for a person has died away the day Mike did those horrible things to her. And when she is back in Malvern she discovers that not only Mike is alive and kicking but he is now involved with Chloe Meadows, a teenage girl just like what she was those eighteen years ago. Determined not to let history repeating itself, she prepares herself for the confrontation and assure herself that this time round she would not allow Mike to get away scot-free.
Wendy Harrison is Mike's ex-wife and has a record of hurting Mike in the past. Living alone with a dog and a restraining order from the court, she now has her eyes fixated on Louise after going through her social media platform and "befriended" her friends. She has harboured a deep hatred towards Louise and thinks she is responsible for her wrecked marriage with Mike. She decides to seek Louise out under the guise of a potential client where she is working and take things from there.
Told from three viewpoints between Louise, Wendy and Chloe, this book portrays issues of pedophilia, obsessive love, psychological manipulation and how far one would go to protect themselves and those around them. The dark subject centering around pedophilia is mind-blowing and disturbing at times but I thought the author tackled it delicately and through her fleshed out characters it all made this story so real and scary. While one may think Louise is the star of the story, personally I felt Wendy took the centre stage right from the start. She is unpredictable and one could never guess her intentions. She question readers with her characteristics and makes one wonder if she is truly a victim or a manipulator? (No spoilers here.)
Reading this book was like riding a roller coaster, I never anticipated the turns and it kept me wondering about the twists until I found myself at the end of the ride, and by that time all I felt wasn't totally a relief but more questions on the improbable coincidences and the credibility surrounding the ending but overall I thought it was an intense read.
Based on the quotes inside the book, many have claimed this is the best C.L. Taylor has written. I couldn't comment or compare since this is my first Taylor book but it definitely had me intrigued to check out her other books.
Why does the time always passes so fast when one is having a good time? Hello, June! Wow, it's almost half the year already and it seems like the New Year just passed by us yesterday. Back to the topic... Yes, I'd had an enjoyable time during my blogging break and for the inquiring minds, we went to Kuala Lumpur last week. To be exact, we spent most of the days shopping, eating and of course not to leave out a day to a trip to Sunway Lagoon in Subang Jaya (one of their well-known attractions). It is a water park/theme park suitable for all ages and it was our fourth trip there already. Since we'd forgotten to bring a waterproof phone pouch for the water activities, I'm afraid we didn't take any pictures but I did find a few pics which were taken during our previous trip for your viewing pleasure.
We also had a few great vegetarian cuisines and we couldn't help watching Rampage and Solo Star Wars at the local cinemas, too. Rampage was a little touching towards the end and both movies are OK, though, if you ask me.
Relaxing by the pool. (No, I didn't read much. How could I when the pool was right there in front of you?)
The Children's fun place
Zip Line (or Flying Fox). No, I didn't try it.
Malay festive decorations at a mall.
Mock chicken teriyaki bento set.
Can you believe these sashimi are vegetarian? They taste not bad, too. We had some other vegetarian dishes alongside the trip but didn't post all. This Japanese vegetarian cuisine was a highlight to me, though.
The Sunrise view from the Airbnb where we were staying (19th floor).
Night view.
Well that's it and I suppose it's now back to normalcy. With my girls at home for the school holidays, I'm afraid my reading progress will be slower than usual (that applies to blog hopping and commenting so I'd appreciate it if you could bear with me.) So what did I miss and what books are you reading while I was away? I'm curious to know. ;-)
To begin with, I wasn't sure how I felt about this book. This is my second attempt in reading Paul Tremblay's book and I've to say I enjoyed his first book (A Head Full of Ghosts) a lot. This book has a combination of a home invasion horror and an apocalyptic feel yet I couldn't classified it as the latter as no such calamity actually happened (unless you're talking about the [delusional?] human minds and their actions). To say anything more in details will spoil the story, but I've to mention this book has great characterisations. I loved the interactions between the father and daughter and their banters; to be exact seven-year-old Wen is Chinese and is adopted by a gay couple, Eric and Andrew. These three people are fleshed out characters and I came to care for them as the story progresses. There is something heartwarming reading about them and I could easily visualize them as real people than fictional. Then the craziness sets in as four characters, each armed with menacing weapons, started invading into their once peaceful life. Leonard, Redmond, Adriane and Sabrina believe they have a mission in saving humankind and they need the family of three to help them to save the world. However it involves a sacrifice and this begins our story here. Paranoia (or simply madness?) is one word that immediately comes to my mind after finishing the book and even after a day of gathering my thoughts my choice of word remains the same, for I've no other words to describe how I felt about this story. I think this would be a hit-or-miss to the readers due to the blurry theme (Horror? Apocalypse? Psychological thriller?) because nothing is clear cut and there are no answers. Despite these, this story was actually quite addictive as it'll arouse your curiosity and make you anxious to find out what happened to our three characters because as mentioned before, I became invested and came to care for them in spite of the batshit insanity surrounding the story (or is it those four characters? I don't know. This is probably the beauty of this story because it makes you wonder.) All in all, I can't say I liked it but I did enjoy the author's writing.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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 ColumbiaUniversity 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.
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.
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.
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)
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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)
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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?
Having read B A Paris's previous two novels, Behind Closed Doors and The Breakdown, it is no surprise that her latest release was high up on my to-read list considering she usually writes compelling thrillers with intriguing yet complicated characters. I'm glad to report this one is no exceptional. Layla and Finn are on a vacation in France and when the latter stopped their car at a service station for a break, Layla has mysteriously vanished after Finn returned to his car. Finn later told the police about the events leading up to her disappearance but not everything. With no answers and the police finding nothing, Finn then return to the UK feeling unsettled. Twelve years later, Finn has already moved on and is thinking of settling down with Ellen, who is Layla's elder sister. Just as he thought he could finally let the past rest, someone left the Russian dolls around Finn and Ellen's house subsequently. Now the existence of Russian dolls are significant to Finn and Ellen as they remind them of Layla. Back when Ellen and Layla are children, they have their own set of Russian dolls and no one knows the meaning behind these Russian dolls except for the three of them, including Finn's good friend, Harry, since Ellen told him. The emails are the last straw as Finn is adamant that whoever rattles him know a lot about his relationship with Layla but who and why after all this time? Once again, B A Paris has delivered a suspenseful thriller with enough twists and turns to throw the readers off the track. While having engaging characters and intriguing premise are essential to entice the reader's attention, personally I feel it is all about execution and how successful the author lead the readers into following (believing) the direction(s) he/she has planned until the truth hits them. For this case, Finn's first person narrative works perfectly since the reader has no clue what's what but to follow and trust his account. The two time frames "Now" and "Before" further intensify the suspense, giving the reader a glimpse of the past while at the same time expecting 'the axe' to fall anytime in the present. The case of misdirection is skilfully applied in this story and avid readers who are into the psychological suspense may be able to guess the outcome but ultimately it is the ride which is what made this book such an enticing read.
This 2017 South Korean movie depicts the story of a female assassin and her espionage missions so be forewarned that there's violence and gore.
Since a girl, Sook-hee had seen enough terrors and the cruelty of life ever since she witnessed her father being murdered by his friend over greed. Just when she felt hopeless, a man rescued her and through him she was raised to be a deadly assassin. But unexpected circumstances arises and she found herself captured and kept in the cell in an intelligence agency. There, she underwent a plastic surgery and took on a new identity. Sook-hee became history and Chae Yeon-soo was born. The agency has promised her freedom after ten years of service but before then she has to take up all the missions assigned by them with no questions. Meanwhile, the agency has also planted one of their male agents (starring Sung Joon) to spy on her, posing as her next door neighbour. Yeon-soo has no problem with the agency's stringent condition although her attention is mainly on her young daughter. Her relationship with her "neighbour" becomes a bit complicated as she finds herself liking him, but a mission leads her to confronting her past and unlocks a few dark secrets which results to an explosive revenge and Yeon-soo knew she couldn't turn her back no matter how much she look forward to normalcy.
I've to admit I'm squeamish when violence and gore are concerned but I thought this movie was quite well executed and that the shooting technique (no pun intended) is artistic in some ways (e.g. the opening scene made you feel like you're Sook-hee in a video game). While there are lots of action scenes and one might expect the story is filled with cold-blooded characters and more revenge and killings, surprisingly there is still a thread of humanity left as the story progresses. Is there even a love story here? I'm sure inquiring minds want to know. Yes, there is, although it is not a major plot and it doesn't end happily. This is not a movie for everyone, that's for sure, but it is a thrilling ride for fans of the genre and Kim Ok-bin portrayed her roles (be it Sook-hee or Yeon-soo) perfectly through her expressive acting skill both in the fighting and emotional scenes.
1888, Whitechapel, London. Sarah Bain, our main protagonist, is a photographer who earns her living by taking illicit boudoir photographs of the town's local ladies of the night. A spinster and a past filled with unhappiness and doubts surrounding her father's disappearance, she often wonders if her father is still alive or dead in a riot when she was only ten. Through her work, she befriended a few women despite their lowly background and their profession so when news of her two models were found brutally murdered within weeks of one another, she begins to suspect it is more of a murderer's act than mere coincidence. Most of all, she feels she is somehow responsible for their death considering that the pictures she took might have fallen into the hands of the murderer, thereby given him some faces to strike. Through different circumstances, Sarah befriended a few people from all walks of life (a street urchin, a gay aristocrat, a Jewish butcher and his wife, and a beautiful young actress) and they formed a team to investigate the women's death and to find out the identity of the Ripper. Alongside the investigation, Sarah finds herself attracted to police constable Barrett yet she doesn't know if she could trust him or not. Since young, Sarah had an unforgettable experience involving the police when they barged into their house for the arrest of her father and it had impacted her ever since. Despite the team's determination to catch the Ripper, their efforts get them nowhere but danger instead as Sarah soon finds her teammates getting hurt the more they are digging into it. Sarah decided it is best to act on her own as she crosses Whitechapel's dark alleys to find the truth and discover a few things which don't match her findings. To begin with, I liked the idea of this new take of Jack the Ripper. In fact this is the main reason I picked up this Victorian mystery and all the more that it features a female sleuth. However, these are the only two things that I liked about this book as for the rest it failed to captivate me. While the plot was intriguing, it was repetitive at times. Sarah was an interesting character and although I liked her determination, I felt most of the scenes are focused on her interactions with her teammates and although there is nothing wrong with this, I found the pace to be somewhat slow and at times boring, which isn't a good thing considering this is a mystery. All in all it was a fresh take of the Ripper but I wished the execution was better. This is the first book of Laura Joh Rowland's Victorian mystery and her second book, A Mortal Likeness, is already released in January 2018.
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