Welcome to another post of me ranting!!!!!!!!! (Warning: There will be a lot of cursing in this post)
I have decided not to number this post because I do not think I will be going down this rabbit hole again. So earlier this year I decided to binge read a shit ton of poetry. I also recently self-published a book of poems (which is doing poorly on Kindle, so check it out to support a struggling writer) and I thought ‘what better way to improve myself?’ which lead me to read a lot of poetry collections. I have to use the term ‘poetry’ loosely with these books because some of them are so shitty but don’t take my word for it, read it yourself.
Although I did read a few good ones that I will tell you to check out some are so bad that I just won’t recommend them. If you enjoy reading this post and you want me to make a second one, then leave a comment below.
I am so happy to introduce my book to you. I am excited to release this collection of poems to the world. I have been working on this for a while now and as much as I want to sleep in bed all day during quarantine, I have been somewhat productive. With amazon’s direct publishing, I was able to publish this book of poems.
Since Rona adventure around the world, I have been in a reading slump. I have managed to read a few books, which might be my last books for a while as i can’t seem to drag myself out of slumpville
I have watched a lot of amazing Korean dramas in the past 4 months and there is more to come. Today I will be sharing with you 4 additional dramas that I am really anticipating that will be aired in the next few months. I am expecting a lot of my favorite to be casted in these dramas. A few unexpected collaborations that I can’t wait for.
Today I will be recommending you new dramas based on a few that I think are a lot of people favorites. Some of these dramas you might have never heard of but I hope that with this, you will check them out. Most of these dramas are on Netflix and if you are unable to find them there, then check Viki, it most likely would be there.
These dramas although very different in their own right, they do have elements that tie them together, say for example, a main character experienced some sort of traumatic past that have made them twisted e.t.c. Without further ado, let’s get into it
I have decided to take the leap and move to my new website. I have been trying to get it running for the past few days and it is finally ready. I hope you will check it out.
I will still be posting here, only it will be redirecting you to my new website. I hope you continue to support me.
I am so excited to be on another book tour with @TheWriteReads. This ARC was made available by Penguin Books through Netgalley. As this was my first time reading a thriller, I had a lot of expectation, a lot of them were met and other sort of fell flat for me. One thing that really drew me in with this book was the cover, especially the UK cover, I mean that cover is simplistic and gorgeous. Gives off the chilly vibes. As I have never read a thriller/horror before, you can expect this to be a newbie experience. I do have to say that with this book, the standard for YA horror has been placed high.
Synopsis & Review
Before I go deep into the review, this book creeped me the f**k out, when I finished reading this book, I looked over my shoulder every five minutes. With much ado, let’s get into it…
I am going to try my best and not spoil this book because the chilliness of the atmosphere and the unknown is what makes this book unpredictable and scary. Let’s start with Lola Nox, the daughter of an extremely popular horror movie director Nolan. After her father was attacked in New York, Lola had to move to Harrow Lake to stay with her grandmother. Harrow Lake which has been made popular because it was the destination of the iconic horror movie, Nightjar by Nolan Nox. It was the same place where Nolan met Lola’s mother. With Lola new in town, she is bombarded with information about this seemingly sane town, with multiple disappearances and someone always stepping on her shadow. With her back in her mother’s home town, she decides to find out more about her mother’s disappearance.
Before I get into the creepiness, let me talk about Lola (because all the secondary characters didn’t really do much for me, the writing was an absolute joy but the side characters where so one dimensional, uncomplex and just plain) but Lola was just everything. Having not read any horror books in the past, I do think that a psychological horror is more messed up that any other type. The fear that creeps on you in this book is psychological, you can never guess right with the mind games. Lola was such a fascinating character, she makes it easy to empathize with her experiences. She is introduced as curious and adaptable, that is relatable until she has to pack her life and move to a creepy town were her painful past is blown in her face. Her dealing with abandonment and pain, it was like stealing was a psychological comfort.
Harrow Lake seemed so creepy and dark from Lola’s perspective because of her mental scars but as a reader, I couldn’t really tell if that was the case or if it’s Lola’s slow realization of the darkness that the village embodies. Simply put, Lola is an unreliable view point, because her past knowledge and trauma shrouds the village in a dark mist. As she and her new friend Carter looks into the disappearance of her mother she find out more about the missing young women and the police desperate effort to keep it buried.
Then we have the town’s legend (name me a town without its’ own legend and rituals), Mister Jitters (when I read this, I was like “oh spare me, how scary”, at least on that I was right). I am telling you, I could hear tapping while I was in my bedroom alone (scared the shit out of me). The town has created this sort of ritual to appease this boogeyman, the anonymity added to the cemented fear that had developed in the heart of the people of harrow lake. (I am trying so hard not to spoil this book for you)
Then we had (for me) an unnecessary romance, trust me it wasn’t needed, although it made her more related and human. She was still on the journey of self-love and it wasn’t the time for crushes. I do like the fact that the author didn’t make it a really important subplot because that would have pissed me off
Reading this book can be compared to listening to an Orchestra that you have listened to before, you know the peak is coming, you keep waiting for the peak to come, you feel like maybe the orchestra started again because they keep climbing up but never give you that climax you are expecting but when they finally give you, it is a little disappointing. That is what I experienced with this book, by the time I got to the second to the last chapter, I was hoping all the little bits tie up in a perfect bow but that is not really what I got.
I am new to psychological thrillers, maybe the confusion and incomplete satisfaction is what the author is going for because, it messed with my mind and I am itching for a better conclusion. But I am still going to say that I had a great experience reading this book, I always think that the journey is better than just the destination. I will probably be reading a lot more of Kat Ellis work in the future, beautiful writing, amazing characters and intense buildup.
In my journey to quench my thirst for Japanese culture, I have started watching a bit more Anime, dramas, listening to more Japanese songs and I am reading manga nowadays. I have watched a few Japanese dramas that I really like and Mischievous Kiss is one of them.
Although I have to say that this drama really disappointed me. It was cringey, cheesy and excruciatingly painful for me to watch. I have never cried from the pain brought on by watching a really cheesy drama. The major things the characters were saying was “cute”, I heard that word so much that it wasn’t even cute anymore. I don’t know what it is with Japanese drama presenting women as this cute and defenseless creatures that can’t do anything but be cute and innocent.
And before I go into it, I know that this is an adaptation of a manga, but this is just all poorly imagined and written. I honestly hated watching this drama. Even though the word ‘cute’ was used so many times, there was nothing cute about this drama.
A lot of things had me screaming sexual assault, it was made to seem like as if it was normal behavior just because the guy professed his love and he wasn’t accepted or his love was not reciprocated. I can go on and on about how bad I think this drama is. Although there were a few things that I enjoyed about the drama.
Title
Coffee and Vanilla
Genre
Romance
Year
2019
Cast
Dori Sakurada
Fukuhara Haruka
Kita Noa
Kuroba Mario
Episodes
10 episodes
Synopsis
Risa is a freshman in university and she has just moved from the countryside and she is seen as the most beautiful girl on campus until one day she meets Hiroto who is the CEO of a company. Of course you guessed it, they fall in love
Review
I don’t want to be the evil witch, who tries to tear down this drama, but hear me out. Let me start with the fact that this drama could have just be complied and made into one movie but since this is what we have. Let me start with the female main character, Risa, who is supposed to be this naïve country girl who just moved to Tokyo and has no real knowledge of the world. she has never dated but since she because the most beautiful girl in the school (the only representation of this in the drama, was guys kept trying to date her or rape her). Her naivety was continually referred to has cute and it made me so confused and angry. She was almost raped twice, stalked, sexual assaulted by people who she later kept as close friends (honestly it just baffled me). It was really painful to watch. Then she meets the rather handsome male main character, Hiroto, who is the CEO of a big company. They rather quickly started a relationship and the next thing we know is that he has placed a ring on her finger, to keep the other prey vultures away. Anyways, when she finds out his job, she begins to feel insecure (as her character is so one dimensional, that the whole time in the drama, she didn’t seem to have a life away from Hiroto). She tries to stand alone by applying for part time job.
I realize that I am just yapping away, the drama did have a few scenes that I really thought was well shot (makes me want to read the manga). One particular thing she says that pisses me off is “This is as far as I can go” and this is when she is unbuttoning his shirt, believe me, with Hiroto looking like a snack, it was just annoying me. That at the side. This drama is a tad bit steamy, I don’t mean fifty shades sort of stuff but it is one of those dramas that come with the 19 label in Korean dramas.
I enjoyed the bromance between Hiroto and his secretary than i did is relationship with Risa. This drama was just about 4 hours of pure cringe fest, cheesy ass lines and tangible pain. I hope you watch it and feel what I felt.
Little Spoiler
Trust me, you don’t need this part.
Rating
I gave this drama 5.2 out of 10 stars (honestly, most of the stars come from the handsome main character, the effort of the actors, nothing from the script at all)
Confession time, I don’t think I read anything in the month of April, I was too busy, swamped with school work, most of my favorites for the month of April would be music and a few dramas that I watched in the middle of the night when I was supposed to be sleeping.
I need to follow my list this month to be able to stay on track because last month, I was not able to read anything off my list. But as it is the time to curb bad habits, I am hoping to read books that I have started but not completed. And also a few adult romance books that I pushed over from last month
Harrow Lake by Kat Ellis: This the book for the #readwritesbookblogtour and I need to review it this month.
Of Curses and Kisses by Sandhya Menon: I am 75% done with this book but it is just so bland that I struggle through each chapter but at the same time, I am intrigued and I want to know what really happens at the end. I have been reading this book for almost 3 months.
The Deception by Nikki Sloane: I read the first and second books in two nights and I had a lot of issues with this book but I couldn’t for the life of me, put it down. I am hoping to finally continue this book sometime this month.
Irresistible by R.L. Mattewson: I started this last night and I am almost finished. Although I have to say that it is not as interesting as the other books in the series. As much as I was anticipating Aidan’s story, this is a bit of a let down for me, so far.
My Favourite Souvenir by Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland: I know nothing about this book but I know that it is going to be hot. I am thrash for this duo and would read anything they write.
The Diviners by Libba Bray: Although I am really enjoying this book, I don’t know why I am not making any progress, the characters are interesting, the story is intriguing and I am loving the direction things are taking. I think this book drives me into a slump and I know that is just an excuse but I just can’t.
The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren: This is another duo that I will always read, I wasn’t able to get to this book last month, I am hoping that I would be able to read it this month
Thanks for reading. Don’t forget to check me out on twitter and goodreads.
TheEuphoricZat 