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Made In Korea-A Book Review

I never thought this book would brighten my day this way! It would be described as sweet and funny with a dash of sarcasm and fierceness. 😂

  • Title: Made In Korea
  • Author: Sarah Suk
  • Genre: Contemporary, Romance, YA Fiction
  • Publishing Date/Publisher: May 18th 2021 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
53141483
Source: Goodreads

Isn’t the cover cuuuute! (since when did I become a person who started calling things cute? This is so not me 🤦‍♀️) And the treble clef is gorgeous!

Valerie Kwon has one dream. Bring her grandma to Paris this year. Along with her cousin, Charlie, they both run V&C K-BEAUTY, the school’s most famous and successful enterprise run by students. It has been almost three years now and Valerie has been saving all her share of profits in order to fulfil her grandma’s life-long dream.

Wes Jung is a new kid in school who dreams of pursuing a music career when he finishes school. The problem is? His parents have totally different plans for him and they want him to be a doctor. Knowing that he will have to earn his own money and pay music school, he is also trying to find ways to save money. Until the very golden opportunity comes right in front of his eyes. When his classmates find a stash of lip-balm in his bag, given by his mother in order to help him ‘make new friends’, he finds himself with 100 dollars and all the lip-balms sold out. Thus, the idea came to him, start his own student-run K-BEAUTY business.

What he doesn’t realize is that there is also another K-BEAUTY business in school and he became their biggest competitor and Valerie’s personal rival.

Wes and Valerie try their best to outsell each other and be the best business in school but things turn a little different. Some sort of fire set both of them alight and keeps on growing but Valerie knows that if her sales drop and Wes wins, she will lose and her Grandma might never be able to see Paris. Wes knows that if he doesn’t outsell Valerie, he will not be able to go to music school. The game is hard and none of them seem to be able to completely ignore their growing feelings for each other.

About The Author:

Sarah Suk

Sarah Suk (pronounced like soup with a K) lives in Vancouver, Canada where she writes stories and admires mountains. When she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the water, taking film photos, or eating a bowl of bingsu. You can visit her online at sarahsuk.com and on Twitter and Instagram @sarahaelisuk.

[picture and text taken directly from Goodreads]

My Ratings: 4.5/5

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

My Thoughts:

First thing…do they sell bingsu in Mauritius because I want to taste this dessert right now! Yeah….bingsu is mentioned a lot in the book so you may understand why.

Let’s get back to the book. This book was way heart-warming than I thought. I was constantly thinking about what if it had a sad ending or one that made me cry? Oh no, it was definitely perfect and this is the first book written by Sarah Suk.

Valerie… her confidence, fierceness and bravery… I could totally feel her anger when she learnt that Wes was starting his own K-BEAUTY business. She makes some good decisions as well as bad ones so she isn’t the perfect girl with a perfect life. She is the youngest daughter in her family who is overshadowed by her sister, Samantha. Her mother is always wanting her to be like Samantha and always criticizing the decisions she makes for herself. This is one of the reasons why Valerie wants to bring her grandma to Paris; to prove to her mother that she can do some great things too. I loved Valerie’s determination and courage in what she wants and the way she focuses in her goals and her self-confidence and occasional cold-heartedness.

Wes…is the type of boy who’s mostly soft and calm and who is also determined to win. He has a soft heart (and that includes saving his rival) and very good-natured. He is almost totally the opposite of fiery and fierce Valerie. He’s the person who’d settle an argument by talking rather than simply ditching that person out of your life (that is Valerie I tell you).

Sarah Suk’s style of writing is extremely beautiful and she definitely knows how to portray Wes and Valerie exactly and clearly. In such a way you can picture them in your mind (the cover helps as well).

I also have to say that the story is told in Wes and Valerie’s point of view and when you think about all the problems they both have and how they each want to succeed….you can’t really want only one person yo succeed. Throughout the book, I was constantly shipping Valerie and Wes the WHOLE TIME AND IF YOU READ THE BOOK YOU’LL DO THAT TOO. MARK MY WORDS!!

It is an enemies-to-lovers romance if you consider it that way but it was more Valerie who wanted to crush Wes into pieces at the beginning….

Have I written enough? Well, I guess I have written too much but I have one last thing to say….it is perfect for people who want a light read and are feeling sad for no reason right now. It will definitely cheer you up and draw a big smile on the face. I was constantly smiling throughout the book!

Okay, I’m stopping right now!

-Hermione💙

Posted on by Hermione · 4 Comments

Burn Our Bodies Down-A Book Review

Hey guys! Hope you are all fine! I finally read this book after so long! Let’s start with the review!

Title: Burn Our Bodies Down

Author: Rory Power

Genre: Horror. YA Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

Publication Date/Publisher: July, 7th 2020/Delacorte Press

Burn Our Bodies Down
Source: Goodreads

Margot Nielsen has never known any other life other than living with her single mother. She also has no knowledge of the rest of her family. If there is one thing she longs for the most, is the truth, the truth about her family, her mother, her unknown father and where they all came from. Margot never got any of her questions answered so she learned to live with unanswered questions haunting her mind every single day.

In a stroke of luck when Margot visits the pawn shop, she comes across an old Bible book which belonged to her mother and in that book was an old photograph which should be her family. On the back of the picture was a phone number and Margot believes that she finally has the precious key to unravel all her family secrets.

As she calls the number, she talks with an old lady, Vera Nielsen who is surprisingly her grandmother. Having finally uncovered a part of her family, Margot decides to leave Calhoun and head for Phalene, the place Vera said where she could find her.

When Margot reaches Phalene, she expects to be happy to have found her grandmother and everything would become normal again and she and her mother would get along and there would be no secrets. What she didn’t expect was to discover that Vera isn’t what she really is and her family’s roots in Phalene go way deeper than she thought. Phalene isn’t safe and after a few days, she realizes that her family tree is just too much poison and if she stays here any longer, she might never get out.

About the Author:

Rory Power
Source of picture: goodreads

Rory Power lives in New England and works as a crime fiction editor and story consultant for TV adaptation. She writes mostly Young Adult books and is the New York Times Bestselling author of Wilder Girls and Burn Our Bodies Down.

My ratings: 4.5/5

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

OMG! This book is so full of unexpected twists sometimes you don’t know what’s really coming. I never expected anything as such! Seriously! Ridicine! (I cannot tell more about this word because it would spoil everything and anyways you won’t find it on internet so if you are curious, you have to read this book). Vera looks so nice at the beginning, you almost hate Margot’s mom but then as you progress in the story, you have different thoughts about the whole thing.

Everything starts normally and then it slowly gets interesting and then very interesting and then you end up with your eyes glued to the pages at the end. It is definitely worth reading and you have to try it! Oh and BTW, the cover is beautiful!

Well! That’s all for today!

See you all next time ;D

~Hermione

P.S. I think I will read Beyond the Ruby Veil by Mara Fitzgerald next! So stay around for more! (Another fantasy book😁) See ya later!🧡

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Winterwood-A Book Review

Hi everyone! Well, this is the second book I read written by Shea Ernshaw and it hasn’t disappointed me. If you have read The Wicked Deep you definitely have to read this one!

Title: Winterwood

Author: Shea Ernshaw

Genre: YA Fiction, Paranormal, Romance

Publishing Date/Publisher: November 5, 2019/ Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers (I had seriously no idea that this was published on my birthday!😂)

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw
Source of picture: Goodreads (BTW the cover is just so creative!)

Nora Walker is from a family of witches but unfortunately she hasn’t yet discovered her nightshade, that is her special kind of magic and that bothers her. Her mother for example, could work magic with honeybees. She could collect their honey without being stung and could even tame the wildest of them. Nora’s grandmother, for instance, could enter into people’s dreams and calm them to make them feel better.

One snowy full moon night, Nora enters the Wicker Woods, the forest believed to be magical and haunted and which only the Walkers could enter. She finds a boy, Oliver, lying on the ground, freezing to death in the cold. Nora decides to help him and she brings him to her place. Nora soon finds out that Oliver is a strange boy with forest green eyes who smells of the forest and pine but who also holds many secrets just like her.

Nora wants to trust Oliver but she cannot make herself trust him completely. Unless she finds out how Oliver could have survived for two whole weeks in the freezing cold of winter in those magical and cruel woods, she could never trust him because if she is sure of one thing it is that Oliver wasn’t alone that night his memory went blank…

About the Author:

Shea Ernshaw | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster

Shea Ernshaw an American author is the New York Times bestselling author of Winterwood, The Wicked Deep and A Wilderness of Stars. Her debut novel, The Wicked Deep was released in 2018 of March. She also has a debut adult fiction novel, A History of Wild Places which will soon be released this December 2021.

Source of picture: simonandschuster.com

My ratings: 4.9/5

Rating: 5 out of 5.

This book made me remember a time when I was little in which I went to Rodrigues and we went to a nature park. I remember about the tortoises (they were so big!) and then we went to visit a cave. Their was a nature guide who was leading us in and my sister and I were in the front and then she and I sang this song, it was a song my mother has downloaded in a CD along with other stories for us to listen in the car. It starts like this but I don’t think I remember it perfectly but here it is:

In the dark, dark woods…there was a dark, dark house…in the dark, dark house, there was a dark, dark room…in the dark, dark room there was a dark, dark shelf…in the dark, dark shelf, there was a dark, dark book…in the dark, dark book, there was a GHOST! *creepy boos*

Well, let us be serious now. The thing I love the most about this book is how everything is revealed almost at the end so all along the book you just wonder about Oliver and Nora. The fact that the characters are so well built and so mysterious is lovely but it had some similarities to The Wicked Deep as well, like Oliver had those dark green eyes just like Bo from The Wicked Deep and the fact that both Bo tries to keep Penny save and Oliver also doesn’t want to hurt Nora and vice-versa AND the fact that they fall in love with each other.

Otherwise, it was great and I really want to try out all those spells and instructions in the spellbook belonging to Nora AND thankfully *sighs out of relief* it doesn’t require a wand and complicated mutterings *phew*.

Would I recommend it? Well, yes! To all people who love Shea Ernshaw’s writing and who have read The Wicked Deep AND to all people who love a little dash of magic in the cauldron!

Happy Saturday! (and weekend)

~Hermione

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The Wicked Deep-A Book Review

Hi! This post is about one of the books I have just recently read (and finished in one-sitting) and I have to say that this IS one of the best books I have read so far. I am amazed at Shea Ernshaw’s writing skills. Haha.

Well, let’s start.

Title: The Wicked Deep

Author: Shea Ernshaw

Genre: YA Fiction, Paranormal Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

Publishing Date/Publisher: March, 6, 2018/Simon & Schuster

The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
Source: Goodreads

It has already been 200 years since the Swan sisters, Margeurite, Aurora and Hazel Swan were drowned in the sea with stones tied to their ankles, accused of witchcraft by the local people of Sparrow.

But, the legend still lives on and at the start of the Swan festival, which takes place of the 1st of June, every summer, the Swan sisters return to take their revenge. During the course of two weeks, the three sisters inhabit the bodies of three young girls. Things don’t end here either, nobody knows which girl is inhabited by the Swan sisters and and each of the Swan sisters pounce on their prey, boys of equal young age are called to the sea by the charming sisters and are drowned only to find their bodies by the police or the fishermen floating in the sea. Nobody really knows what happens during the night because once a Swan sister has her eyes on you, you certainly won’t live long.

Penny Talbot lives on the island and seems to have accepted the curse of the town. She lives with her mother in a lighthouse ever since her father walked away from them. Penny knows that her father would never leave them alone but he hasn’t returned yet.

Just before the Swan festival, Penny meets Bo, a handsome young boy, a year older than her and an outsider looking for work who clearly doesn’t know anything about the legend of the Swan sisters. Penny is instantly intrigued by Bo, and senses that he is hiding many things from her and Bo is also intrigued by Penny and has the same feeling that she has deep secrets.

Soon, Penny slowly falls for Bo and is determined to do anything to save Bo because she can see the Swan sisters and already saw that Marguerite will not stop at any cost to take Bo from her.

About the Author:

Shea Ernshaw | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster

Shea Ernshaw an American author is the New York Times bestselling author of Winterwood, The Wicked Deep and A Wilderness of Stars. Her debut novel, The Wicked Deep was released in 2018 of March. She also has a debut adult fiction novel, A History of Wild Places which will soon be released this December 2021.

Source of picture: simonandschuster.com

My ratings: 4.9/5

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Definitely one of the most emotional books I have read. Probably the best book I have read in May. I ADORE the cover! I haven’t read many witchy witchy stories before but I absolutely LOVE this book. Penny and Bo’s relationship grew very quickly saying that they have just met each other but otherwise everything was great. The end still makes me smile sometimes and it surely will make you smile too. I definitely recommend this book to all people who like stories about witches, curses and bravery.

~Hermione

P.S. We are the 1st of June today…as a matter of fact.😉

Posted on by Hermione

Final Friends Vol. 2-A Book Review

I am so sorry guys I haven’t been able to post for around three weeks. I was inactive since all this schoolwork and revision and tests is killing me and I am extremely busy. And we have our 2nd term exams starting in November and I have already started revising. I just hope that during the exams I do not have a black out…😂😂😂

So let’s begin.

Name: Final Friends-The Dance Part 2 and The Graduation

Author: Christopher Pike

Genre: YA Fiction, Mystery, Crime

NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT READ AS IT MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST BOOK: FINAL FRIENDS VOL.1

Find link of Final Friends Vol. 1 here

The Dance, Part 2 / The Graduation: Pike, Christopher: 9781444901283: Amazon.com: Books
Source: Amazon

The Dance Part 2

Everything is supposedly back to normal. Jessica, still grieving for her dead friend, Alice. Michael Olson is still searching for the killer of Alice and his main suspect is Clark, Alice’s boyfriend, who is now Polly’s boyfriend. Michael is also not convinced that it was suicide and the police doesn’t seem to do much about that except closing the case deciding it was murder.

Meanwhile Jessica realizes that she has fallen in love with Michael Olson but she isn’t sure that he has the same feelings for her and he is too-good for such a girl like her. So instead, she tries seducing the football quarterback, Bill Skater.

Now, the homecoming dance was coming soon and Jessica, Maria, Clair and another girl, Cindy. Unfortunately, somebody tampered with the float and it seems that there will be another accident tonight or even death…

The Graduation

With Maria in a wheelchair with her useless legs Jessica is nearly depressed since Maria accused her for the accident.

With Michael still searching for Alice’s murderer, he seems to be getting nowhere expect suspecting Clark all along.

During the late-night cruise party everybody is present Michael, Jessie, Sara, Polly…and Clark as well…will the cruise be a big mistake? Will any more lives be claimed?.

My ratings:

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

It was an amazing ending to the story. I wont tell you what happened otherwise I will spoil it but it had a really happy ending and a strange one as well especially Bubba’s ending and Clair’s.

It was amazingly written and the last moments in the boat was breathtaking and we finally know who is the killer…

Thanks for reading!

Hermione

Posted on by Hermione · 1 Comment

Remember Me Vol.2-A Book Review

Name: Remember Me volume two, The Return Part two, The Last Story

Author: Christopher Pike

Genre: YA Fiction

Remember Me: Volume Two: The Return Part II and The Last Story ...
Source: Amazon

The Return Part 2

Jean Rodriguez attends the funeral of Debra Zimmerer where she reads her story to her grave. It is about a girl, called Debra and her muse, Sam O’Connor, a …sort of troll who lives in her closet and who gives her the ideas to write her stories….

When Jean Rodriguez goes to visit James Cooper, Shari’s brother, Jean realizes that…she WAS Shari Cooper! This is why she felt such a connection when she saw the place where Shari Cooper died and the reason she seems to remember things that had nothing to do with her.

Now when Shari visits the Rishi, he agrees to let Peter to Earth in the body of a living as a wanderer.

Now the only thing important is for Jimmy and Shari’s friends to remember her, and recognize Shari in Jean’s body…

The Last Story

Shari Cooper, also Jean Rodriguez has just written a new story, First To Die a huge best-seller that is going to be made into a movie. At the last minute, Darren, the movie hero, has to be replaced…by the insanely charming and cute actor, Roger Teller.

Roger seems to have taken a liking to Shari…and Shari wants to wants to know more about him. His shady and confusing past is intriguing.

Shari starts writing a new story, The Starlight Crystal a sci-fi book that happens in the future.

Not long after, Shari feels something wrong…very wrong with Roger when her private detective tries to share her news about him…

My ratings: 4/9

Rating: 5 out of 5.

This book was fabulous! I highly recommend reading the two volumes. It seems like even after a first book, the author was still full of amazing ideas to add to it. I loved the story, it was absolutely thrilling! This book is just really gripping and you quite get hooked on it. I still remember completing the story on the same day I borrowed it😀.

Cheers!

Hermione

Posted on by Hermione · 1 Comment

Remember Me-A Book Review

Name: Remember Me Volume one and The Return Part 1

Author: Christopher Pike

Genre: YA fiction

Remember Me & The Return Part I by Christopher Pike
Source: Goodreads

Remember Me Volume 1

Shari Cooper is dead. During her friend’s birthday party, she fell off the balcony. Mysteriously pushed by some unknown person off the balcony she was standing on, Shari vows to find her killer.

While watching her own funeral, Shari finds her dead friend, Peter Nichols. Shari also encounters her Shadow, the scariest thing she has ever seen…

With the help of Peter, Shari tries all she can to find her killer. When she tries to contact her friends using the ouija board she and Peter sense another force another energy interfering…

The Return Part 1

Shari Cooper has been given the chance to return to Earth among the living as a Wanderer, in the body of another girl, Jean Rodriguez, a poor girl living with her mother and her siblings.

The only problem is that Shari Cooper, now in the body of Jean Rodriguez, doesn’t even remember that she was once dead and is now back on Earth among the living…

My ratings: 4/9

Rating: 5 out of 5.

If I have to describe this book, there are so many words I could use to describe it. But for now I will only say that it was beautifully written and AMAZING!! I will definitely read other books by Christopher Pike. I was planning to read Final Friends yet but I guess the book in my school library seems to be borrowed by someone else before I even get there! Anyway, I still have to read Part 2 of Remember Me and as I said in my previous post, my book is still where I have hidden it, as long as other students don’t go peeking in the abandoned bookshelf I hid it in. It was the best place I could find and I was shocked myself to find out that somebody else had used my hiding place to hide one of the Twilight series book, Eclipse, there!

Maybe I should end there itself or otherwise you will all die of boredom. One thing I am sure of is that whenever someone talks to me about books, I end up speaking a lot more than listening to what they have to say😂.

See you again soon!

Hermione