Here's to Another Year!

 And so another year ends. It has been a journey of ups and downs but we are here.

Here's to 2026! May it be better than 2025.

We all have quirks

My family loves to make fun of my quirks it seems. They're not really mean or anything but it can get annoying sometimes. Like, give a girl a break.

One of mine is my tendency to hyper organize my ebooks. Sometimes I go beyond the genre and author organization and head straight to separating the books by series. My siblings refuse to browse through my books. They say that they have no clue where things are and they would rather I recommend books to them than take a look around my digital library for a new read that peaks their interest. They should be happy I never employed the Dewey Decimal System. 

Another quirk that I firmly believe is overreaction on my siblings part is the fact that I am really good at making a cake give 15 slices when 6 was the expected serving size. The kids have banded together and refuse to let me cut anything except fruit. I don't cut meat (i.e. turkey, roasts and such) because I always hack it apart. But I thought the whole cakes and pies thing was fine. Apparently it is not. I have a ban on me. If they see me with a knife about to cut banana bread, they will go out of their way to stop me. Yes, I do feel hurt by that.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below. Tell me about your quirks. 

I don't really want to know

 I have always loved reading. Words make sense in ways people and the world in general never really had. I can understand how a character operates because I have seen its growth. People are layered in ways most books aren't. The world operates in a completely different way too. Books are like a safer, simplified mirror of the world we live in.

That said, I have a lot of books. Not just physically, but digitally. There is an ongoing joke in my family that I have a library. Not a physical one, but a digital one. I don't have enough space for a physical library.

In order to have a library, one must own over a thousand books. I passed that years ago. I honestly don't know how many books I have now. And I don't want to know. There comes a point in ones life where one just stops obsessing over things like that. At least, for me. 

Now, I just want to read a book I think is interesting. It was like this in the beginning and I think it fine for it to be this way now.  

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Fake It Til It's Real K-Drama Edition

 Fake Relationships are one of my favorite tropes. I already did a post on books with this trope. Now I give the K drama edition. All blurbs from AsianWiki. Real Quick Honorable Mentions: Happiness, Because This Is My First Life, A Business Proposal, Perfect Marriage Revenge. I mentioned them before on my blog so I won't mention it again.

Lie to Me

A woman in her late 20's is always asked "when are you going to get married?" On a whim, the woman then lies that she did get married.

Kong Ah-Jung  is an administrative official for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. She then co-ordinates a meeting for government officials. The meeting appears to flow smoothly and she is even praised by the minister. Disaster soon strikes when bees attack the meeting place and the meeting turns into chaos. Taking responsibility for meeting, Ah-Jung is ordered to submit a written apology. That evening Kong Ah-Jung goes to a club and drinks away her sorrows.

Meanwhile, Hyun Ki-Joon is the president for conglomerate "World Group." He is handsome, smart and from a rich family. But, in his teen years due to an accident he lost both of his parents. Since that time, Ki-Joon and his younger brother were raised by his aunt. Ki-Joon has a responsible character as an older brother but his younger brother Sang-Hee is more carefree. The younger brother Sang-Hee then comes back to Korea and meets Ah-Jung at the club, while she is drinking away her sorrows. Ah-Jung and Sang-Hee start to chat and Ki-Joon shows up to looking for Sang-Hee. He misses Sang-Hee. in front of the club Ah-Jung passes out and Ki-Joon takes her to the hospital. In order to ask Ah-Jung about Sang-Hee's whereabouts, Ki-Joon stays next to Ah-Jung's bed all through the night. The next day, they go their separate ways.

On the following day, Ah-Jung meets So-Ran who stole away her first love Jae-Beom. So-Ran and Jae-Beom eventually married. After So-Ran and Jae-Beom became a couple, Ah-Jung studied hard and passed her government official exam to impress Jae-Beom. At the hair salon, Ah-Jung on a whim lies to the couple and tells them that she is married. Ah-Jung then goes to a hotel to pay Ki-Joon for the other night's hospital bill. An accident occurs and she spills tomato juice all over her sweater. Ah-Jung is so embarrassed she pretends to pass out. Ki-Joon picks her up and takes her to his hotel room. During this time, Ah-Jung's friends watches and a rumor soon spreads that Ah-Jung and Ki-Joon are married ....

Okay, the first half of this drama is pure Rom-Com gold. The second half is exhaustingly angsty. It's not bad. It's actually quite good. I just got tired of the back and forth. If you watch it, you'll get what I mean. It is an older show so if it seems dated, there you go.

No Gain, No Love

Son Hae-Young is the type of person who doesn't want to lose money under any circumstance. When growing up, she had to share her mother's love with others. She often found her partners in relationships below her break even point. Now, Son Hae-Young faces the possibility of missing out on a job promotion at her workplace. To avoid such a loss, she makes a plan for a fake wedding. She recruits Kim Ji-Wook to be her fiance. Kim Ji-Wook works part-time as a cashier at a convenience store. He is the type of person who can't ignore people in need and tries to do the right thing. He is smooth with every customer at the convenience store, except for one person. That person is Son Hae-Young. When she suddenly asks him to become the fake groom at her wedding, he somehow accepts her offer.

This series is more, how shall I say this, mature. It is still a Rom-Com but with surprisingly deep and mature moments. The things that need blurring will be blurred, so have no worries there. I enjoy this show's use of irony and tongue in cheek. It has a two episode spinoff which actually helped me better understand a secondary character's development. So, I wouldn't say it was an absolute thing you need to watch as well. But it did make the whole thing more fun.

Love in Contract

Choi Sang-Eun is an attractive woman, with talent and charm. She works as a contract marriage master. Her job is to help her client have a perfect single life. She transforms herself for each of her clients. Her client Jung Ji-Ho has been in a marriage contract with her for 5 years, running on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of the week. Jung Ji-Ho is a mysterious man. Her new client Kang Hae-Jin is a popular actor. She has a marriage contract with him on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Choi Sang-Eun becomes involved with her 2 clients and finds herself in a love triangle.

This one is a Rom-Com with more drama in it than I initially expected. I went in thinking I would get  comedy only to get way more drama. Still a fun watch, just prepare yourself for Chaebol drama. 

Would You Marry Me

Kim Woo-Joo is the only son of a family that runs bakery Myungsoondang and he works there as a marketing team leader. The bakery has an 80 year history. Personality wise, he is a bit narcissistic and rational person. He gets involved with subcontractor designer Yoo Me-Ri for work. One day, she suddenly asks Kim Woo-Joo to marry her. Meanwhile, Yoo Me-Ri is going through some trials in her life, including a broken engagement due to her ex-boyfriend's infidelity and a fraud lease on a newlywed home. Around this time, she received good news that she won a special prize for newlyweds which is a top-class townhouse. Her problem is that she has already broken off her engagement. She suddenly proposes to Kim Woo-Joo, who has the same name as her ex-fiance. This is how they begin their fake newlywed life for 90 days.

I just started this one. Rom-Com with a dash of Thriller, heavy on the Rom-Com. It is very difficult to laugh quietly at 4 in the morning when all you want to do is tell someone what just happened on screen. I am thoroughly enjoying this drama. 

I hope you get to watch one or more of these delightful series. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

New Projects

 I finished working on a new throw blanket. It is a beautiful Rubbed Sage color and it will be so warm. My timing is good as there is snow on the ground as I write this.

I was working on a different blanket but the yarn was so plushy, it messed up the tension of the whole thing and caused the yarn to snap twice. I was so frustrated that I scrapped the whole project. Yes, there may have been some screaming involved. My mom and siblings gave me a wide berth and mega side eye. They said that it felt like I was mad at them, not the yarn. 

For the sake of my mental health, I switched to the sage yarn. I didn't give up on the other yarn. I just needed some time away from it so I could figure out how I should work with it. I think I might have figured it out. Time will tell, though.

Anyway, I over did it in the beginning by knitting like my life depended on it. I was trying to make up for all the time I felt that I had wasted. Now my body is sore. My mom said I probably need to do a workout to warm-up my body before I start knitting.

Oh, before I forget, a picture of the blanket is below.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Open Letter to the Ladybug in my Room

 Dear Ladybug,

Last week, you kinda creeped me out. Why were you flying so aggressively and slamming your tiny body into my light? Why were you buzzing so loudly that I almost mistook you for a bumblebee?

I was wondering if you were hopped up on some kind of ladybug juice. You know, the kind that leaves you a bit loopy. I was mildly hurt that you wouldn't crawl onto my hand but I got over it after seeing how out of it you seemed. I haven't seen you since then and I hope you are better.

Your inadvertent roommate who was there first,

Yafania

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Second Hand Embarrassment

 Have you ever had a moment when reading a book when you have to walk away? Not because you were busy or had someone call you away. The character(s) just made you so embarrassed that you had to walk away. I am experiencing as I write this post.

I really want to finish this book but our female lead is such a wild card, I'm a little scared. She might be more than I am used to handling. I know her plans are going to fail but watching her try so hard is kinda pitiful in a way. It's embarrassing because she doesn't see until later that plans A,B,C,D,E,F,G and H  were all for naught.

Please if there is any one out there reading these posts, if someone you know is that bad, just stop them. If you can't do that because they won't listen, quietly film it to remind them later to behave better. They're going to act like it never happened. So video evidence is need.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

When You're Hooked

 On a Saturday night whim, I started a novel. It was book one out of nine and I had low expectations. It is currently Wednesday evening and I am about to start book eight.

To be honest, its name is a bit corny. The synopsis was a bit interesting but the name threw me off for a long while. If I wasn't bored at the time, I probably wouldn't have even bothered picking it up. So thankful I did.

I guess, what I am trying to say is this: Not only should you not judge your books by the cover, you also shouldn't judge them just by their name and synopsis. They might actually be incredible but just have a really hard time telling you how.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

The Colors and Scents of Fall

 I looked outside today and saw that Fall is well and truly here. Yes, the weather has been cold enough for me to have to throw layers on. Yes, the trees in my neighborhood have mostly turned. What I mean is there are leaves on the ground.

One of my favorite childhood memories is that of jumping into a pile of leaves. That is what would get me excited when I would see the trees changing colors. Of course, I don't do that now. My knees won't like afterwards and I really need them to like me.

I also always enjoyed how crisp the air would get as Fall slides into Winter. And the scents! The faintest hint of wood smoke. The spicy scent of basil going to seed. Cinnamon Apple candles and air spray perfuming the air. The sweet and savory scents of baked goods.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Fake it til it's real

 I do enjoy a good romance story. One of my favorite tropes is that of the "fake relationship". There is.something about watching two people fall in love with each other as they pretend to be lovers in front of others. Below are a few of my favorites. All blurbs from Goodreads.

Fauxmance - Cookie O'Gorman

Fauxmance (foh-mans): Term for a romantic relationship that is fake. Real feelings, like love, are strictly prohibited. See also: Why would anyone enter a fake relationship?

Eighteen-year-old Magnolia believes in true love.

Or she did.

When her boyfriend dumps her the day before her sister's wedding, Maggie is devastated—but her broken heart is only part of the problem. Maggie is the maid of honor, and her sister insists: Every member of the bridal party must have an escort. No exceptions.

Thank goodness for Hayden Davenport.

Sarcastic, cocky, a surprisingly good listener and self-professed player, when Maggie gets stuck in an elevator with the handsome stranger, she thinks she's found the perfect wedding date. Unfortunately, Hayden hates weddings. Like really hates them.

But one soul-shattering kiss changes everything.

Maggie needs a fake boyfriend. Hayden wants to prove he's changed his playboy ways. Faking it should be easy. The hard part?

Remembering it's all pretend and not falling in love for real.

This book features two opposites with sizzling chemistry, a sweet, hopeless romantic and a cynical bad boy who'll steal your heart. Elevators, fake romance, and weddings, oh my! Get ready to swoon, laugh, and say 'I do' to this heartfelt YA romance.

Quirky-Cute Heroine + Charming Hero with major bad boy vibes = A fun novel you will find a favorite. Their chemistry sizzles on the pages of this teen romance.

Honestly, I'm Totally Faking It - Amanda Gambill

Rach is a down-on-her-luck, happy-go-lucky kind of lady … Sure, she may be an assistant to personal assistants, crashing on her ex-boyfriend’s couch, and have a whole secret past, but mostly, things are great.

Until she:

1. Meets Pres — an aspiring politician, certified Capricorn, and a definitely “unlikable” dude (he knows, he had a poll done on it) —and

2. Accidentally goes viral at the same time. (The internet is calling it “Boobgate.”)

His PR person says they should capitalize on the fame. Pres only wants to win an election. And Rach, well, she really just wants to keep her job.

Now she must decide if she can be herself and get the guy, too, or if faking it until you make it is all it’s cracked up to be…

Boobgate will now enter my vocabulary. Fudge Nuggets is already there. Prepare yourself for a workout. Your stomach muscles will be sore after reading this one. This is a novel for mature readers.

 #Awestruck - Sariah Wilson

A sweet all-American story of love and revenge.

Ambitious intern Ashton Bailey is about to get closer to her dream of being a sports announcer. All she has to do is prove that too-perfect-to-be-true NFL quarterback Evan Dawson isn’t quite as wholesome as his contract requires. It’s also the perfect opportunity to get delicious payback on the boy who broke her teenage heart. At least that’s her plan. But she forgot just how easy it is to crush on the irresistible charmer. #OhNoNotAgain.

Evan has a knack for getting through the opposing team’s defenses, and he won’t let this tall, redheaded knockout be the exception. He’s determined to make things right between them and earn back Ashton’s trust—and maybe her heart, too.

Then the press mistakenly announces their engagement, and Ashton and Evan find themselves going along with the lie. Now the whole world is watching as Ashton flirts with attraction and disaster. But while revenge is sweet, it just might come at the cost of something sweeter still.

I binged read the series this book belongs to a few years ago. It is still a favorite of mine. A sweet, clean read. Definitely time enjoyed.

Accidentally Married - Victorine E Lieske

Madison Nichols, aspiring actress, is floundering. Her rent is due and she needs a job. Desperately. After getting a tip about an open position, she rushes to Jameson Technologies and meets CEO Jared Jameson. Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding, she is put in the awkward position of pretending to be his girlfriend. Not the job she was applying for. And when she finds out Jared lied to her to get what he wanted, she decides to get back at him. In front of his family.

Jared is stunned when Madison announces they are getting married. She pushed her revenge too far. How can he tell them it’s all a lie? And when his sick aunt asks them to be married before she dies, Madison comes up with a hair-brained plan to hire an actor and stage a fake wedding.

What they both don’t know is Jared’s father has found out about the fake wedding. And he’s got his own hair-brained plan.

This is a sweet romance, appropriate for any age.

Oh, this one was a family favorite. I read this one aloud to my mom when she was doing my sisters hair and we were just cracking up. A funny clean read.

Acting Married - Victorine E Lieske

Tara McDermott needed a job, so she took the only thing available--cleaning house for the swoon-worthy actor, and Hollywood Bad Boy, Rick Shade. When he comes up with a crazy plan to tame his wild reputation by marrying her, she reluctantly agrees so she can pay off her debts and move her daughter back to the Midwest where life is simpler. If only he wouldn't make her heart pound every time he kisses her. 
Rick's reputation is in the toilet and it's affecting his job. In order to get a good role, he needs to show Hollywood he's now a family man. After enticing Tara with a large sum of money to go through with the farce, he sets out to show the public he's in love. But Tara's soft lips keep calling to him and soon he doesn't know what's pretend and what's real.

Part of the same series as the one above. This one is more angst-filled. Still a clean read. Just, meatier.

The Cinderella Deal - Jennifer Cruise

New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Crusie brings humor and storytelling magic to this modern-day romance of a match made anywhere but in heaven—but destined for a fairy-tale ending.


Daisy Flattery is a free spirit with a soft spot for strays and a weakness for a good story. Why else would she agree to the outrageous charade offered by her buttoned-down workaholic neighbor, Linc Blaise? The history professor needs to have a fiancée in order to capture his dream job, and Daisy is game to play the role. But something funny happens on their way to the altar that changes everything. Now, with the midnight hour approaching, will Daisy lose her prince, or will opposites not only attract but live happily ever after?

Quirky Queen + Uptight Professor = Beautiful Mad Match. They work cause no one thinks they work. Hilarious perfection.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Christian Time-Travel Romance

Do you want a clean, faith-based time-travel romance to dig into but don't know where to look? I have a list of series(and or novels)for you. So without much ado, here it is. All blurbs from Goodreads will be for book one of the series unless otherwise mentioned.

Jody Hedlund's Waters of Time series

Come Back to Me

The ultimate cure that could heal any disease? Crazy.

That's exactly what research scientist Marian Creighton has always believed about her father's quest, even if it does stem from a desire to save her sister Ellen from the genetic disease that stole their mother from them. But when her father falls into a coma after drinking a vial of holy water believed to contain traces of residue from the Tree of Life, Marian must question all of her assumptions. He's left behind tantalizing clues that suggest he's crossed back in time. Insane. Until Marian tests his theories and finds herself in the Middle Ages during a dangerous peasant uprising.

William Durham, a valiant knight comes to Marian's rescue and offers her protection . . . as his wife. The longer Marian stays in the past, the more she cares about William. Can she ever find her father and make it back to the present to heal her sister? And when the time comes to leave, will she want to?

Bestselling author Jody Hedlund is your guide down the twisting waters of time to a volatile era of superstition, revolts, and chivalry in this suspenseful story.

Let's travel to 1300s England! There are four books in this series. I loved each one. I have re-read this series a few times. 

Tamara Leigh's Beyond Time Duology

Dreamspell

A TIME TO LIVE. A TIME TO DIE. A TIME TO DREAM.
Sleep disorders specialist Kennedy Plain has been diagnosed with a fatal brain tumor. When her research subject dies after trying to convince her he has achieved dream-induced time travel and her study is shelved, she enlists herself as a subject to complete her research. But when she dreams herself into 14th-century England and falls into the hands of Fulke Wynland, a man history has condemned as a murderer, she must not only stay alive long enough to find a way to return to her own time, but prevent Fulke from murdering his young nephews. And yet, the more time she spends with the medieval warrior, the more difficult it is to believe he is capable of committing the heinous crime for which he has been reviled for 600 years.

Baron Fulke Wynland has been granted guardianship of his brother’s heirs despite suspicions that he seeks to steal their inheritance. When the king sends a mysterious woman to care for the boys, Fulke is surprised by the lady's hostility toward him--and more surprised to learn she is to be his wife. But when his nephews are abducted, the two must overcome their mutual dislike to discover the boys' fate. What Fulke never expects is to feel for this woman whose peculiar speech, behavior, and talk of dream travel could see her burned as a witch.

Angst-filled, that is the two words that popped into my head when I think of this series. It is good though. This is set in England during the War of the Roses.

Sara Blackard's Vestige in Time series

Vestige of Power

Joseph, a man of the wilderness…

…thrown into the wilds of the city.

Born and raised in the heart of the Rockies, Joseph can’t imagine a more exciting life. But when one wrong step lands him in the alleys of an unknown city, excitement takes a new turn. Will he get his bearings in time to help a stranger whose life’s about to be threatened?

Though Victoria grew up in high society, her father encouraged her to follow her dreams. Now she wants everyone to have the same freedom she’s had. Freedom to an education, no matter your gender or social rank. Little does she realize speaking at a rally will change her life completely.

Can Joseph and Victoria look past those grasping for power around them to their true destinies or will the shadows of doubt keep them from all God means for them?

Insta-love meets time-travel, at least in book one. I haven't read book 2 yet. Good book, though.

MaryLu Tyndall's Legacy of the King's Pirates book 5 - The Reckoning

When Morgan Shaw crept into the hold of an old pirate ship replica at San Diego’s Annual Tall Ship Festival, her only intention was to avoid the guy who had just dumped her and who was now boarding the ship with two women on his arm. What she didn’t expect was to wake up aboard a real pirate ship three-hundred years in the past. But of course, it wasn’t real. Her wealthy father had obviously staged it all in an effort to get her mind off her upcoming chemo. Or had he?

Pirate Rowan Dutton seeks enough treasure to repay a debt to his sister and reinstate the Dutton name among British Jamaican Society. He is but one major haul away from accomplishing his goal when a strange woman appears on his ship and causes him to lose his prey. Despite his anger, he is enthralled with the little minx, her strange clothing, odd speech, and her insistence that they are all actors playing a charade paid for by her father.

Yet when the brazen little lady divulges Rowan’s secret to a longtime nemesis, events are triggered that could cost them both their lives and change the course of history forever.

I can't tell how many times I've read this one book over and over. I adored it so much. As it is part of a series, there will be some characters who appear in other books. Despite that, it can be read as a standalone. 

Lisa T Bergren's Rivers of Time series

Waterfall

What do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in a different world?

Most American teenagers want a vacation in Italy, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives among the romantic hills with their archaelogist parents. Stuck among the rubble of the medieval castles in rural Tuscany, on yet another hot, dusty archaeological site, Gabi and Lia are bored out of their minds...until Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient tomb and finds herself in fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces.

Suddenly Gabi's summer in Italy is much, much more interesting.

This series is set in early 1300s Italy. I am going to reread this series soon. LB2 is a fan of this series as well as me.

Lisa T Bergren's Rivers of Time California Duology

Three Wishes

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR. BECAUSE YOU JUST MIGHT GET IT.

Zara Ruiz is a normal California girl on the verge of graduating from high school and thinking about her dawning future. But when dusk brings a shattering loss—and she discovers a priceless object in the shallows of a tide pool—she is thrust a hundred-and-eighty years into the past. There she meets handsome ranchero Javier de la Ventura—who has big dreams and secret sorrows—along with his enchanting family, in a land that is at once familiar, and yet utterly foreign.

Between cattle rustlers, pirates and a growing call for statehood, it is not a peaceful time to be a Mexican settler in young Alta California. But Zara must decide if she's discovered what she longs for most in the past, or if her heart's THREE WISHES can only be found in the present.

Set in 1840 California. I have re-read book one way too many times. And I plan to do so again.😊 Book two is good. I just love book one more.

Lisa T Bergren's Oceans of Time series

Estuary

Can a family bond stand the test of time?

Lady Tiliani Forelli is the epitome of the She-Wolves who raised her, an adept archer with a mind of her own. It is long past time for her to wed, but she deems each young lord who comes to bid for her hand lacking. With battles upon their border, and rumors of war growing louder on every front, Lady Forelli’s decision could secure her kingdom’s peace...or bring about its destruction.

Centuries later, history major Luciana Bettarini takes a summer job alongside her twin, Domenico, as a period actor at Castello Forelli in Italy. As incoming college seniors, this might be their last chance to spend meaningful time together, so she’s soaking up every minute. But when Dom’s theory that their lost Bettarrini relatives have traveled through time becomes potentially real—and they might be able to follow—Luci fears they’ll be forever divided.

Want to go to 1372 Italy and visit some old characters? This is a incomplete sequel series of Rivers of Time. No, I did not start it. It isn't finished yet and I don't do well waiting for the next release of a series I decided to read. I need the next book to be right there at 4:57am so I can sleep knowing I can start it the moment I have time after waking. Is that healthy? No, maybe not. Am I comfortable this way? Yep.

Gabrielle Meyer's Timeless series

When the Day Comes

How will she choose, knowing all she must sacrifice?

Libby has been given a powerful gift: to live one life in 1774 Colonial Williamsburg and the other in 1914 Gilded Age New York City. When she falls asleep in one life, she wakes up in the other. While she's the same person at her core in both times, she's leading two vastly different lives.

In Colonial Williamsburg, Libby is a public printer for the House of Burgesses and the Royal Governor, trying to provide for her family and support the Patriot cause. The man she loves, Henry Montgomery, has his own secrets. As the revolution draws near, both their lives--and any hope of love--are put in jeopardy.

Libby's life in 1914 New York is filled with wealth, drawing room conversations, and bachelors. But the only work she cares about--women's suffrage--is discouraged, and her mother is intent on marrying her off to an English marquess. The growing talk of war in Europe only complicates matters.

But Libby knows she's not destined to live two lives forever. On her twenty-first birthday, she must choose one path and forfeit the other--but how can she choose when she has so much to lose in each life?

I haven't started this one yet either. It looks super cool though. 

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

KDramas I watched but never told you about

Below are some Kdramas that I've watched but never told you about. Hope you get to enjoy them in your down time. They are a good place to start your Kdrama journey if you haven't already. Blurbs from AsianWiki.

Birth of a Beauty

Han Tae-Hee is the heir of a large company. He is suffering from a broken heart syndrome due to a psychological shock. To get the woman he loves back, he completely changes an unattractive and overweight Sa Geum-Ran to beautiful Sara. In the process, Han Tae-Hee falls in love with Sara.

If you feel the need for a good, old revenge story, look no further! I watched this one with LB7 when we just started our journey together. It was fun watching scumbags get what was coming to them. 

Because this is my first life

Nam Se-Hee is a single man in his early 30's. He has chosen to not marry. He owns his home, but he owes a lot on his mortgage.

Yoon Ji-Ho is a single woman in her early 30's. She does not own a home and envies those that do. She has given up on dating due to her financial struggles.

Yoon Ji-Ho begins to live at Nam Se-Hee’s house. They become housemates.

I watched this one alone. I got in my feels for this one. Like sometimes life just sucks but it's okay. This is my first time doing it. Of course, everything isn't perfect.

Strong Woman Do Bong Soon

Do Bong-Soon was born with superhuman like strength. Her strength is hereditary and passed along only to the women in her family. Her dream is to create a video game with herself as the main character. One day, Do Bong-Soon helps out a bus driver who is being attacked by a thug. Soon, a small mob of thugs attack Do Bong-Soon, but she is easily able to wipe the floor with them. During this time, An Min-Hyuk drives up to the scene of Do Bong-Soon beating up the group of thugs. An Min-Hyuk is the CEO of video gaming company Ainsoft. He has recently received anonymous threats and even followed by an unknown person. An Min-Hyuk believes Do Bong-Soon would make a great bodyguard with her amazing strength. Besides offering Do Bong-Soon high pay, he even offers her the chance of working in the planning department of his gaming company if she does well.

Meanwhile, crimes against women take place in the neighborhood where Do Bong-Soon lives. Detective In Guk-Doo also lives in the same neighborhood. They have been friends since they were kids. Do Bong-Soon is also madly in love with him, but he has a girlfriend. In Guk-Doo tries to solve the case and Do Bong-Soon and An Min-Hyuk are pulled in.

Cute,crazy, and hilarious all at once. It is an all time favorite of mine. I will never look at merry-go-rounds the same.

Business Proposal

Shin Ha-Ri is a single woman and works for a company. She has a male friend and she has held a crush on him for a long time, but she learns that her friend has a girlfriend. Shin Ha-Ri feels sad and decides to meet her friend Jin Young-Seo, who is a daughter of a chaebol family. Jin Young-Seo then asks Shin Ha-Ri to take her place in a blind date and even offers some money for her time. Shin Ha-Ri accepts her friend's offer. She goes out on the blind date as Jin Young-Seo, while having the intention to get rejected by her date. When she sees her blind date, Shin Ha-Ri is dumbfounded. Her blind date is Kang Tae-Moo. He is the CEO of the company where she works.

Kang Tae-Moo is the CEO of a company that his grandfather founded. One day, his grandfather informed him of an upcoming blind date that he set up for him. Kang Tae-Moo is a workaholic and he is annoyed that his grandfather sets up blind dates for him. He decides to marry the next woman whom he meets at a blind date, so he won't be disturbed from his work anymore. That woman is Shin Ha-Ri, but pretending to be Jin Young-Seo.

On the following day, Shin Ha-Ri receives a phone call from Kang Tae-Moo. He asks her to marry him.

They say you never forget your firsts. This was the first kdrama I ever saw. I was hooked in the first few minutes. So freaking adorable!

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

That was a Christian Novel

You all may know by now that I read around. Different genres are like different menu choices to me. Whatever I am in the mood for, I can generally find it. 

I know people who look at the Christian novel world and think of it as a bunch of generic goody-two shoes running around spreading faith. Um, yes. Some of it is indeed like that. Try reading Victorian novels meant for children and youths. You might see some similarities. They're not bad writing wise, but they are a little detached from the reality of human actions and thinking in some ways. 

Below are four novels that will show you that Christian novels have come a very long way from that. Blurbs from Goodreads.

This Means War - Heather Miekstyn

First comes…the baby in the baby carriage?All I wanted to do was show Cole Jacobson that I wasn’t the same girl he passed over ten years ago. This time around I’d be the one rejecting him. Only now I’m a pregnant-out-of-wedlock, promise-ring-wearing Christian woman.

I think we can all agree things got out of hand.

As if being pregnant with the man I love to hate’s baby isn’t complicated enough, there’s his mayoral campaign to think about. Cole can’t afford a pregnancy scandal right at the beginning of his political career, which means he’s willing to do whatever it takes to keep me happy. Only, Cole trying to make me happy keeps throwing me off kilter until I can’t trust my own feelings. Do I hate Cole? Or do I love him?

I’ve been burned by Cole before. I won’t let it happen again. To protect my heart, I’ve got to strike back. Cole Jacobson, this means war.

But the more time I spend with Cole the more I remember why I fell in love with him so many years ago. Is it possible God can redeem our mistake and give us our very own love story?

This Means War is a Christian romantic comedy full of sizzling chemistry but without any explicit scenes.

This was the most realistic Christian Rom-com involving an "Oops! I'm pregnant!" moment. It happens though people don't like to talk about it. I greatly enjoyed this one. It is in my reread pile.

Valicity Elaine's Withered Rose Series/Universe

Book One in the Withered Rose Trilogy

Rosa De Luca has finally escaped the Italian mafia. She wants nothing more than to live a life free of crime, violence, and lawlessness. When she takes up shelter with a Christian family just outside New York City, she finds God and she finds peace. But her peace is shattered when her father dies, and her brother hunts her down.

All at once, Rosa is forced back into the life she only just escaped. As punishment, she is married to the German underboss, Amory Jäger. But her will has not been broken. Nothing says Rosa can’t escape again and this time, God is on her side.
But when she gets the chance to escape, Rosa hesitates. She wants to leave the mafia, but after getting to know Amory, she isn’t sure she wants to leave him.

Meanwhile, Amory is looking forward to having a new bride. He doesn’t want to get married, but he’s willing to do whatever it takes to keep the family business afloat. It also doesn’t hurt that Rosa is absolutely beautiful.
But Amory is a mafia underboss and Rosa is a Christian woman. Her faith is standing right between them, and he hates that. The sting of her refusal to marry him runs deep. But something in Amory feels drawn to Rosa despite their differences.

DISCLAIMER/WARNING
Withered Rose is a Christian story. There is no foul language and no graphic scenes of sex, violence, or gore. However, our characters are members of the mafia which may present an environment some readers consider triggering. Topics such as gang violence, abuse, and distribution of illegal substances will be introduced throughout the book.
This novel is appropriate for mature Christian audiences ages 17+
Please read at your own discretion.

Okay, hear me out. It is a Christian Dark Mafia Romance. If you have ever heard the radio program, Unshackled, think of it like that. Just way more unfiltered. It is most definitely for mature readers only. Do not hand this to your 12 year old, thinking it is fine. It will not be fine. If you wouldn't let them read regular Dark Mafia Romance, don't let them read this. FOR MATURE READERS ONLY. Can't stress that enough. My mom is a huge fan of this series, by the way. I only included the blurb for book one.

Debbie Viguie's Kiss Trilogy

Kiss of Night

As Susan Lambert prays at an ancient church while visiting Prague for her beloved grandmother's funeral, she is suddenly confronted by a man who vanishes as quickly as he appeared. She dismisses him as a figment of her imagination, only to meet him again shortly after her cousin disappears with a stranger. His name is Raphael and he claims her cousin is in mortal danger. By accepting his help, Susan finds herself thrust into a world of the supernatural.

Raphael, once a brutal knight who fought during the Crusades, was cursed for his sins to roam the earth as a vampire. Now he claims to need Susan's help in a secret war against a sinister evil. Unsure of a world she could never have believed existed and entangled with forces beyond her control, Susan must trust the mesmerising Raphael to lead her through to the other side safely.

Both Susan and Raphael will be called upon to exercise courage and faith, and in the process, the question What would happen if a vampire truly accepted God? is answered.

So, Vampires...... I will admit that I was skeptical at first. I will be honest, the whole reason I even read it was because I didn't think it would be good and I was looking forward to bashing it. Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be good. It's got a moody vampire, exotic foreign location and a slow burn romance. Only produced blurb for book one.

Embergold - Rachelle Nelson

Fire dreamed of water, but the first sip would be its last.

Gilde has spent her life isolated in the wild marshlands, a place too wet for the dragon to go. She’s safe there, according to her father. So why is he asking her to leave with him now that she has come of age? There is more to Gilde’s family than she knows, and debts need to be paid.

Betrayed and shattered, she wakes in a crumbling mountain castle with the beast of her nightmares. Except this dragon speaks like a man and reads books. His kindness confuses her and opens a forgotten longing in her heart, all while Gilde plans her escape from a mountain full of secrets.

This place can unveil her past and why she was sacrificed to the beast—truths that may put both their lives in danger if they can’t learn to trust each other. But how can Gilde ever trust again? Especially after she discovers what dragons truly are.

I finished this the same night I started it. It was that good. The world-building is phenomenal here. Christian Fantasy is an often overlooked genre in my opinion. When done right, it can be beautiful. This was beautiful and I want a sequel.

I hope you get to read one of these novels and enjoy it. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Who doesn't love a pop quiz?

I love random trivia. It was one of the reasons I watched Jeopardy when I was younger. I know a bunch of really useless (?) things that seem to come to mind at the weirdest of moments. Sometimes, I throw random trivia questions at my siblings for fun. My parents take it upon themselves to compete with their children to answer occasionally.

Feel free to try your hand at the questions below. I'm not giving you the answers. If you don't know, please look up the answers yourself. These are all questions I have given my siblings. 

 1. Name one (or all) Great Lakes

 2. Name three major rivers in the U.S.

 3. Name three organs in the human body

 4. Name two mountain ranges in the U.S.

 5. Name two (or more) foreign nations that start with the letter [insert letter]

 6. Name one crop that played a role on the geopolitical stage

 7. Name one mineral and how it's used

 8. Name three elements of the periodic table.

 9.         Name Four State Capitols. 

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Life without internet

This is some of my thoughts on life without internet.

There are times when I am hit with a wave of anxiety. What did I miss? Can I catch up? Will it still be there when I come back? Those questions run through your mind on a constant loop.

I don't mean to be anxious. It was never a big deal before. But I am taking this time as a brief tech semi-detox. I obviously needed it more than I imagined. 

At the time of me writing this, it has two weeks without internet access. There is so much stuff I know I will need to handle once I am back online. That is what gets to me. I have neat freak tendencies (in all the places that aren't really noticeable to my mom) and the thought of my emails just piling up makes me want to scream in horror like character in a bad 1970s horror movie. If you know, you know.

If there is a brightside in all this, I got to empty my To Be Read pile a little. Though let's be honest, that thing is never going to be completely gone in my lifetime. I had to come to terms with that a long time ago. I will always add more books than I take out. I am a book lover, the only boyfriends I have ever had has been a book boyfriend and I just might turn feral if you take my books from me. It has never happened but I feel like it could.

So, at least I have my books. I am also catching up on some shows I meant to watch but never got around to. So, upside right?

Open Letter to Our Hacker

Dear Hacker, 

I most sincerely hope that you burn your tongue on the next hot thing you consume. I wish for you to spend a day (or few hours, anyway) in discomfort. Just like how my family and I have been, but for days. 

Because of your actions, we have spent weeks without internet access as for reasons I won't tell you because I'm not dumb. I hope you stub your big toe. 

I know I am being petty. I frankly don't care right now. I don't know when I will care, but it won't be today. 

With absolutely zero regard,

Yafania

P.S. My mom shares my sentiments.

Bonus post: So very sorry!

 WiFi has been down at my place for over a month. Here's the backlog of posts.

Korean Novels I Enjoyed

 Korean novels (or Manhwa) are among the books I have been working hard to finish. They are chunky and more enjoyable than one would expect. They also tend to have a Webtoon online, some of which have questionable translations. As I like to say, the novel is always better. Below are ten managed to finish. All blurbs are from novelupdate.com.

1.For My Derelict Favorite

I entered my favorite romance-fantasy novel, which I have read many times.

Thanks to the body of a wealthy commoner, I bought the status of a fallen aristocrat, attended a noble family’s gathering and observed the romance of the characters in the original novel.

I wanted to return to the real world after witnessing the ending.

But somehow, even after the ending, I was not freed from the body I possessed and remained living in the original novel.

As a result, I acquired the stories behind the scenes that I refused to comprehend.

My favorite sub male lead, Caelus, has died.

Living impoverished in the original work without him, I eventually fell ill and died.

Now, I wanted to return to reality.

However, the irony of fate has returned me to the end of the novel overnight. This is definitely… to save my beloved, right?

For everyone who has ever caught second male lead syndrome, this is an homage to you. If you could enter your favorite book, would you make your favorite character's life better? Would you right their wrongs? Our leading lady does just that with flair. Hestia will find her way into your heart.

2.The Perks of Being a Villainess

She possessed a villainess who is known and hated for her evil acts in an unpopular novel. But because of her personality, it was extremely difficult for her to play the villainess role. But not for long…

“I’ll fix your dress according to your taste this instant!”

“My request.”

“O-Of course! As per your request, there’s only one piece available in the whole Empire.”

People around me listen to me well even if I just frown and sit still. Since I don’t have to live in difficulty, I decided to just comfortably live on as a villainess.

“Father. Is it necessary for you to solve formulas in this slow and inefficient way?”

I thought it would be good to be a rich villainess, so I used all my knowledge.

“Why don’t you give me the honor of escorting the Princess?”

I have had enough of dealing with my father, so why did an unexpected character suddenly appear? What if this person disrupts my plan?

LB2 loves this novel. He read it after me. Rule number one of entering a novel: if you have the means to do so, bring Starbucks to your new world. You will be rolling in money. Rule number two: If you find yourself as a villainess, do your best to not follow the storyline. They tend to die badly. Deborah is #ladyboss.

3.Villains Are Destined to Die

I’ve reincarnated as the reverse harem game’s villainess, the one and only adopted daughter of the ducal Eckart family.

But the difficulty just has to be the worst!

Everything I do will only lead me to death.

I must be paired with one of the main male characters from the heroine’s harem before the ‘real daughter’ of the duke family appears!

Two older brothers who always pick a fight with me on every little thing.

The insane crown prince whose route will always lead to my death.

‘I only see the heroine and no one else’s wizard, and also her loyal s*ave knight, too!

‘First, let’s take some of them which I see no hope in, out of the list!’

“I didn’t know my place up until now. From now on, I’ll live as quiet as a mouse so you wouldn’t care the slightest bit!

But why do their interests in me keep on rising every time I draw the line?!

She was just so done. Penelope just wanted to go home. Instead, a psycho game is keeping her hostage. Life sucks for her but I enjoyed it. If you can guess who she ends up with at the end, gold star for you!

4.I Thought It Was a Common Transmigration

As if it wasn’t enough to be hit on the head by my co-workers and boyfriend, I died at the hands of my gambling-addict older brother. Without even regretting my unfortunate death, I realized that I had possessed a supporting role in a romantic fantasy novel, which I just read yesterday. To be precise, a villainess destined to die at the hands of her husband. I know it’s cliché!

‘Possessed a villainess in a romantic fantasy novel! So this is what it feels like?’

I thought it was pretty good for the price of my unfair death. Until I realize that no matter what I do, I can’t deviate from the flow of the original. For the female lead Lizé, it’s a delightful cider series, but it’s nothing more of a bloody story for Edith, the villainess I possessed.

I am the protagonist in my life. If I’m going to die according to the original story, I should at least kiss my super handsome husband! In the original story, Edith is greatly despised by her husband, but who cares, I’m going to die anyway. However…

“You pretended not to be, but now you’re so hot to play with. Well, that’s good.”

“Yes…?”

“Satisfy me like Riegelhoff’s serpent. Well, who knows? I might be interested in that body of yours.”

…why is the original story starting to change now?

Another person held captive by a psycho system/novel. Poor Edith had a tough go of it. I enjoyed watching her make lemon cream cake out of the lemons life chucked at her.

5.Honey, Why Can’t We Get a Divorce

She possessed an evil woman who loves the main lead and killed her husband.

Fortunately, the timeline was before she killed her husband.

And unfortunately, everyone knows she loved the male lead so much. In this case, she would have to get a divorce as soon as possible.

But why…

“Crazy, crazy, crazy. I just heard it. I didn’t know it was crazy,” my husband said, tearing apart the divorce papers I gave to him. “I can’t help it. I have no choice but to live with a crazy woman.”

No, you do have a choice?

Why can’t I get a divorce?

Ophelia just wanted to live a quiet life. Who would've guessed things would be so complicated. This story was one of the first stories I read online so it has a special place in my bookish little heart. I loved the interactions between Ophelia and her husband, Sylvester.

6.Princess Who Hides Her Fandom

Reincarnated into a novel where my favorite character breathes and lives.

The beauty claimed to be the most beautiful in the continent. The jewel most cherished by the Emperor. The queen of the social circles. The time bomb of the Imperial Palace. I became Princess Agnes Saint, the one with all these titles and descriptions!

It’s nice being from a rich royal family, but… Like Draco Malfoy who scorned Muggles in Harry Potter, the problem was that ‘I’ was the despised tr*sh that insulted my favorite character’s integrity.

To make matters worse, she’s hopelessly courting another man. ‘My favorite character is Kylo, the male lead’s rival, and now I’ve reincarnated as a hardcore fan of the male lead…’

But now that it’s come to this… I will, at all costs, by any means possible, prevent my favorite character’s death and pave a flower path for him!

But if I suddenly reveal myself as a Kylo fan, everyone would think I’ve lost my mind. Kylo himself would suspect I’m a madwoman.

I didn’t want my baby cat, my Kylo, to be shocked in any way. So for now, I must hide this agonizing affection.

Plus, revealing your fandom has never done any good. So for the time being, I will perfectly…

‘Hide it.’

Calling all fangirls! This ones for you. Agnes is a crazy hot mess and we are here for it. She is that fangirl we all pray to never become while we root for her in the background. 

7.Daisy How to Become the Dukes Fiancée

Marry for 3 years, get 5 billion won vs. work for 60 years without pay. Which choice will Daisy make?

“I’ll get a job as a contract wife. I will be a good partner.”

A political marriage of convenience. The rules of the contract are simple. Love is prohibited. Divorce is guaranteed in three years. And most importantly do not make your husband fall in love.

“The men in my family are specialized in mu*der.”

Another Lady Boss! Daisy goes back in time after being tragically murdered. In order to provide for and protect herself and her younger sister, she enters an arranged marriage and proceeds to set her world ablaze with her business savy ideas.

8.I’m Not Sorry But The Prince Will Marry Me Anyway

I possessed a minor character who marries the prince.

I’m not thrilled about it. The prince is a s*umbag who flirts with the heroine despite being engaged and eventually gets defeated by the original male lead. In the epilogue, all he does is apologize to his fiancée and marry her, with barely a line to his name.

Well, his personality is twisted, but at least he’s handsome. And since he’s the third prince, he doesn’t have to shoulder the burden of ruling the kingdom. That’s decent husband material, I suppose.

Go ahead, make a fool of yourself. You’re going to marry me anyway.

I’ll just sit back and enjoy watching your embarrassing history unfold.

“Dory Redfield. Don’t expect me to ask you to dance at this ball. Maybe not at the next one either. Or the one after that.”

“Yes, Your Highness. As you wish.”

“Even though we’re engaged… wait, what?”

“It’s just a joke proposal our parents once tossed around, isn’t it? You don’t need to take it seriously, Your Highness. I’m really fine with it.”

“…Is that so? Yes, that’s… fine, right?”

Why are you panicking, prince?

You started spouting nonsense first. Where’s your conscience?

But then, this guy really has the audacity to ask something outrageous.

“…Do you, perhaps, have another man?”

The guy who flirted with the original heroine is saying this now?

Calm down. He’ll regret this later. All I need to do is remain a devoted fiancée until then.

“What are you talking about? A woman like me… plain, not beautiful, with a gloomy personality, what man would even—”

“What? Who dared to say that about you?”

…You did, in the original story.

This guy is acting weird.

But he’s not the only problem.

“My dear little sister Dory, that dress you’re wearing today is dreadful. No wonder there are rumors His Highness has abandoned you.”

“Well, it can’t be helped. His Highness is too good for me anyway.”

“…Hold on. Too good? Who said that? Wait, were you really dumped?”

The original villainess, who also happens to be my older sister, Natalia, is suddenly interested in my love life.

Why are all the original tr*shy characters growling at each other over me now?!

Dory is so oblivious at times yet also incredibly smart. Watching her unwittingly winning her fiance's heart was hilarious. Like girl, he's into you. This is a fun novel.

9.I Married the Mad Duke Who Killed My Husband

Q. I’ve regained memories of my past life, but unfortunately, it’s right before spending the first night with a senile marquis.

A. Then help the male lead and get rid of your husband!

I’ve reincarnated into a romance fantasy novel where all the main characters die in a ‘Successful Revolution, Failed Love’ story.

Unfortunately, I’m destined to be killed by the male lead’s sword instead of my villainous marquis husband.

I can’t die like this!

However, I helped the male lead get rid of my senile villain husband, and now the Duke, who killed my husband, proposes to me.

“I’m the dominant one here. I, Asilia Cornell, and you, Cassion Jaeger, will enter a contract marriage for a limited time. The terms of the contract are as follows.”

“I seem to have a very suspicious wife. A good trait for survival.”

But it doesn’t seem like he proposed out of love, so it’s better to establish a contract for a win-win situation!

“Is this even food?”

“It’s a macaron. Should I order one for you?”

“They’re so small, and you eat them one by one? Order the whole row.”

But this man, we surprisingly get along well?

Asilia and Cassion are one of the cutest oblivious couples I've read about. They are so freaking cute! The name might throw you off a little but this one is worth the read. 

10.Solo Leveling

10 years ago, after “the Gate” that connected the real world with the monster world opened, some of the ordinary, everyday people received the power to hunt monsters within the Gate. They are known as “Hunters”.

However, not all Hunters are powerful. My name is Sung Jin-Woo, an E-rank Hunter. I’m someone who has to risk his life in the lowliest of catacombs, the “World’s Weakest”.

Having no skills whatsoever to display, I barely earned the required money by fighting in low-leveled catacombs… at least until I found a hidden catacomb with the hardest difficulty within the D-rank catacombs!

In the end, as I was accepting death, I suddenly received a strange power, a quest log that only I could see, a secret to leveling up that only I know about! If I trained in accordance with my quests and hunted monsters, my level would rise.

Changing from the weakest Hunter to the strongest S-rank Hunter!

I have the audio book and both seasons of the anime. A bunch of my siblings are fans too. Thanks, Cousin-in-law for starting this. Never expected to join a new fandom. This is one of the few novels I read that wasn't a Rofan (Romance Fantasy). Do yourself a favor and give it a read or watch. There is also a web comic and a sequel. I am waiting for the sequel to finish so I can start as I hate waiting for the next volume (or chapter) to be available.

Well, there you have it. I hope I gave you all some ideas for you TBR pile. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.