Welcome to the Hyunam Dong Book Shop – Book Review

Title:- Welcome to the Hyunam Dong Bookshop

Author:- Hwang Bo Reum

Translated by Shanna Tan

Date published:- First published January 17th 2022. Translated:- February 20th 2024

No. of pages:- 307 pages

Genre:- Korean fiction

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5 Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

Yeongju is burned out. With her high-flying career, demanding marriage, and bustling life in Seoul, she knows she should feel successful—but all she feels is drained. Haunted by an abandoned dream, she takes a leap of faith and leaves her old life behind. Quitting her job and divorcing her husband, Yeongju moves to a quiet residential neighborhood outside the city and opens the Hyunam-dong Bookshop.

The transition isn’t easy. For months, all Yeongju can do is cry. But as the long hours in the shop stretch on, she begins to reflect on what makes a good bookseller and a meaningful store. She throws herself into reading voraciously, hosting author events, and crafting her own philosophy on bookselling. Gradually, Yeongju finds her footing in her new surroundings.

Surrounded by friends, writers, and the books that bind them, Yeongju begins to write a new chapter in her life. The Hyunam-dong Bookshop evolves into a warm, welcoming haven for lost souls—a place to rest, heal, and remember that it’s never too late to scrap the plot and start over.

In Korea this is known as “healing” fiction. The main character Yeongju has quit her high paying career and divorced her husband and opened a bookshop. Initially, Yeongju does nothing but cry over her failed career and marriage. But gradually, she starts to devote herself into the shop, by reading books, hosting author events and of course making new friends.

This book actually is very realistic and talks about “burnout” we suffer while working in corporate world. I can relate to Yeongju in someway–I used to work in the bank for five years and I was never feeling satisfied with my job and always feel burnout. Yeongju likes reading books and so she turned her passion into a shop. Then we meet other secondary characters as well–Mincheol, the barista, Jimi who comes to the shop for crocheting and knitting, Seongwoo, a former computer programmer now an athor. The book talks about following what you like most and follow your dreams.

Overall this is worth four stars.

Hwang Bo-reum studied Computer Science and worked as a software engineer. She wrote several essay collections: I Read Every Day, I Tried Kickboxing for the First Time and This Distance is Perfect. Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop is her first novel, which has sold over 150,000 copies in Korea and been sold into 9 territories. Before its release as a paperback, the novel was initially published as an e-book after winning an open contest co-organised by Korean content-publishing platform ‘Brunch’.

Nothing Like the Movies – Book Review

Title:- Nothing Like the Movies

Author:- Lynn Painter

Date published:- October 1st 2024

No. of pages:- 442 pages

Genre:- YA/Romance

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5 Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 3.5/5

For a few beautiful months, Wes had his dream girl: the strong-willed girl next door Liz. But right as the two were about to set off for college to start their freshman year together, tragedy struck. Wes was left dealing with the fallout, which ultimately meant losing Liz in the process.

Flash forward months later, and Wes and Liz find themselves in college, together. In a healthier place now, Wes knows he broke Liz’s heart when he ended things, but he is determined to make her fall back in love with him.

Wes knows Liz better than anyone, and he has a foolproof plan to win her back with rom-com-worthy grand gestures she loves. Only . . . Liz will have none of it! Wes has to scheme like a rom-com hero to figure out how to see her. Even worse, Liz has a new friend . . . a guy friend.

Still, Wes won’t give up, adapting his clever plans and going hard to get Liz’s attention and win back her affection. But after his best efforts get him nowhere, Wes is left wondering if their relationship is really over for good.

Nothing Like the Movies is the second book of the Better than Movies series. Here we follow Wes and Liz to college. During their freshman year in college, a tragedy strike in Wes’s life forcing Wes to return back to Omaha. However, that caused Wes and Liz to break off their relationship.

Now two years later, Wes later comes back to UCLA and tries to win Liz back. Only this time, Liz seem different–she doesn’t seem to like the things she used to like. Besides, Liz seem to be having a guy friend named Clark. Wes will do anything to win Liz back into the life.

This was a fun YA romance book you could read. We read in the POV’s of Liz and Wes and each chapter begins with a quote from a rom-com movie like Sweet Home Alabama, Bridesmaids, Harry Met Sally, Love Actually etc. We know Liz is having conflicted feelings towards Wes while Wes will do anything to win Liz’s heart back. Reading this book kind of makes you feel like you are actually watching another rom-com movie. However, this wasn’t as great as Better than Movies, which was actually really good.

The book talks about mental health and depression particularly dealing with a parent’s death and I feel author didn’t really do much representation on that, kind of talking about it in a light hearted way. Wes’s emotions and feelings was not described well. Besides, Liz in this book turned out to be unlikable character–she seems immature even though she tries to be mature and sound more like a whiny teenager not a college student. The whole book sounds so unrealistic and as I mentioned, just feel like watching a rom-com movie.

Is this book worth reading? Maybe although Better Than Movies would have been better as a standalone. Overall this is worth 3.5 stars.

You could find the list of songs for this book on https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3VbNtTH3dn3bvofSp4YMzC?flow_ctx=fc65e586-cd21-4a09-b469-9d455a5aa34b:1760043181&creation_point=https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3VbNtTH3dn3bvofSp4YMzC?sp_cid=224f9f40768d08b394786d35c254aa09&device=desktop#login?flow_ctx=fc65e586-cd21-4a09-b469-9d455a5aa34b:1760043179

Murder in the Family – Book Review

Title:- Murder in the Family

Author:- Cara Hunter

Date published:- July 20th 2023

No. of pages:- 470 pages

Genre:- Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5 Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

A shocking thriller about a cold case, a fictional true crime series, and the family caught in the middle.

SIX EPISODES. ONE KILLER.

It was a case that gripped the nation. In December 2003, Luke Ryder, the stepfather of acclaimed filmmaker Guy Howard (then aged 10), was found dead in the garden of their suburban family home.

Luke Ryder’s murder has never been solved. Guy Howard’s mother and two half-sisters were in the house at the time of the murder–but all swear they saw nothing. Despite a high-profile police investigation and endless media attention, no suspect was ever charged.

But some murder cases are simply too big to forget…

Now comes the sensational new Netflix series Infamous, dedicated to investigating–and perhaps cracking–this famous cold case. The production team will re-examine testimony, re-interview witnesses, and once again scour the evidence. The family will speak. The key players will be reunited–on camera. The truth will come out.

Are you ready to see it?

Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter follows a TV show called Infamous where they are investigating a cold case of a brutal murder of Luke Ryder that happened in 2003. Luke Ryder’s murder case is still unsolved and when Luke Ryder was murdered his older wife and her daughters swore that they didn’t see anything. Now twenty years later, crime experts from UK and USA reopen and reinvestigate the case with fresh eyes, investigating the witnesses’ testimonials and statements so that finally Luke Ryder’s case will be solved and the murderer will be caught.

The whole book is written in the format of script, which is interesting rather than in the traditional novel way. This book reminded me of Applerton Angels by Janice Hallet who also wrote in the same way using the format of script, text messages, email messages and newspaper articles. I actually do like this change of scene. And reading this book kind of made me feel like I was watching an interesting crime documentary on Netflix which is how I actually felt.

Besides the settings and format of the book, overall, I like the story. The cold case that is now reopened, piles of turns and unexpected twists in each and every episode (chapters) and of course an unexpected ending at the end.

Overall, if you are into watching crime documentaries and like reading fictional ones, then try this book out. Worth four stars.

Christmas Fling- ARC Book Review

Title:- Christmas Fling

Author:- Lindsey Kelk

Date published:- will be published on 9th October 2025

No. of pages:- 384 pages

Genre:- Holiday/Christmas

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5 Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

‘Lindsey is the Taylor Swift of romance writing’ DAISY BUCHANAN

Laura and Callum have met exactly three times – once at a mutual friend’s wedding (Laura doesn’t remember), once at a baby shower (Callum doesn’t remember) and once right now – when Laura lets herself into his flat to find him exiting the shower completely naked (they both remember).

When Callum’s parents walk in and mistake Laura for his mystery girlfriend, Laura has no choice but to play along, accepting their invitation to spend Christmas at home in the Scottish Highlands.

But then Laura’s best friends show up pretending to be her family, and Callum’s ex is invited, and as Laura gets closer to Callum, she can’t tell if the increasingly sizzling chemistry between them is real or just a very convincing part of the act…

Laura and Callum have met each other several times but once Laura had accidentally walked into his flat and saw him nearly naked. Then Callum’s parents come over to visit Callum and mistakes Laura as his girlfriend. Laura then pretends to be Callum’s girlfriend by accepting an invitation to spend Christmas with Callum’s family up in Scotland. Not to mention Laura’s own friends also comes into play, pretending to be Laura’s family where soon the drama stars.

I hardly come across the female protagonists in the STEM field–i.e. in this story, Laura is a neurosurgeon. Most of the time, the female protagonists are either working in advertising or marketing firm, journalism etc. As a woman who used to be in the STEM field, this was pretty exciting to me. (I was a former materials engineer before becoming a banker and then becoming a teacher)

I like the whole atmosphere in Scotland, that makes me feel like I am in Scotland. And above all, there were so many funny parts in the book that will actually make you laugh out loud. And it was quiet enjoyable and entertaining book to read, giving an air of Christmas season overall. The characters particularly Callum’s family members particularly Derek (Callum’s father) and Elsie (Callum’s sister) who is bitter towards everyone. I also like the slow burning chemistry between Callum and Laura.

The ending overall was very realistic. And the spicy scenes in this book is also very low which is good for me.

If you are into Christmas Romance or someone who loves Kelk, then this book is for you. Worth five stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

The Menu of Happiness – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Kamogawa Food Detectives Menu of Happiness

Author:- Hisashi Kashiwai

Translated by Jesse Kirkwood

Date published:- will be published on 9th October 2025

No. of pages:- 224 pages

Genre:- Japanese Fiction

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5 Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

A beloved Japanese bestseller, The Menu of Happiness is for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold and asks the question: What’s the one dish you’d do anything to taste just one more time?

Every memory has a flavor. A very special restaurant in Kyoto helps find them . . .

Tucked away down a Kyoto backstreet lies the extraordinary Kamogawa Diner, run by Chef Nagare and his daughter, Koishi. The father-daughter duo have reinvented themselves as “food detectives,” offering a service that goes beyond cooking mouthwatering meals. Through their culinary sleuthing, they harness the power of taste to rekindle forgotten memories.

From the yakisoba holding the memories of precious first love to the dumplings shared between sworn enemies, each client will be forever changed by what they find on the menu, because the Kamogawa Diner doesn’t just serve meals—it’s a door to the past.

This is the third book of the Kamagowa Food Detective series. We meet again the father and daughter duo, Nagare and Koishi. Again just like the two previous books, we follow the hidden stories behind the meals that the customers used to fondly remember and the father-daughter duo try to bring happiness to those meals, thus bringing back fond memories of the customers.

The story pattern is similar as before so there is no difference between the two previous books. The only thing is the customers are different. We have a lonely Japanese pianist, who comes to Japan from Austria to find a meal prepared by her ex-boyfriend. We find a boy who remembers eating delicious meals prepared by his classmate’s mother. We also find the hidden stories behind those meals.

This is a good comfort read for anyone who is willing to read a quick read. And anyone who is fond of Japanese fiction must try out the Kamagowa Detective series.

Overall the book is worth four stars.

The Christmas Party – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Christmas Party

Author:- Kathryn Croft

Date published;- 3rd October 2025

No. of pages:- 209 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5 Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

On a cold winter’s night, a little girl went missing. What really happened at the Christmas party?

Twelve years ago, the six of us were young and carefree, getting ready to celebrate Christmas. We had the house to ourselves: no parents, nobody telling us to behave. We just had to look after Seffie, my friend Gabby’s little sister. We thought she was tucked up safely in her lilac pyjamas, sleeping through the music. We were wrong. The next morning, when we went to wake her, her bed was empty. She was never seen again. And no one ever found out why…

Twelve years later, I receive a call from Gabby, inviting me to spend Christmas at her remote Scottish lake house. None of us have spoken since the night that Seffie disappeared, and part of me knows I shouldn’t go.

But Gabby says we need to be together to help us move on. Yet as soon as I arrive, it becomes clear that she has another reason to bring us all together. She claims one of us knows what happened to her little sister. And, as a snowstorm traps us in the house, she’ll stop at nothing to get to the truth…

Kathryn Croft is one of those underrated psychological thrillers that you should read. She has written many fast paced psychological thrillers that will definitely keep you up all night.

The Christmas Party follows Sasha when she gets an unexpected invitation from one of her college friends Gabby to attend her Christmas party at her house. Nearly ten years ago, Gabby hosted a party which resulted in the mysterious disappearance of Gabby’s younger sister Saffy. Sasha had been responsible to look after Saffy and she carries the guilt with her even today. Sasha when she reaches Gabby’s place, she finds that other college friends have been invited as well–Fin, Shaun, Andre, Anna. As there is snow storm ad that the friends seem to be stuck in Gabby’s house, Sasha realizes that someone in the room is Saffy’s murderer as she got a mysterious email from someone before she came to the party.

This was quiet unputdownable and fast paced thriller and quiet a page turner. The book goes back to the event that happened ten years ago to the present day. If you liked locked room mysteries then this book will be a perfect choice. Sasha couldn’t remember the events that happened the night ten years ago as her memories seemed muddled up. Then of course, the ending was quiet unexpected.

Overall, this book was worth reading and worth four stars.

Home is Where the Bodies Are – Book Review

Title:- Home is Where the Bodies Are

Author:- Jeneva Rose

Date published:- April 30th 2024

No. of pages:- 256 pages

Genre:- Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5 Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:-

After their mother passes, three estranged siblings reunite to sort out her estate. Beth, the oldest, never left home. She stayed with her mom, caring for her until the very end. Nicole, the middle child, has been kept at arm’s length due to her ongoing battle with a serious drug addiction. Michael, the youngest, lives out of state and hasn’t been back to their small Wisconsin town since their father ran out on them seven years before.

While going through their parents’ belongings, the siblings stumble upon a collection of home videos and decide to revisit those happier memories. However, the nostalgia is cut short when one of the VHS tapes reveals a night back in 1999 that none of them have any recollection of. On screen, their father appears covered in blood. What follows is a dead body and a pact between their parents to get rid of it, before the video abruptly ends.

Beth, Nicole, and Michael must now decide whether to leave the past in the past or uncover the dark secret their mother took to her grave.

Jeneva Rose’s Perfect Marriage was unputdownable and Home is Where the Bodies Are is also another fast paced thriller

Outline:- When the mother passes away, the three estranged siblings reunite again. Beth the oldest was at her mother’s side when she passed away. Nicole is a drug addict but now on the path to recovery and hadn’t contacted Beth a long time. Michael, the youngest and the only one who seemed to be leading successful life out of the state earning money. While cleaning up their parents’ things, the siblings come across a collection of VHS tapes. When they put one of the VHS tapes, they were horrified and shocked to find their own father asking their mother for help to get rid of a body–the body was eleven year old Emma Harper who supposedly disappeared from the town. Now the siblings must work together to find out what their parents had been hiding.

Thoughts:-

The story outline was realistic. The pacing was great–it was fast paced. Not many twists or turns and the ending in my opinion was a bit predictable. However, the story itself was enjoyable and intriguing. None of the characters in the book were appealing to me and each of these characters seemed to be hiding some dark secret in their lives.

Overall this book is worth four stars.

It’s a Love Story – Book Review

Title:- It’s a Love Story

Author:- Annabel Monaghan

Date published:- May 27th 2025

No. of pages:- 368 pages

Genre:- Romance

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5 Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:-

From the USA Today bestselling author of Nora Goes Off Script, a novel about a former adolescent TV punchline who has left her awkwardness in the rearview mirror thanks to a fake-it-till-you-make-it mantra that has her on the cusp of success, until she tells a lie that sets her on a crash-course with her past, spending a week in Long Island with the last man she thinks might make her believe in love.

Rules for a love story: There are none. It’s all a lie.

Jane Jackson knows that true love is a lie. Laughter is the only truth—you can’t fake a belly laugh. Jane should know, she spent her adolescence as “Poor Janey Jakes,” the barbecue-sauce-in-her-braces punchline on America’s fifth-favorite sitcom. Now she’s a Creative Executive at Clearwater Studios and she’s living by a new mantra: Fake it till you make it.

Except, she might have faked it too far. Desperate to get her first project greenlit and riled up by pompous cinematographer and one-time crush Dan Finnegan, she opened her mouth and a big fat fib fell out. She claimed that Jack Quinlan, hottest popstar of the moment, has promised to write an original song for the soundtrack. Jack may have been her first kiss—and greatest source of shame—but she hasn’t spoken to him in twenty years.

Now, Jane must turn to the last man she’d ever want to owe: Dan Finnegan. Because Jack is playing a festival in Dan’s hometown on Long Island, and Dan has an in. A week in close quarters with Dan while facing down her past is Jane’s idea of hell, but Dan just might surprise her. While covering up her lie, can they find something true?

Annabel Monaghan has released another new romance novel–It’s a Love Story this year and really glad I got my hands on this book. I have become a huge Annabel Monaghan fan and enjoyed reading all her books and make it a point to read all her latest published novel.s

Outline– Jane Jackson was a former child star and now she works as a creative executive at a studio. Desperate to get a big break in her career, Jane tells everyone that she knows Jack Quinlan, now a famous singer. Along with her former crush and nemesis Dan Finnegan, the two travelled to Long Island, New York where Jack supposedly was performing. Will Jane succeed in getting Jack work with her and at the same time, keeping her feelings towards Dan to herself?

Thoughts – This was a cheesy romance novel set up. Sometimes, most of Annabel Monaghan books are enjoyable to read and at the same time laughable in some plot lines. And most of the time, characters don’t immediately fall in love with each other at once.

Characters Jane Jackson used to be insecure about her looks even though now she has grown out of it. Jane doesn’t really want to fall in love with Dan even though she couldn’t help later on being in love with her. I also like the gradually increasing chemistry between Jane and Dan.

Writing The writing was great and intriguing and engaging.

There are some funny parts in the book, but I really like the family dynamics mentioned in the book. Jane’s character started growing throughout the story which made her a likable character in my opinion.

Overall thoughts– I enjoyed this book even though I think her previous books are better than this. This book will be a perfect beach or summer read for anyone looking forward to go on a vacation to beach. Worth four stars.

Annabel Monaghan is the New York Times bestselling author of IT’S A LOVE STORY, SUMMER ROMANCE, SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER and NORA GOES OFF SCRIPT. She is also the author of two novels for young adults, A Girl Named Digit and Double Digit.

Clown in the Cornfield – Book Review

Title:- Clown in a Cornfield

Author:- Adam Cesare

Date published:- August 25th 2020

No. of pages:- 368 pages

Genre:- Horror/Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5 Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

In Adam Cesare’s terrifying young adult debut, Quinn Maybrook finds herself caught in a battle between old and new, tradition and progress—that just may cost her life.

Quinn Maybrook and her father have moved to tiny, boring Kettle Springs, to find a fresh start. But what they don’t know is that ever since the Baypen Corn Syrup Factory shut down, Kettle Springs has cracked in half.

On one side are the adults, who are desperate to make Kettle Springs great again, and on the other are the kids, who want to have fun, make prank videos, and get out of Kettle Springs as quick as they can.

Kettle Springs is caught in a battle between old and new, tradition and progress. It’s a fight that looks like it will destroy the town. Until Frendo, the Baypen mascot, a creepy clown in a pork-pie hat, goes homicidal and decides that the only way for Kettle Springs to grow back is to cull the rotten crop of kids who live there now.

Don’t miss this Bram Stoker Award-winning novel from rising star Adam Cesare.

Clown in a Cornfield is a Slasher Horror book that is suitable for people who liked Friday 13th movie.

Quinn Maybrook and her father Glenn move into the small-town Kettle Springs Missouri after their mother died from an overdose. Quinn’s house faces a burned down factory with the logo of the freaky clown Frendo on the sign. Quinn missed Philadelphia where she was from originally and while in school, she meets some of her classmates–Cole, Tucker, Matt, Ronnie and Janet. On the day of the Founder’s Day, while partying with friends, someone dressed as Frendo the clown starts killing the teenagers. Quinn realizes that the whole town has got together dressed as clowns to kill all the teenagers and to bring back whatever the traditions that seemed to have lost in the town.

I actually enjoyed reading the book. I feel like watching a horror movie while reading this book and right now, this book is already made into a movie, which I haven’t watched yet. I just like the tense atmosphere in the book. Quinn is the new girl and also the final girl who survived the massacre.

Overall, this was an unputdownable book which I actually enjoyed reading. Worth four stars.

Adam Cesare is a New Yorker who lives in Philadelphia. His books include Clown in a Cornfield, Video Night, The Summer Job, and Zero Lives Remaining. He’s an avid fan of horror cinema and runs Project: Black T-Shirt, a YouTube review show where he takes horror films and pairs them with reading suggestions.

Still Missing – Book Review

Title:- Still Missing

Author:- Chevy Stevens

Date published:- July 6th 2010

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

No. of pages:- 413 pages

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5 Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a 32-year-old realtor, had three goals – sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever-patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she’s about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all.

Still Missing interweaves the year Annie spent as the captive of a psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfold through sessions with her psychiatrist, with a second narrative following the events after her escape—her struggle to piece her shattered life back together and the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor.

Still Missing is a shocking, visceral, brutal and beautifully crafted novel.

Annie O Sullivan is a successful realtor. One day, she was abducted by a man, whom she calls as The Freak. While in therapy, Annie recounts her ordeal with the Freak, being locked up in a cabin and being constantly tortured by the Freak. Annie soon escapes and the whole story deals about the aftermath of Annie’s abduction and how Annie experienced her abduction.

This was well written–each of the chapters are based on therapy sessions where Annie recounts her ordeal with the abductor and the aftermath after she escaped. The whole story is realistic as if you are reading a nonfiction recount of a woman who got abducted and escaped. The book details all the trauma Annie went through, including r*pe and the death of her child. How she deals with emotions and feelings after she has escaped from the cabin

The only thing was this was slow paced, and it took me a while to get into the book. However, towards the middle of the book, it was unputdownable. The ending was completely unexpected, and it was a greatest twist shown at the end. I really didn’t expect that type of ending at all. I also have to praise author for handling and writing a very sensitive topic very well.

Overall, this is worth four stars and looking forward to reading more books from this author.

CHEVY STEVENS lives on Vancouver Island with her husband and daughter. When she’s not working on her next book, she’s spending time with her family and their two dogs. Chevy’s debut novel, STILL MISSING, was a New York Times bestseller and won the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel. Her books, including THOSE GIRLS which Stephen King called “incredibly scary” have been published in more than thirty countries. Her eighth novel, THE HITCHHIKERS, is out Oct.7/25