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10 Things I Love about "It's Okay to Not be Okay"

It's Okay to not be Okay, started this past weekend on Netflix and TVN, produced by Studio Dragon, Story TV and Goldmedalist, it is a Romantic Drama a a whimsical fairy tale twist, staring Kim Soo Hyun in his first TV drama since returning from military service and Seo Ye Ji of Lawless Lawyer. This is a show I've been looking forward to since it was announced and I have to say the pre show hype did not disappoint. So two episodes in, here are the ten things I love about this show so far; 1.  Burton esq Whimsey The show begins with a Tim Burton esq animation, reminiscent of the Corpse Bride and Nightmare before Christmas, with a twisted tale to match.  The dark fairy tale and graphic characters of the animation are carried through in to the illustrations of Ko Moon-young's (Seo Ye Ji) children's books I love how the animation isn't dark which makes some of its darker themes all the more impactful. It also sets up Ko Moon-young as a character bea

Shows I'm looking forward to....

It's officially Summer time, though the weather hasn't quite caught on yet, jumpers still a cupboard staple.  But saying that it's time for a raft of new shows to start appearing on schedules.  With lock down in force it's definitely more of a netflix and chill than my usual cinema escapes.  So these are the upcoming Korean Show's staring now and coming soon I'm most looking forward to: 1. King the Eternal Monarch Lee Min-ho leads the cast as Emperor Lee Gon,  in this fantasy drama where characters cross between two parallel worlds, one based on modern day Korea (The Republic of Korea) and the other the Kingdom of Korea where the royal family rule as per many other European countries only this one still has magic.  When the door between the two worlds is opened Lee Gon and detective Jung Tae-eul (Kim Go-eun) have to work to close it. Available now on Netflix 2. Flower of Evil Lee Joon-gi, plays a metal craftsman, living happily with his wife a

Top 5 Romantic Comedy Korean Dramas

When you've binged watched on a little too much thriller and you're watching over your shoulder every time the door creaks its definitely  time to lighten the mood.  Romantic comedies are a light way to warm the heart with stories focusing on true love overcoming obstacles, with a chuckle or two along the way.  Who doesn't like falling in love, and romantic comedies give us that feeling, be it the levels of oxytocin rising as we connect on a deeper level with the characters or whether we're looking for that connection ourselves or maybe we just thrive on the feel good factor. 1. What's Wrong With Secretary Kim  After nine years of working with her narcissistic boss, Secretary Kim Mi-soo (Park Min-young) decides to resign from making him look good as the Vice President of his family owned company. Having paid for her elder sisters education and her father's debts its time to move forward with her life and look for a husband.   Under threat of loosi

My Top 5 Korean Drama / Thrillers

I'm a huge drama fan be it movies, theatre or TV I love drama as a viewer and as a writer, I love immersing myself in other lives.  George RR Martin said 'A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only once."  For me as a writer I get to live a thousand lives, as a reader a thousand more and as a drama lover who knows.  I always get excited when the autumn season of drama is due to start in the UK, there's always been something to look forward to building up to some great dramas in the winter months to curl up and become absorbed in.  But the dramas this past year were lacking for me and I needed something new to fill the void of lives I was missing out on. Netflix is always a great place for me to find something different, it replaced my love of the video store when that became a thing of the past.  Browsing the shelves and peaking at the inserts deciding which film I would spend my evening with.  I even worked in a video store

Lights... Camera... Action...

Usually January is a slow movie month, with the build up to awards season and the post Christmas blockbuster lull there can be a lack of quality movies to make me venture in to the cold night air and loose myself in the darkness of the cinema for a few hours.  However this January has been a little different, there have been a few screenings and a couple of post Christmas surprises. The Gentlemen - Released 1 January 2020 Guy Ritchie returns to the formula that made him popular with Lock Stock, Snatch and Rock n Rolla, this is the type of movie he does well.  It's a bit of a mickey take on society and what people do when they feel they've been snubbed. Over a lot of Whiskey and some BBQ wagyu steak, Raymond, right hand of criminal top boss Mickey Pearson, played by Charlie Hunnan who shows he hasn't lost the Geordie twang receives an offer from  Fletcher, the private investigator,  brilliantly played by a rather camp and weirdly accented Hugh Grant. Fletcher has b

Festive Reads - Mince Pies and Mistletoe at the Christmas Market

My second Festive Read, yes I know it's still technically September, was Heidi Swain's Mince Pies and Mistletoe at the Christmas Market.   Released in October 2016, this book is part of the Wynbridge series, in this story we are introduced to Ruby who has recently dropped out of university and is heading home to run a market stall for the Cherry Tree Cafe in order to save some money to go travelling. Her dad is not happy that his daughter whom he seems to want to live vicariously through is working as a market trader.  It soon turns out there maybe more to his concerns about her working on the market than it first seemed.  Not only is Ruby faced with dealing with her dad and his strange behaviour but she is working on the stall next to her childhood sweet heart who after three years she still hasn't got over.  Throwing herself in to making this the best Christmas market ever Ruby is determined to being back the community feeling and turn Wynbridge's Christmas mar

Festive Reads - A Christmas Tale

I'm a Christmas-a-holic, I freely admit it.  I love the lights, the weather, the feeling.  Most of all I love curling up with a roaring fire, a mug of tea and a Christmas themed novel.  As an indie author I spend most of my time when not in my day job writing so this is the way I relax. As it's now September, the weather is growing colder, the trees are changing to their beautiful autumnal crowns of glory I'm getting started on my pile of festive romance and cosy mystery books. The first on my pile is the charming A Christmas Tale by Cressida McLaughlin, The story focuses on Cat Palmer who takes a young puppy named Disco with her to work at the local nursery.  She soon discovers this was a bad idea when Disco escapes from her bag much to the children's delight and her boss's annoyance.  Fired from her job she decides to start her own business as a dog walker.  Securing clients from her beloved Primrose Terrace where she lives with her friend Polly, he

Sunshine and Sweet Peas in Nightingale Square by Heidi Swain - Book Review

Heidi Swain has done it again,  Welcome to Nightingale Square, a welcoming community who want to improve their local area by creating a community garden, not only to improve their health but to grow produce for everyone living around the Victorian Mansion at the heart of their little square. Meet Kate, on the run from a failed marriage she wants to hide away in her newly purchased home on the square and adjust to life without the fairytale she thought her marriage would be.  Life has a habit of poking it's nose in to your business and giving you opportunities you didn't know you wanted or needed.  Moving in to her new home Kate is confronted by new neighbour Lisa who quickly recruits her in to the community's crusade to build their communal garden.  But with the mansion up for sale and prospective developers eyeing up the site could her ideal little world be wiped out before it gets started. Heidi weaves a wonderful tale of finding out the fairy tale may not a

Movie Night - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

I have not blogged for a while, l have been focusing on developing and plotting my forth novel.     Also I haven’t really felt there’s been so much going on that would interest any reader, but last night was movie night, yes I know that’s not something massively out of the ordinary but the film I saw was beautifully inspiring and I really felt pushed to write a little review.     The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a film I have been looking forward to for a while.  I am a fan of Lily James, I think she is a brilliant actor probably one of the best up can coming stars in the UK.  I am also a huge fan of period drama and have a personal interest in WW2 based fiction and fact.   Based on Annie Barrows book of the same name, currently and amazon bestseller, the film follows writer Juliet Ashton in post war England suffering writer’s block while working on a book of English Foibles and touring the country giving talks on her last publication under the pen

My Year in Books Christmas Reads

I am an Autumn/Winter person, give me cold, give me rain, give me snow, I’m much happier with that than summer sun.   From the end of September onwards I start reading festive novels,  there nothing more ’Hygge’ to me than sitting on an autumn afternoon kor evening with a good book, a cosy fire, a hot tea or coffe and slice of cake.   Christmas themed books are my favourites as they add to the overall feel of the season for me - which I am guilty of dragging out as long as possible!  These are the first of my Christmas reads this year:  Sleigh Rides and Silver Bells at the Christmas Fair - Heidi Swain  I was hooked from the beginning of this book.  Anna doesn’t celebrate Christmas for reasons I personally identify with to some extent.  Choosing to take employment as a companion over Christmas she arrives at Wynthrope hall and meets a cast of characters from the enthusiastic and bountiful Angus, his loving and dedicated but more sensible wife Catherine and the res

My Year in Books Part 3

For some reason I feel like my reading has slowed down a little lately but hopefully as we head in to summer I'll be back on track. My Sweet Revenge - Jane Fallon Jane Fallon is a new author to me and this is the first of her works I've read.  It's the story of Paula who decides after finding out her husband is cheating on her to make him fall back in love with her so that she can then break his heart. I liked Paula, she was fun relatable and strong in ways which at first were not obvious.  Her journey is one of rediscovery of herself, what she wants in life and how to live it. This is a fun frolic with a few twists and turns to keep you going till the end. Agatha Raisin and the Curious Curate - MC Beaton I like Agatha she's and fun, she's a strong flawed woman who stumbles in to cases and while she can figure out a murder she can't figure out her love life for toffee. Although she's sworn off men, again, she is enraptured when the new c