Tune Tuesday - KPOP!!

If you've visited my blog before, or know me, you know how obsessed I am with Korean Pop music! This month has been chalk full of hit after KPOP hit! 
Most labels [aside from YG], only release one music video from an album or mini album, but to my very very pleasant surprise, Woolliment released a music video ["Special Girl"] from Infinite H [a subunit from the group, Infinite, containing the members Hoya and Dongwoo.] and then a few weeks later, another one!!

Anyways, here is the music video for "니가 없을 때 (Without You) feat. Zion-T". 

I love Infinite, mainly for their epic dancing, but this subunit is a huge win for me!!

What do you think?! I'm loving it and the album!

Get to Know Me! (002)

1. If you could get away with one murder in your lifetime without any legal, social, or emotional repercussions, would you kill someone?
Well... this is a difficult question to answer, only because my answer is yes.

2. Have you ever looked down on someone because you thought your religious views were superior?
I don't have religious views, as I'm atheist. And even though the idea of believing in a "god" seems completely absurd to me, I don't care what your religious views are.

3. Would you rather know everything the universe has to offer but in exchange lose all emotions or remain the way you are now?
No. I'd rather stay ignorant to keep my sanity intact.

4. If you could live and be healthy without sleeping or eating/drinking, which would you cut out of your life?
Sleeping. I would get sooo much done. Work a full time job, go to school... everything I want to do that seems like I need to plan out. I wouldn't have to. :)

5. If you could take on the exact body and form of anyone else on Earth, who would it be?
I wouldn't want to look like them, but there are a couple bodies I envy. I just can't think of anyone at the moment.

6. Would you rather burn or freeze to death?
Freeze, your body shuts down and you don't necessarily feel the pain you would with being burned alive!

7. If it meant it would solve all world hunger, war, disease and bigotry, would you spend the rest of eternity in Hell?
I don't believe in hell, and those are problems that just couldn't be solved that easily. I know the thought is, god would do it, if you sold your soul or whatever, but it's ridiculous to even answer.

8. Was the first crush in your life something you had or something someone had on you?
I don't even know, probably I had the crush.

9. Could you live without having sex ever (again) in exchange for eternal youth?
I.... have been living without sex [lmao], but I don't know. I think that's a bit ridiculous. I think part of life is meeting someone, sharing that experience and hopefully growing old and dying together.

10. Have you ever watched a full length pornographic movie?
Nopes.

11. The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?
Neither. If I'm being honest.

12. If you could have the ability to manipulate matter or energy, which would you choose?
Energy.

13. What was the worst nightmare you ever had?
I don't really have nightmares. I can't really remember any.

14. Would you rather spend one year with your one true love just to never see them again or the rest of your life with second best?
Ugh. I guess I wouldn't know they were second best... right?

15. All the sequels/remakes/adaptations/rip-offs in movies nowadays, good or bad?
Bad. I'm over the unoriginality in TV, movies and books!

16. Would you rather be dirt poor and emotionally fulfilled in life or be rich beyond imagination and emotionally dissatisfied for life?
I guess, poor.

17. Do you have any (secret) feelings of bigotry to any group of people?
Kind of. It's the type of person who tries to hard to satisfy society's views on what's "pretty". Murderers, rapists, kidnappers, bad parents.

18. Would you rather be the only person in the world that can read minds or have everyone else in the world be able to read minds except for your own?
I had to think really hard about this. I hate knowing what people think about me, just because I don't do anything to please them but if I knew what they thought, I think a part of me would then try to. And that would be the worst thing. I would rather not know & everyone else read each others' minds.

19. If everyone in the world would automatically only know one language, which language would you choose?
I love the sound of Spanish. I have been learning Korean. But I don't know. I think English is already a universal language. I'd probably choose something out of left field like Latin.

20. If you were old enough and not in a situation where it would be inappropriate, would you sleep with one of your (past) school teachers/professors?
Nope. None of them were attractive.

21. A world without religion, good, bad, neutral?
Good. I think it's such a huge division in the way people view others. But I could be wrong. I just think if the whole idea of a god (anyone's god) never came to be, there would be something else that would divide us, but it wouldn't seem as ridiculous. [I'm not even making sense to myself.]

22. You can eliminate one of your five senses to substantially strengthen the others, which one and would you do it?
Maybe smell. Even though, technically you need smell to taste, I feel like I would rather have better sight, hearing or even touch.

23. Do looks mean anything to you? Don't lie, could you fall in love with someone you thought was ugly?
Looks do mean a certain amount to me, but if I couldn't look at them without feeling awkward, it'd be hard. But "average" or "ugly" is different to a lot of people. I do get somewhat superficial. but it's only if... it's unbearable. I wouldn't want someone to be with me if they thought I was ugly!

24. Can you understand the mindset and logic used by the opposite spiritual opinion? An atheist understanding the belief in a higher power and vice versa.
No. I don't even understand this question, but I'm just going to say... no.

If you feel like doing any or all of these questions, do. I'd love to read your answers. [I got this from a quiz on tumblr.] 

Happy Friday! Have a fun & safe weekend!

REVIEW : The Secret of Ella & Micha by Jessica Sorensen

The Secret of Ella & Micha by Jessica Sorensen

Published: 4th October 2012
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary
Format: Kindle
Series: The Secret, book one.
goodreads | amazon | author

Ella and Micha have been best friends since they were kids. But one tragic night shatters their friendship and their lives forever.
Ella used to be a rule-breaker with fiery attitude who wore her heart on her sleeve. But she left everything behind when she went to college and transformed into someone that follows the rules, keeps everything together, and hides all her problems. But now it's summer break and she has nowhere else to go but home.

Ella fears everything she worked so hard to bury might resurface, especially with Micha living right next door. If Micha tries to tempt the old her back, she knows that it will be hard to resist.
Micha is sexy, smart, confident, and can get under Ella’s skin like no one else can. He knows everything about her, including her darkest secrets. And he’s determined to bring his best friend, and the girl he loves back, no matter what it takes.

My Thoughts:
This book started off simply amazing. It was one of the best prologues I've ever read! But, it began to slow down for me. It didn't bring me in as much as that one section of the book.
Even though it wasn't as amazing as I'd had hoped, the book was still really really good.

I won't rehash the summary, and just get straight into it.
I've been wanting to read this book since I heard about it back in August, and I finally was able to get my hands on it.

I loved that Ella and Micha's relationship wasn't really a "will-they-won't-they" style and more along the lines of when will they! Micha was always there for Ella while they were growing up and their relationship crossed a line that Ella wasn't 100% ready for, but it was obvious that even though she was scared, she felt just as strong.

There was a part of the book, a person in the book that--though I did like him--I didn't feel like his storyline was necessary. And it felt like it was thrown in there as a filler, but it didn't annoy me, just something that didn't feel necessary.

I loved how Micha wasn't the "bad boy" he just was...him. I'm 1000% over the whole bad boy thing in the books that it's no longer even remotely attractive! [Please, stop authors.]
He was sweet, sexy, rough and fun.

Ella was a bit of everything, trying to hide behind her new identity, but her old self kept exposing herself at the most perfect times.

I do wish there was a bit of comedy in this, but I liked it nonetheless.

Memorable Quote:

"The scream that leaves my mouth could shatter the world's happiness into a thousand pieces. But the silence that follows it is enough to dissolve it completely." - Ella

I give it a solid 3½ , stars...er...owls! :)
[I really need to make "half" owls. lol.]

½

Waiting on Wednesday - Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. _________________________________

Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt
YA Contemporary | Scholastic | 224 pages
Expected Publication: April 1st, 2013
goodreads | author

Sixteen-year-old Mallory loves her boyfriend, Jeremy. Or at least likes him more than she's ever liked any other boy. She's suree feels the same way. Until she happens upon his online Authentic Life game and discovers he's cheating on her ...online Mallory's life is falling apart and technology is the cause. And then she finds a list, written by her grandma when she was Mallory's age. All her grandma had to worry about was sewing dresses and planning dinner parties. Things were so much simpler in the 1960s. And there's nothing on the list that Mallory couldn't do herself. Maybe it's time for Mallory to go vintage and find the answers to her modern-day problems.

This book sounds adorable, and I love the thought of a girl going "old school" and trying to live her life in a slightly much simpler time. I can't wait to see how it goes!!
That is one of two covers of this book, the other one here. I just happened to think this one was a bit more cute!

So. . . Are you waiting on Going Vintage?

REVIEW: Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

Published: September 11th, 2012 by Margaret K. McElderry
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Format: Hardcover
Goodreads | Amazon | Author

Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. She will dance and summon her tribe's deity, who will inhabit Liyana's body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But when the dance ends, Liyana is still there. Her tribe is furious--and sure that it is Liyana's fault. Abandoned by her tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.
Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. The desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god’s tale.
The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice--she must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate--or a human girl can muster some magic of her own.

My Thoughts:
This book started off promising and somewhere through the middle of it I slowly began losing interest.
However, this is not because the book wasn't good; it was simply because this isn't my type of genre. If this were in movie form, I'm sure it would be a favourite I'd watch over and over!
While reading, I thought that it'd be an awesome book to turn into a realistic anime style movie. The imagery portrayed in this book deserves to be showed through the best  way possible if it were to be a movie. And I feel that CGI or any computer generated images for the sake of an actor who is placed in front of a green screen would just not do it.

But that has nothing to do with the book.

I loved Liyana's fighting spirit who kept pushing forward to find her goddess no matter the crazy things they encountered.

When I was about 100 pages from the end, I read the last chapter and prologue and was surprised by the ending. That was not where I saw the book going. But it wasn't enough for me to finish the parts I had skipped over.

If you like high fantasy that needs a very visual brain, you'll love this. It is not romantic driven, but it can be sweet and sexy at times!

Even though I didn't finish it, I still give it 3 stars [or owls].

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Good morning!! How was your weekend? Mine, though uneventful was nice and relaxing. Which is very rare for me. I bought a new mascara, pens and a couple notebooks. As well as a new book. Right now, I'm just watching the Tattoo Masters marathon and contemplating what's for dinner.

All right, on to today's first post! It's Monday! What Are You Reading? which is hosted by One Persons Journey Through a World of Books.

Recently Finished:

1. Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols - 3/5 stars (review here)
2. Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst - DNF (review to come)
3. The Secret of Ella & Micha - 4/5 stars (review to come)

Currently Reading:

1. Until I Die by Amy Plum - I read and enjoyed the first book early last year. I'm kind of in a mood for paranormal or supernatural, so I decided on this one. I have had a slight momentum going this year towards my goal of 50 books by the end of the year. Yay!

Up Next:
I'm not 100% sure, but I'm leaning towards The Coincidence of Callie & Cayden. I've been in a contemporary mood and I think it will definitely be next! I may end up reading this before Until I Die however. We'll see for sure, later on.

REVIEW: Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

Published: July 10th, 2012 | MTV Books
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Format: Hardcover | 336 pages
Goodreads | Amazon | Author

A sexy and poignant romantic tale of a young daredevil pilot caught between two brothers.

When I was fourteen, I made a decision. If I was doomed to live in a trailer park next to an airport, I could complain about the smell of the jet fuel like my mom, I could drink myself to death over the noise like everybody else, or I could learn to fly.
Heaven Beach, South Carolina, is anything but, if you live at the low-rent end of town. All her life, Leah Jones has been the grown-up in her family, while her mother moves from boyfriend to boyfriend, letting any available money slip out of her hands. At school, they may diss Leah as trash, but she’s the one who negotiates with the landlord when the rent’s not paid. At fourteen, she’s the one who gets a job at the nearby airstrip.
But there’s one way Leah can escape reality. Saving every penny she can, she begs quiet Mr. Hall, who runs an aerial banner-advertising business at the airstrip and also offers flight lessons, to take her up just once. Leaving the trailer park far beneath her and swooping out over the sea is a rush greater than anything she’s ever experienced, and when Mr. Hall offers to give her cut-rate flight lessons, she feels ready to touch the sky.
By the time she’s a high school senior, Leah has become a good enough pilot that Mr. Hall offers her a job flying a banner plane. It seems like a dream come true . . . but turns out to be just as fleeting as any dream. Mr. Hall dies suddenly, leaving everything he owned in the hands of his teenage sons: golden boy Alec and adrenaline junkie Grayson. And they’re determined to keep the banner planes flying.
Though Leah has crushed on Grayson for years, she’s leery of getting involved in what now seems like a doomed business—until Grayson betrays her by digging up her most damning secret. Holding it over her head, he forces her to fly for secret reasons of his own, reasons involving Alec. Now Leah finds herself drawn into a battle between brothers—and the consequences could be deadly.

My thoughts:
Though I was reading Vessel, this was due back at the library on Tuesday, so I read it over the weekend in almost one sitting. It was definitely good enough for that, but like most books lately, I wasn't blown away, but I did really like the book.

Leah has lived in trailer parks next to airports her whole life and they became her way of escape, and finally she gets the opportunity to get flying lessons as well as work in a small airport. Her mother seems she couldn't care less about Leah or what she does and is always running in and out of her life, leaving the rent, electricity, food, and everything else for Leah to deal with. So...Leah does. All while trying to stay under the radar at school and avoid the name calling and ridicule.

When we're introduced to Leah, she's a 14 year old girl begging for a job and flight lessons at the airport just a short walk away. And by luck, the boss--Mr. Hall--pities her and gives her training she's been dying for. Jump three years later and she's 18 (yeah, the math doesn't make sense to me either, but that's what the book said, so let's go with it) and Mr. Hall and his oldest son die within a month of each other and the Hall twins, Grayson and Alec are left the airport hangar to take after their father.

Grayson is presumably the bad boy, while Alec is the good one. Like in every "great" book, right.
Leah has had a serious crush on Grayson since she met him when they were 14, but did nothing about it. And now that they're forced to work closely together she begins to see that he not only looks like a bad boy, but he is a bad boy. And, in my opinion not attractive one.
He blackmails her into continuing her flying for Hall Aviation and to also date Alec.

The things he says to her, and the way he words them honestly pissed me off. I'm not a huge fan of the bad boy in general, but I borderlined hated Grayson. Douchebag isn't the right word. But because Leah hadn't had much love or care in her life she didn't let it get to her as much as she should have. She went along with him, telling him, nonchalantly that she didn't want to do it, but he'd make some snide remark and that'd be the end of that. I was tired of him the more he was in the book.

I loved everything else about Leah, except for her views on Grayson. The way she thought, acted, her strength, everything. Except Grayson.

And then there's Leah's best (and only) friend Molly whom I adored from her first sentence, but then I began having mixed feelings about her too.

Alec, there wasn't much to say about him, because he wasn't in it very much and he wasn't really memorable.

Towards the end of the book we learn of Grayson's reason behind the blackmail and his feelings and blah blah.... I was over it. I was over him and the ending left me annoyed and frustrated.

The synopsis is kind of over exaggerated, and it's not really "sexy". There were times that involved being sexy, but it wasn't necessarily sexy.
I also had a problem with her writing, I felt like what she had in her head, she had a hard time trying to convey in the book and some sentences seemed very out of place.

Rating: 

Plot: 
Characters:
Ending: ½
Writing: ½
Cover: (She has curly hair in the book, and I do not like the way it is on the cover.)

Waiting on Wednesday - Since You Asked by Maurene Goo

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
________________________________________

Since You Asked... by Maureen Goo
YA Contemporary | Scholastic | 272 pages
Expected Publication: July 2013
goodreads | author

A humorous, debut novel about a Korean-American teenager who accidentally lands her own column in her high school newspaper, and proceeds to rant her way through the school year while struggling to reconcile the traditional Korean values of her parents with contemporary American culture.

If it's not obvious yet, I'm a bit obsessed with Kpop, Kdramas, and anything Korean. Give me a contemporary book about a Korean girl... And I'm sold!  I love the bright cover and adorable font.
I just hope there's some Korean in the book. It'd be awesome if it were in Korean, but I'm sure it'll be more reader friendly and use romanization.
Unfortunately there aren't any reviews yet, so I can't even get a feel for the book based on those. But I'm excited!!
And if you're doing the 2013 debut author challenge, go ahead and add this to your list!

Are you waiting on Since You Asked...?

Top 25 Songs of 2012!

(xx: music video)

Keeping this one plain and simple! :)

1. JoJo - "Demonstrate" (xx)
   
2. After School - "Flashback" (xx)
   
3. AOA - "Get Out" (xx)
   
4. B2ST - "아름다운 밤이야" (xx)
   
5. Karmin - "I Told You So" (xx)
   
6. BtoB - "WOW" (xx)
7. 4minute - "Volume Up" (xx)
8. Secret - "Poison" (xx)
9. GLAM - "Party (XXO)" (xx)
10. Jay Park - "Know Your Name (feat. Dok2) (xx)
11. Block B - "닐리리 맘보" (xx)
12. 가인 - "피어나" (xx)
13. Stephanie - "Game" (xx)
14. 서인영 - "Anymore" (xx)
15. Andamiro - "말고 (feat. YDG)" (xx)
16. SPICA - "I'll Be There" (xx)
17. SISTAR - "나혼자" (xx)
18. 이하이 - "1, 2, 3, 4" (xx)
19. miss A - "남자 없이 잘 살아" (xx)
20. 2NE1 - "Be Mine" (xx)
21. BIGBANG - "Fantastic Baby" (xx)
22. Ailee - "Heaven" (xx)
23. G-Dragon - "Crayon" (xx)
24. BIGBANG - "Bad Boy" (xx)
25. SPICA - "Painkiller" (xx)

I know 99% of the songs are Kpop, but that's all I seem to be listening to lately. Ugh. But I'm trying to listen to the genres I love in English more often again, like country, altrock, poprock, rock, pop, R&B, [some] rap, etc.... We'll see how long that lasts. ^_^"

This Week in Books (007)

1. What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang (YA dystopian | prize, signed, hardback)
2. Alchemystic by Anton Strout (fantasy | publisher, paperback)
3. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (YA dystopian | ARC, review for GCR | 05 Feb)
4. Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst (YA fantasy | library, hardback)
5. Poison Princess by Kresley Cole (YA paranormal | library, hardback)
6. Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols (YA contemporary | library, harback)
7. Desire Unchained by Larissa Ione (Adult urban fantasy | library, paperback)
8. If You Hear Her by Shiloh Walker (Adult romance, mystery | library, paperback)
9. Arcadia Burns by Kai Meyer (YA fantasy | ARC, review for GCR | 12 Feb)
   

So, that's what I acquired over the past week or so. :)
"This Week in Books" is hosted by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie

Song . . .Of the Week!

Every week at about this time, I'll feature a song, movie, drama or TV show that I have been loving! [I still need to make a button for this one.]

Today's song of the week is one I've had on repeat (literally) for two days now. Surprising it's not a K-Pop song!

Ne-Yo, "She Is [feat. Tim McGraw]"

This is the Ne-Yo that I love. Slow and R&B! And then add Tim McGraw. Sold. Done. Dead. Perfect. And when Tim says "put me in twist" at about 1:30, I get chills, and I don't know why!! I love love how they sound simultaneously mad but in blissful ignorant love at the girl for making them fall in love with her. Again, perfect!

If the video won't play, listen to the song here.

So, what do you think of the song? I think it may be the best on the album. Aside from "Let Me Love You(Until You Learn to Love Yourself."

Get to Know Me! (001)

1: 6 of the songs you listen to most? 

1. SPICA - "I'll Be There"
2. Andamiro - "Good Luck to You"
3. miss A - "남자 없이 잘 살아"
4. G-Dragon - "결국"
5. EXID - "Think About"
6. G-Dragon - "Missing You [feat. Kim Yoonah]

2: If you could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be?
This is extremely difficult. Ugh. Possibly my future . . . husband/love? But I wouldn't want to know it's him. If that makes sense.

3: Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 23, give me line 17.
"...chest as broad as a horse's that had cut through the cries." [Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst]

4: What do you think about most?
Absolute too much of everything. From life, death, music, writing, reading, sleeping, food, working out. . . too much!

5: What does your latest text message from someone else say?
"She hadn't went in either so we went to look at it because the guys told her it was bad." - from my mom. [She was talking about an apartment her friend had to clean where a hoarder had lived. Let me just tell you, the pictures are graphic and disgusting!!]

6: Do you sleep with or without clothes on?
With clothes. I like it super cold in my room so I can wear tons of layers!

7: Do you have any strange phobias?
Yes! I am afraid of glass. Not so much where I can't touch it, I hate the sound of glass clinking together, the feel of it on my teeth, the sound of glass breaking, too much of it. . . just asdfghjkl;!

8: What's your religion?
I don't have one. I don't believe in the act of religion.

9: Do you prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it?
Behind it. I love taking pictures. And if you follow my instagram you'll know that! :)

10: Simple but extremely complex. Favorite band?
No. No. No. I hate this question. There is absolute no way for me to answer this!!!

11: Do you believe in karma?
I would like to, but it seems she's either on a serious HIATUS or is really really choosy with whom she acts upon.

12: Who is your celebrity crush?
Really, you want to name all of them; right now? [10 pts if you guess the movie quote.] I'm naming them all. So, be prepared.

1. Jonathan Togo
2. TOP [from BIGBANG]
3. Onew [from SHINee]
4. Taeyang [from BIGBANG]
5. Shemar Moore
6. Gong Yoo
7. Justin Timberlake
8. Zac Efron
9. Channing Tatum
10. Chun Jung Myung
11. Ryan Gosling
12. Max George [from The Wanted]
13. CL [from 2NE1]
14. Mila Kunis
15. Ethan Ruan
16. Ga-In [from Brown Eyed Girls]
17. Hyosung [from Secret]

(yes, I did put girls. Problem?)

13: Have you ever gone skinny dipping?
Does a bathtub count?

14: How do you vent your anger?
Music. Dance. Write. Read. Clean.

15: Do you have a collection of anything?
I like to collect mugs and chopsticks. But I wouldn't say it's a collection... yet.

16: Do you believe in ghosts? How about aliens?
I actually have this discussion more often than necessary! I do believe in both ghosts and aliens. I'll leave it that.

17: Stick your right arm out; what do you touch first? Do the same with your left arm.
Right arm: My curtains. [and water bottle, almost knocked it over.] --  Left arm: air. 

18: Smell the air. What do you smell?
I guess my coffee. I've been sitting in this room so long, I'm no longer unusual to the air.

19: What's the worst place you have ever been to?
My mind? Kidding. Definitely my grandma's funeral. No explanation needed.

20: Do you believe in luck?
Yes. But more so; practice.

21: What's the weather like right now?
Bright and sunny, but freezing. 33°F

22: What time is it?
10:33am [03 Jan]

23. What was the last book you read?
The last book I finished was Down to You by M. Leighton. Currently reading Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst.

24: Do you like the smell of gasoline?
I used to. Now, I don't necessarily like it, but it doesn't really bother me unless it's prolonged periods of time. [Say when your mom gets it on her jacket and we're in the car for about 3 more hours. Yeah, headache.]

25: Do you have any nicknames?
Niecey. About it. However, when my 1 year old nephew tries to say it, it sounds like "jesus." lol.

26: What was the last film you saw?
Finding Nemo. And I may or may not be able to quote the entire movie while I'm watching or not...

27: What's the worst injury you've ever had?
A sprained ankle. Couldn't walk on it for about a month. Then a year later I sprain the other one but that only hurt for about a week. My left one[worst one] occasionally will start hurting, especially when I do plyometrics or just intense cardio.

28: Do you have any obsessions right now?
Uhm, Kpop... if that weren't obvious. Music in general. Asian dramas, TV shows. DIY. Pinterest. Instagram.  Ruzzle [itsShanisej]. Candy Crush. Anipang. 

28: What's your sexual orientation?
Straight. But I get the occasional girl crush. As shown above in my "celeb crush" question.

29: Do you tend to hold grudges against people who have done you wrong?
I guess I do. I do end up forgiving, but I never forget!

30: What is your astrological sign?
Aquarius [02 Feb]. I used to not care about this kind of stuff. But I actually find it rather interesting now.

31: Do you save money or spend it?
I do both. It depends on what I'm saving for, or what I want to buy. I'm definitely not a frivolous spender if that's the implication.

32: What's the last thing you purchased?
Food. Yesterday. lol.

33 Love or lust?
I guess I've experienced both. But I wouldn't act on the lust without love. :)

34: In a relationship?
Nope. iTunes has it wrong, I'm the #1 single of the week. . .  every week!

35: Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you?
Yes. One of my stuffed bears has pink in the fur and a pink Supergirl shirt on it. Nothing else. Not a big "pink" person.

36: Are you wearing socks right now?
Yes, I am. One of my favourite pairs. Tootsie Rolls. [I don't even like Tootsie Rolls]

37: Where is your best friend?
At her house chatting with me on G-Talk right now. :)

38: What were you doing last night at 12AM?
Reading. . . And playing Candy Crush. :)

39: What do you think is Satan's last name?
Lacus. [I have this...theory. I'd rather not explain. Unless prompted.]

40: You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what's even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What is that power?
The ability to read, write, understand, and speak any language upon choice & situation.

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Well, there's that. Hopefully I didn't bore you. :) If you have any questions about these questions, let me know. Or if you just want to make a random comment, please do. 

These questions are from a post on tumblr. I picked and chose the 40 I wanted to answer.

What's New In. . .TV?

This will be a weekly, or bi-weekly  feature on Thursdays, where I show you what's new in TV, music, film, books, K-Pop, Dramas, or just my life. I'll give you news I recently learned about that I thought I'd share with you. Hopefully these things interest you too!
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DO NO HARM

Thursdays, 10/9c on NBC 

Dr. Jason Cole (Steven Pasquale) is a successful neurosurgeon with a secret. At the same time every night, something inside of him alters him in almost unrecognizable ways, leading to a dangerous alternate personality named Ian Price.

Starring:
Steven Pasquale as Dr. Jason Cole/Ian Price
Alana De La Garza as Dr. Lena Solis
Ruta Gedmintas as Olivia Flynn
Phylicia Rashad as Dr. Vanessa Young
Michael Esper as Dr. Kenneth Jordan


Do No Harm is set to premiere on Thursday, the 31st of January at 10/9c.

Website | IMDb | Facebook

Will you be tuning in to watch it?

REVIEW: Down To You by M. Leighton

Down to You by M. Leighton

Published: September 21st, 2012 by Smashwords
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary
Format: Kindle
Goodreads | Amazon | Author

The scorching tale of one girl, two brothers and a love triangle…that’s not. Olivia Townsend is nothing special. She’s just a girl working her way through college so she can return home to help her father run his business. She’s determined not to be the second woman in his life to abandon him, even if it means putting her own life on hold. To Olivia, it’s clear what she must do. Plain and simple. Black and white. But clear becomes complicated when she meets Cash and Nash Davenport. They’re brothers. Twins.

Cash is everything she’s always wanted in a guy. He’s a dangerous, sexy bad boy who wants her in his bed at any cost. He turns her insides to mush and, with just one kiss, makes her forget why he’s no good for her. Nash is everything she’s ever needed in a guy. He’s successful, responsible and intensely passionate. But he’s taken. Very taken, by none other than Marissa, Liv’s rich, beautiful cousin. That doesn’t stop Olivia from melting every time he looks at her, though. With just one touch, he makes her forget why they can never be together.

Black and white turns to shades of gray when Olivia discovers the boys are hiding something, something that should make her run as far and as fast as she can. But it’s too late to run. Olivia’s already involved. And in love. With both of them. Both brothers make her heart tremble. Both brothers set her body on fire. She wants them both. And they want her. How will she ever choose between them?

My thoughts:
When I read this summary [that seems about as long as the actual book] as well as the reviews [oh. . . and that cover. Ow ow!], I got excited. I actually like love triangles. And It being a New Adult, I just knew it'd be sexy.
Before going into the book I tried to guess what the "twist" would be and came up with three different theories. . .[highlight below if you'd like to see them, because one of them ended up being the twist.]

1. Cash, whom I believed she would choose, was into BDSM.
2. Both Cash & Nash were into some kind of weird trading of women sexually.
3. The twins were in fact not and they were only one person.

Because I knew what the twist would be, for sure, by the middle of the book, I was no where near shocked. Yet I wasn't disappointed either. Because the book was hot.

The sex scenes in this book were very hot without trying to hard. It made you feel naughty for reading, but didn't make you feel like you needed a cold shower after the scenes. 

I loved that the relationship between Olivia and Cash was fast paced and kept me wanting to turn the page and turning again, because I just had to know what would happen next. 

And then there was Nash, who was almost non existent in this book, but I loved his classy style and his gentle words and touch. And I didn't understand how Olivia could possibly be "confused" as to who she wanted to "try a relationship with" when she was almost never around Nash. Her attraction to him was purely looks and was more than superficial.

Cash is the presumable bad  boy, while Nash is everything she needs in a man. [This is only assumed after one meeting. . .?]

Olivia. . . My problem with her is that she was kind of annoying. I don't know if the author was trying to go for the girl-who-is-brave-and-won't-take-shit-from-anyone type of heroine or not, but it failed if so. She was average in thought and action. I didn't care much for anything she had to say and found myself antsy for any dialogue or scenes involving anyone else but her. She is a 20 something bartender and student working hard to take care of her father and trying to make her way to graduation. Though that was supposed to be her dilemma, it seemed that her only thought was "should I sleep with Cash or Nash."

But then she'd realize that Nash was her cousin's (who also happens to be her roommate) boyfriend and yet, with not much pushing from her friend Ginger, she till decided she had to try out both.

Cash's tongue-in-cheek humor definitely kept me plowing through this book if not for the love scenes. I'm not really the "bad boy" kind of girl, but I liked him and his existence in this book.

And the only moments I felt like I smiled and possibly chuckled were when Ginger spoke. Everything she said was a punchline.

All in all, it's a great read for the hot bedroom scenes, but don't read it expecting to be blown away. I may read the next installment, Up to Me, but it doesn't seem like it's my style of story. I'll wait until it's released before deciding.

Rating: 

Waiting On. . .Wednesday!

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
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This is What Happy Looks Like
by Jennifer E. Smith
YA Contemporary | Poppy | 416 pages
Expected Publication: April 2nd, 2013
goodreads | author

If fate sent you an email, would you answer?
When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.
Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?

I read and enjoyed another book from Jennifer E. Smith last year called, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. Short and sweet, exactly what I like out of a contemporary book. This one, however, is 416 pages, hopefully it's still sweet though not short. I'm unsure whether I'll buy it, e-book or borrow from the library.
If you've had the opportunity to read it, what did you think?

Are you excited for This is What Happy Looks Like?

Top 10 K-Pop Albums of 2012!!

With 2012 at a close I have decided to start off the new year with my TOP TEN list of favourite KPOP albums from 2012. I went through about 42 albums [which include--and are mostly--mini albums] released anytime between January 1st to December 31st, 2012. I narrowed them down to the top 10 I found myself playing over and over.

I did base a lot of the ranking on how I liked the music but it also consisted of past work, lyrics, like-ability, repeat-ability and how much I like the artist!

The songs in the tracklist labeled in bold [next to album cover] are my favourites and the ones crossed out I just couldn't get into or just...do not like. :)
Enjoy!!

#10 - EVOL, "푹파해줘"

1. "푹파해줘"
2. "I'm Sorry"
3. "Magnet"
4. "우린 좀 달라"
5. "1, 2, 3, 4, 5"

EVOL, Effective Voice of Ladies or LOVE spelled backwards.
I first heard their song "We Are a Bit Different" and knew the title was more than accurate. They were. And I loved their style. After listening through a lot, I ended up deciding that "1, 2, 3, 4, 5" may very well be my favourite song on the album! 

#9 - Block B, "1집 Blockbuster"

1. "11:30"
2. "Interlude"
3. "닐리리 맘보"
4. "Mental Breaker"
5. "장난없다"
6. "Movie's Over"
7. "넌 어디에"
8. "로맨틱하게"
9. "Halo"

The absolutely addictive song, "닐리리 맘보" is what drew me to this album. However I was already a fan. They're quite possibly my favourite rap/pop group in the Kpop world. (Right after BIGBANG of course.) However, after listening through, I found out it wasn't the only song I loved. "장난없다" and "Mental Breaker" are always playing on my iPod. The only song I'm not a fan of is ,"넌 어디에" it's just too slow!

#8 - SHINee, "Sherlock"

1. "Sherlock (Clue + Note)"
2. "Clue"
3. "Note"
4. "Alarm Clock"
5. "The Reason"
6. "낯선자"
7. "늘 그자리에"

SHINee is the reason I got into KPOP in the first place. Their song "Lucifer" wormed it's way in my brain and has yet to leave. Therefore they will always be my bias group.
Now, onto this album [which was released after two darn years of waiting] I didn't love it immediately, but I liked it. Sherlock has one of the best dances and the live performance still makes me squeal like a fangirl. After hearing the songs, "Clue" & "Note" separate, I deduced that the album was kind of a rip off. But then they gave us "Alarm Clock" and all was forgiven. Just... Perfect!

#7. SISTAR, "Alone"

1. "Come Closer"
2. "나혼자"
3. "No Mercy"
4. "Lead Me"
5. "Girls On Top"
6. "널 사랑하겠어 [Hyorin solo]"

With so many bold songs, I'm a little surprised that it's not higher up on my list, but I also based it on quality and past songs. And this is the first album that I liked... let alone loved by SISTAR. I've always been a fan of Hyorin, but the group never worked for me. This album is so much fun and still being played all the time!

#6. EXO-K, "MAMA"

1. "MAMA"
2. What is Love?"
3. "History"
4. "너의 세상으로 (Angel)"
5. "두 개의 달이 뜨는 밤 (Two Moons) [feat. Key from SHINee]"
6. "Machine"

With so much hype around this group from SM I was sure I'd dislike them, but after the 23 teasers (way too many, IMHO) I started to fall into the hype and as soon as "What is Love?," "MAMA," and "Machine" were released, I was hooked. I hate that all of these boys are much younger than me. They're adorable and I love them. Favourite rookie boy group this year!

#5. miss A, "Independent Women Pt. III"

1. "남자 없이 잘 살아"
2. "Ma Style"
3. "If I Were a Boy"
4. "Madness [feat. Taecyeon of 2PM]"
5. "Time's Up"

Oh miss A.... They've always been a favourite girl group, probably my second favourite [right after 2NE1], but nothing they've released in the past has completely wowed me... and then I hear "남자 없이 잘 살아"  and wonder what the heck happened. But the rest of the album can't be as good right? Wrong! "If I Were a Boy" and "Madness" have been played just as much as their title song. However, "Ma Style" makes absolutely no sense, in English or in Korean! Confused by that!

#4. SPICA, "Painkiller"

1. "Painkiller"
2. "화"
3. "Up N Down"
4. "Russian Roulette"
5. "No More"
6. "일기장"
7. "독하게"

These girls blew me away with their song, "Painkiller" and then their harmonies and vocals in "독하게" were borderline magical. I have yet to tire of this album, especially "Painkiller". This needs little to no reason as to why it's fantastic. You just need to go listen to it yourself!
While listening through this to see where I wanted it on my list, I relearned about the song, "일기장" and have no idea why I haven't had this on repeat as well!!

#3. BIGBANG, "Still Alive"

1. "Still Alive"
2. "Monster"
3. "Feeling"
4. "Fantastic Baby"
5. "Bad Boy"
6. "Blue"
7. "빙글빙글"
8. "EGO"
9. "사랑 먼지"
10. "재미없어"

Oh man. BIGBANG.... I get these feelings that are feely feels that are feely. And I can only describe them as such. There is something about them that I can't quite pinpoint that's more perfect than any boy group in the history of ever. (Yeah... I said it.) I can't choose and stick to one bias in this group....They're perfect.
And so is this album. Except "빙글빙글." That song should have never happened. It's horrible in my opinion. I just cannot stand it. However every other one is perfect!!

#2. Andamiro, "Hypnotize"

1. "Hypnotize"
2. "Fever"
3. "I Don't Care [feat. Dani B. & Jonathan Carey]"
4. "Good Luck to You"
5. "주치의"
6. "말고 [feat. YDG]"
7. "Hypnotize (English version)"
8. "Hypnotize (Areia Balkan ver.)"
9. "Hypnotize (Club Extended Mix ver.)"
10. "Hypnotize (Club Extended Mix English ver.)"

There's always that song, artist, or album that surprises you. Whether you've heard about them in the past, or in this case, just now learning about them. There was absolutely no hype or promotion for this girl that I had heard of. I stumbled across "Hypnotize" and instantly loved her and her look. The song took some getting used to. And then I heard "말고" and knew I had to download the album, and to this day it is the most played album on my iPod. Especially the song "Good Luck to You". Her vocals are beautiful and fun. Each song is so different from the last. There's disco vibes, R&B, 90s, techno and just... perfect. I cannot wait to hear more from her in 2013 and hope she gets the recognition she deserves!

Drum roll please. . . . . . .

#1. G-Dragon, "One of A Kind"

1. "One of a Kind"
2. "Crayon" 
3. "결국 [feat. ?? from YG New Girl Group]"
4. "그 새끼"
5. "Missing You [feat. Kim Yoona]"
6. "Today [feat. Kim Jong Wan]"
7. "Light it Up [feat. Tablo & Dok2]"

There is only one word to describe G-Dragon, and that is "genius!" Every song he creates is quite obviously his heart and soul. Every minute and beat and lyric are planned perfectly to just the right amount. This album showcases his one of a kind [heh] style and how different he truly is from the mainstream Kpop, yet he is one of the most popular artists. Whether solo or in BIGBANG. "Crayon" won best song of the year, and I cannot disagree with that! I was a little apprehensive about this album, I didn't think it'd be as good as his first one, "Heartbreaker" but it ended up being better. Much, much, much, much, much better! I don't know who is the singer in "결국" but her voice is magical. I have a full review of this album, here!