Arsenic And Adobo

Filipino author, murder mystery, new series

⭐

from GoodReads

When Lila Macapagal moves back home to recover from a horrible breakup, her life seems to be following all the typical rom-com tropes. She’s tasked with saving her Tita Rosie’s failing restaurant, and she has to deal with a group of matchmaking aunties who shower her with love and judgment. But when a notoriously nasty food critic (who happens to be her ex-boyfriend) drops dead moments after a confrontation with Lila, her life quickly swerves from a Nora Ephron romp to an Agatha Christie case.

With the cops treating her like she’s the one and only suspect, and the shady landlord looking to finally kick the Macapagal family out and resell the storefront, Lila’s left with no choice but to conduct her own investigation. Armed with the nosy auntie network, her barista best bud, and her trusted Dachshund, Longanisa, Lila takes on this tasty, twisted case and soon finds her own neck on the chopping block.

I really really wanted to like this mystery novel by a Filipino author. Unfortunately, I hated it, really really hated it. *Sigh*

A lot of Filipino food are mentioned throughout the book and a few recipes at the end. It is understandable because the main character Lila works in her Aunt's Filipino restaurant. But the food got too distracting. 

What I didn't like

• The writing style and first person narration.
• The author tried too hard to make Lila witty and funny. I didn't find her witty nor funny. Lila comes out as character who lacks empathy by making light of someone's death that happened right in front of her. The scenario is utterly unnatural. She barely reacted to the second death and the head injury of her frenemy.
• Lila's lawyer and the detective investigating the murder are both incompetent and inconsistent. 
• Lila mentioned a few characters related to her and her current circumstances but they never showed up nor were explained further.
• The author tried to add romance into the murder mystery with boring people.
• The author's wokeness which is in-your-face obvious with the "diverse" characters, just like several  insufferable Hollywood movies that include all races in the universe for inclusiveness. The author probably had a checklist of all the necessary people aside from Filipinos that she believed should be in her first book: Japanese, Pakistani brother and his lesbian sister, lesbian Mexican, mixed Korean/White, Black, Greek. 🙄🙄🙄
• The baddies are pure white which she emphasized very early on. Yes, she said pure white. Sheesh! Two of her ex boyfriends are no-goodnik white people, one was the murder victim. Remember, white people are bad, bad, bad. Others are fine, noble, and if flawed, are redeemable.
• Story is not compelling; no real tension; amateurish. 

Do not read if you like murder mysteries. It is awful and will give you a headache due to excessive eyerolling. 

The Unkindness Of Ravens

tags: mystery, new series, M E Hilliard

⭐⭐⭐⭐

from GoodReads

Greer Hogan is a librarian and an avid reader of murder mysteries. She also has a habit of stumbling upon murdered bodies. The first was her husband's, and the tragic loss led Greer to leave New York behind for a new start in the Village of Raven Hill. But her new home becomes less idyllic when she discovers her best friend sprawled dead on the floor of the library.

Was her friend's demise related to two other deaths that the police deemed accidental? Do the residents of this insular village hold dark secrets about another murder, decades ago? Does a serial killer haunt Raven Hill?

Though Greer admires the masters of deduction she reads about in books, she never expected to have to solve a mystery herself. Fortunately, she possesses a quick wit and a librarian's natural resourcefulness. But will that be enough to protect her from a brilliant, diabolical murderer?

And even if Greer manages to catch the Raven Hill killer, will living with her conscience prove a fate worse than death?

I probably have found a new mystery fictional character to replace M. C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin. Greer Hogan, like Agatha has the unlucky habit of finding dead bodies. Her natural interest in solving the murder opens herself to becoming a victim also. There are other similarities between Agatha and Greer that are worth noting:

• have a police officer as a friend/ally - Agatha has Bill Wong and Greer has Jennie Webber 
• moved from city to a quiet village - Agatha to the Cotswolds, Greer to Village of Raven Hill, a small town in Connecticut 
• had high-paying jobs before quitting - Agatha was in public relations in London, Greer was a buyer for a cosmetics company in New York
• have a bit of sense of humor but Agatha is funnier, more biting and politically incorrect which I love, Greer is also funny but tamer, IMHO

I like this first of a series. It held my interest and I finished reading (336 pages) in one sitting. Although it reads like a cozy mystery, the murderer turned out to be a truly evil character. My only complaint, and the reason for the 4 stars, is there are too many red herrings, 2 of which are completely unnecessary.  I hope the succeeding books will be much tighter and have more humor.

Recommended for mystery readers.

  

Real Crazy Rich Asians

There might be a sequel to the popular movie Crazy Rich Asians. I'm not excited about it because I find the rich people in the movie don't have much style and taste. But it's just me, I guess. If they feature beautiful people like the women in this 10-minute video of real crazy rich beautiful Asians, I might watch it and even the third if they decide to make. 

These 4 women are gorgeous, rich, elegant, posh.

Heart Evangelista - 36, Filipino, parents are crazy rich, TV and movie actress, visual artist, philanthropist, married a politician. She dirtied her Birkin bag while eating fries at Chili's so she rescued it by painting her artwork on the bag.

Twin sisters Rachel and Michelle Yeoh - 25, Malaysian, come from old money, fashionistas, fashion models, trendsetters, influencers

Feiping Chang - 30, Taiwanese, blogger, fashion trendsetter, influencer, married a rich financier

The Way Of The Househusband

Streaming on "Netro-fricks" (Netflix) - 5 16-minute episodes Japanese anime comedy. 

A yakuza quit his job, got married, and became an earnest househusband. Very funny and great animation.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

There's also a live action series based on the anime, search Gokushufudo if you can't find the English title.

South Korean Series Coming To Netflix Streaming

Hello, Me!

February 17, 2021

Wednesday and Thursday

comedy, drama, fantasy

Ban Ha-Ni (Choi Gang-Hee) is 37-years-old and a single woman. She holds a temporary position at work, which makes her nervous that she might get fired. She is generally servile and timid. Considering her current state, she does not want to be single. One day, 17-year-old Ban Ha-Ni (Lee Re) from the past comes to 37-year-old Ban Ha-Ni. 17-year-old Ban Ha-Ni is totally different from her older self. The younger Ban Ha-Ni is bright and optimistic.

This is going to be hilarious. The talented Eum Moon-Suk, who appeared in The Fiery Priest and Backstreet Rookie, is a great addition to the cast. First episode is already knee slapper funny. 

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Sisyphus

February 17, 2021 

Wednesday and Thursday

action, drama, sci-fi, time travel

A time travel story between a genius engineer Han Tae-Sool (Cho Seung-Woo) and his savior from the future Kang Seo-Hae (Park Shin-Hye).

Han Tae-Sool is a genius engineer and the co-founder of Quantum and Time Company. He is handsome and he produces innovative results. Thanks to his efforts, Quantum and Time has become a world-class enterprise. He is known as a miracle worker and a hero in Korea, but reality is a little different. After his older brother's death 10 years ago, he has exhibited eccentric behavior. The company's stock price has fluctuated accordingly. One day, Han Tae-Sool learns of an unreliable truth behind his brother's death. His dangerous journey begins.

Kang Seo-Hae is an elite warrior. She can take down the biggest men with just her bare hands. She is also a sharpshooter and able to make bombs. She learned these skills to survive in a world that is dominated by gangsters and military cliques. One day, after a long and dangerous journey, she comes to Han Tae-Sool to save him.

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Vincenzo

February 20, 2021

Saturday and Sunday 

dark comedy, drama, romance

At the age of 8, Park Joo-Hyeong went to Italy after he was adopted. He is now an adult and has the name of Vincenzo Casano (Song Joong-Ki). He is a lawyer, who works for the Mafia as a consigliere. Because of a war between mafia groups, he flees to South Korea. In South Korea, he gets involved with Lawyer Hong Cha-Young (Jeon Yeo-Bin). She is the type of attorney who will do anything to win a case. Vincenzo Casano falls in love with her. He also achieves social justice by his own way.

 

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One of the writers of Vincenzo, Park Jae-Bum, wrote in 2019 one of the funniest Korean comedy action drama series, The Fiery Priest. I hope Vincenzo will be as funny as Kim Nam-gil, Honey, and the cast of The Fiery Priest.

The Kingdom

tags: Jo Nesbø, mystery, thriller

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

from GoodReads 

In a rural village deep in the mountains, mechanic Roy leads a quiet, simple life, but when his little brother Carl, an entrepreneur, returns with a proposal for a grand hotel to revive the struggling town, dark secrets from their childhood threaten to resurface. As children, Roy defended his little brother against schoolyard bullies and vicious rumors, but his loyalty to family is tested when greed and betrayal saturate Carl's plans--not to mention when Roy's sister-in-law Shannon catches his eye. The farther he goes to protect Carl, the more Roy finds himself dredging up the town's shocking past. And when the town sheriff starts looking into Roy and Carl's parents' tragic deaths, Roy will have to reckon with how far he will go to protect his brother.

A tale of the worst family dysfunction I've ever read. Roy and Carl have a sort of love-hate relationship. Roy loves his younger brother and will do everything to protect him, including murder, but he also envies and covets whatever Carl has, almost like a Cain and Abel jealousy. But they stick together for better or for worse like a married couple.

Jo Nesbø again delivers with this new stand-alone novel which has lots of twists and turns. Roy gets out of all unfortunate situations with lots of luck and brilliant planning. 

Highly recommended for Jo Nesbø fans.

Space Sweepers

Coming to Netflix streaming February 5, 2021. Sci-fi movie from South Korea. 2 hours 16 minutes.

Chasing after space debris and faraway dreams in year 2092, four misfits unearth explosive secrets during the attempted trade of a wide-eyed humanoid.

Can't wait to see Song Joong-ki, nae sarang. 💘 

The Vanished

tags: Netflix streaming, psychological thriller

⭐

An idyllic family vacation turns into a living nightmare for parents Paul and Wendy when their young daughter disappears without a trace. When the local sheriff fails to chase down any new leads, the frantic parents have no choice but to take matters into their own hands. As tensions mount and the list of suspects grows, the search for the truth leads to a shocking revelation where nothing is what it seems.

I can't remember if I've seen any movies with Anne Heche. 13 minutes into the movie, I awarded her The Worst Actress In The Whole Universe. I was not wrong after watching the train wreck in its entirety. 

When the couple find their child is missing, she keeps shouting the name of the child in one spot and again in 1 or 2 feet away from the initial spot, instead of going around the whole area which is open space with just a few RVs. Bad acting seems contagious. Thomas Jane as the husband is also a poor actor. Jason Patric is fine as the sheriff, but why make him wear a fat suit and waddle like a duck when it's obvious he is not fat and far from obese? 

The twist at the end is not bad but the script and acting ruined the whole movie. Peter Facinelli is a lousy writer and director of psychological thrillers. 

 Not recommended.

The Last Samurai

tags: favorites, genius child, mother and child

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

from GoodReads

Helen DeWitt's extraordinary debut, The Last Samurai, centers on the relationship between Sibylla, a single mother of precocious and rigorous intelligence, and her son, who, owing to his mother's singular attitude to education, develops into a prodigy of learning. Ludo reads Homer in the original Greek at 4 before moving on to Hebrew, Japanese, Old Norse, and Inuit; studying advanced mathematical techniques (Fourier analysis and Laplace transformations); and, as the title hints, endlessly watching and analyzing Akira Kurosawa's masterpiece, Seven Samurai.

But the one question that eludes an answer is that of the name of his father: Sibylla believes the film obliquely provides the male role models that Ludo's genetic father cannot, and refuses to be drawn on the question of paternal identity. The child thinks differently, however, and eventually sets out on a search, one that leads him beyond the certainties of acquired knowledge into the complex and messy world of adults.

The novel draws on themes topical and perennial--the hothousing of children, the familiar literary trope of the quest for the (absent) father -and as such, divides itself into two halves: the first describes Ludo's education, the second follows him in his search for his father and father figures. The first stresses a sacred, Apollonian pursuit of logic, precise (if wayward) erudition, and the erratic and endlessly fascinating architecture of languages, while the second moves this knowledge into the world of emotion, human ambitions, and their attendant frustrations and failures.

I read this novel when it came out in 2000 and have reread it 2 more times. I read it for the fourth time on Kindle to mark its 20 years of being on my top 5 favorite books. Its position hasn't changed. 

4 words to describe this book: brilliant, fascinating, funny, heartbreaking. 

LOL: Ludo brought home a video from Blockbuster thinking his mother will like it because Seven Samurai is referenced. Sybilla said she loved the film, sarcastically, I suppose. She said "OHHH, Tall Men in Tight Jeans!" I'm sure you know which movie she's making fun of. 

The Tower Of Fools

tags: adventure, dark humor, fantasy, historical fiction, medieval, Polish, religious wars

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

from GoodReads

Reinmar of Bieława, sometimes known as Reynevan, is a doctor, a magician and, according to some, a charlatan. And when a thoughtless indiscretion finds him caught in the crosshairs of powerful noble family, he is forced to flee his home.

But once he passes beyond the city borders, he finds that there are dangers ahead as well as behind. Strange mystical forces are gathering in the shadows. And pursued not only by the affronted Stercza brothers, bent on vengeance, but also by the Holy Inquisition, Reynevan finds himself in the Narrenturm, the Tower of Fools.

The Tower is an asylum for the mad, or for those who dare to think differently and challenge the prevailing order. And escaping the Tower, avoiding the conflict around him, and keeping his own sanity might prove a greater challenge than Reynevan ever imagined.

I've watched and liked but never read Andrzej Sapkowski's The Witcher. After reading the synopsis of the newly translated from Polish to English The Tower Of Fools, I got the book because I love novels set in the Middle Ages. It became an instant favorite and I'm eagerly awaiting for the second book, Warriors of God.

This book is the first of a trilogy set in Silesia during the late Middle Ages Hussite Wars - Christians against Christians. The names and places are Polish and it took me longer to finish reading because I had to familiarize myself with the correct pronunciations. For example, the city of Wrocław is pronounced Vrotswahf. There are also plenty of passages in Latin and other languages with no English translations, much like Umberto Eco's novels. The passages are not that hard to understand if read in context. I didn't spend too much time in understanding songs and poems in Latin or German as they don't affect the overall story. The language in the book is a bit modern for the period and it has a tolerable amount of cussing.

Reynevan is a 23 year old doctor of medicine [studied in a university in Prague] who also dabbles in herbal medicine and simple magic. Reynevan, because of his age, is very foolish falling in love with a married girl, got caught by her husband's brothers who vowed to capture Reynevan in order to torture him to death. He tries to elude them, yet he continues acting irresponsibly throughout the whole novel putting his two companions/protectors and himself constantly in peril. He always gets rescued by the two and twice by the fair and beautiful Katarzyna of Bieberstein who insists in calling him "my Aucassin" and herself Nicolette. Reynevan is a male Damsel in Distress. 😏

I love that the novel is bursting with action and gore, a little magic, plenty of dark humor, fantasy, satire, witches, real historical people such as Johannes Gutenberg and Master of the Playing Cards, plus a scary creepy shapeshifter assassin and some odd characters. One of his companions, Samson Honey-Eater, is a giant who looks like a half wit. He at first reminds me of the characters the giant Turk Fezzik in The Princess Bride and the monk Salvatore in The Name of the Rose. The difference is, Samson actually is erudite, knows several languages, and is agile. He pretends being dumb when necessary. The most interesting are the inmates in The Tower of Fools, one in particular reminds me of Umberto Eco's weird characters. 

Highly recommended for historical fiction and fantasy readers.