Happy Birthday To My Eternal Sunshine

A Review on ‘Dracula’ by Bram Stoker

Genre: Gothic/Adventure

Rating: 3/4

Summary: An English solicitor named Jonathan Harker visits the Castle Dracula of Transylvania, Romania, where he meets the famous Count Dracula. By the day, he becomes aware of himself being held captive in the labyrinth like castle. In the meantime, Harker’s fiancée Mina Murray grows anxious of his return while noticing some great changes in her best friend, Lucy Westenra.

My Opinion: I was very excited about this book and waited till October to get the Halloween vibes. Unfortunately my exam date was set for October and I had to sneak some time to read it. Anyway, I was able to finish reading the book and liked it. The gothic environment was evident and at times it creeped me out. The environments of the castle and the graveyard were really creepy. The fact that the whole book was written in the format of letters, diaries and journals, kept me guessing. I did not particularly like any character. I didn’t feel emotionally connected to anyone. They seem too plain. A minor character of a mental patient named Renfield was the only one I found interesting. Another problem I struggled with was that the novel was too descriptive. It took a lot of my attention and will power to go through the whole book. But overall, the story was thrilling.

Quote:  “How blessed are some people, whose lives have no fears, no dreads; to whom sleep is a blessing that comes nightly, and brings nothing but sweet dreams.”

TV series I've watched in March 2022

The End of the F***ing World - Season 1 & 2 (2017-19)

- Check my previous review of season 1 here

- The season 2 will always be memorable to me because I've binge watched it with my cousin. We talked about it the whole day. I know, whenever I'll watch it again, I'll miss those moments.

- Season 2 also had some serious issues dealt with just like season 1. Bonnie's character hit close to home. I want to hug her. I also want to hug Alyssa and James. They've been through a lot.

Sweet Tooth (2021)

- A world slipped into chaos as a contagious virus breaks through and babies are born as part animals.

- This is the perfect time to watch this show with your family. It is quite emotional.

Our Planet (2019)

- From the grassland to the forest, from the ice covered world to the hot desert, from the fresh water to the high sea, this series shows varieties of habitats of the living beings of our beloved earth.

- This nature documentary is quite different than any other I've ever seen. It discusses the climate change in a way to make people actually worry about the situation. I highly recommend it to all of my followers.

- You may feel like to cry if you're an animal lover.

Strangers From Hell (2018)

- A small town boy moves to a residence of the city where he encounters many creepy strangers.

- I've never imagined this series would be that much deep. It is very detailed and the work is a piece of art. One of the best kdramas out there.

- It's very gruesome and violent. Definitely not going to recommend it to the faint hearted people.

- To be honest it gave me nightmares. I couldn't sleep properly at night for a whole week and only slept at daytime. My mind was totally wrecked.

The Tale of the Nine Tailed (2020)

- A nine tailed fox leaves his position as a forest deity to search for his reincarnated love.

- Though it is a fantasy and romance series, I mostly enjoyed the interaction between the gumiho brothers. And to be honest, I love Lee Rang <3

- Another best part of the series is the mentions of all the different sorts of mythical creatures. I love to know about mythologies of different countries.

Persona (2019)

- An anthology of short films with metaphorical meanings.

- Apart from the fact that each episode was directed by different directors with the same lead actress I don't want to say much about it. Watch it to find out. It's great BTW.

Jack In The Box, album by J-Hope

Notes: It’s time to express some of my thoughts regarding every member’s solo albums and singles. I’ve been putting it off for months. Let’s do it without further delay, starting with the first member to have released his solo album.

1. Intro: 9/10

“It flapped its delicate wings as it danced around Pandora, lightly brushing against her shoulder.”

Basically it’s the story of Pandora in Greek Mythology and the origin of hope in the mortal world. If you haven’t heard it yet, this post is a sign for you to look it up (also check out Ted Ed’s video ‘The myth of Pandora’s box’ for more details). The narration of the story (J-Hope’s intro) is smooth and short. It sounds pleasing to the ears. And it is definitely a unique idea for his album’s intro. I believe what Hoseok’s been trying to tell is that what he is to the Armys is what hope is to all the people on earth.

2. Pandora’s Box: 10/10

“J to the Hope, Jung to the Huimang, Jack in the box”

Only Hoseok can make a fine connection between a myth, a toy and his whole personality and also make total sense. It’s probably my first time listening to a song that is a retelling of a myth. And Hoseok did an amazing job here. The lyrics made my jaw drop, like literally. I said it once and I’ll say it a hundred times, BTS is one of the few artists who knows what poetry truly is. And this song is one of the many living proofs.

3. More: 8.5/10

“My work makes me breathe. So I want more”

The first released song with the music video shook me a great deal like it did to many Armys I’m sure. The sunshine of the group in such a grim-emo kinda look was absolutely out of the blue. Nevertheless, this vibe suits him right. Comparing their passion for making art with an awful addiction is a thing BTS did in their early works too. I can see that theme portrayed from Hoseok’s perspective so well.

4. Stop: 6.5/10

“The only belief that rules over me, ‘There are no bad people in the world’”

The struggle of freeing yourself of the innate nature of being judgmental is portrayed in this masterpiece. Shoutout to Hoseok for speaking about the truth of today's world and people’s values and ethics while still keeping an open mind, making sure not to judge anyone harshly. The lyrics definitely deserve praise. But personally I think it is not a song that I can listen to more than once.

5. = (Equal Sign): 7/10

“Same, the breaths we breathe. Same, the dreams we dream of”

Yes! Sing it, J-hope. Who’s going to give us hope at times of despair if it isn’t you? The change is indeed soon to begin. We’re all in this together. Let’s make a better world without prejudice and hate. BTS, as well as us, the Armys; we believe in ‘Love’.

6. Music Box: Reflection: 10/10

This one is actually brilliant. At first I played it on repeat many times a day. I even set it as my alarm ringtone and it is still there. I know, we shouldn’t be doing that because it makes us hate the music afterwards. But I still couldn’t grow to dislike it. This music has a whole aesthetic to it that makes me imagine myself in a music video everytime I play it.

7. What If...: 8.5/10

“What if I have nothing?”

This one shows what Hoseok has been trying to portray through the whole album pretty directly. You can see him questioning his own personality. Is he really all sunshine and rainbows inside out? I mean, is that even possible for a human? You can hear his passion pouring out in the voice. Chef’s kiss to the bravery of finally speaking out; louder for the people on the back.

8. Safety Zone: 8/10

“In my 20’s, I’m living an endless life”

It hurts when you look up a song and you find the lyrics so sad. The life of an idol is never really easy. People need to keep in mind that these idols are humans too. Give them some break for God’s sake. They talk about their struggles through their songs and yet we fail to see it. I really hope Hoseok finds peace and happiness that he deserves.

9. Future: 6.5/10

“Walking in the future, a step of hope”

The fact that Hoseok worries about his future too shows how much he is like us. After all, at the end of the day, we’re all human. Let’s keep our courage and step forward.

10. Arson: 10/10

“Do I put out the fire or burn even brighter?”

Just think about the poetic effect of the last line of the last song. Even though I liked most of the songs from this album, Arson takes the trophy. The music, the lyrics, the mv, everything is just fine as fine can be. J-Hope never disappoints us with his unique ideas. I’m in love…

Notes: The album is a masterpiece and it deserves all the attention it got and more. Apart from the fact that the music and the beats are all kinda dope, we need to focus on its lyricism too. This album feels like a cry for help. We need to acknowledge Hoseok's struggle as an idol and try to sympathize. Let's try to become the best version of ourselves as fans and let our idols live a normal life while supporting them unconditionally.

Bitter-Sweet

Fandom: BTS

Pairing: Jungkook x Female Reader

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I refused to get up from my bed. Or should I say, I was unable to do so. Because I was going through the worst period cramps this month. I am very pain sensitive. So whenever I had bad cramps, it always made me cry my eyes out.

"Aren't you going to have your breakfast, sweety?" My sister asked while gently patting my head over the blanket under which I had taken my refugee.

My phone rang and I whined in annoyance. My sister brought it to me and said, "C'mon! Your bunny's calling you."

I pulled my hand out of the blanket and took the phone in. My sister left to avoid hearing our cheesy conversation.

"So, no good morning for me today, love?" I could imagine the pout forming on Jungkook's lips.

"No!" I said shortly.

"Have my baby girl been crying?" The tone was a little bit alarmed.

"Yes!" I said again.

It didn't take too long for Jungkook to understand the matter. And nothing much was needed to be said. He was on my doorstep already.

Ding Dong!

"Look, who's here?" My sister called from the living room.

Despite the pain, I walked out of my bed, my blanket still wrapped around me. As soon as Jungkook saw my miserable state, he pulled me into a warm embrace and I sank into his huge muscular body.

"I've brought you dark chocolates, love." Jungkook whispered softly and kissed me on my ear.

Minutes later, we were squeezed in the couch, blanket covering the both of us, my head resting on Jungkook's chest, biting onto my chocolate every now and then, while Jungkook hummed on to an ost of 'The Goblin' being played on the TV.

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My Masterlist

"Love"

Fandom: BTS

Pairing: Taehyung x Female reader

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My phone rang at 3 a.m. I woke up with a start. It was a video call from Taehyung.

"Baby?" I called in a sleepy voice. It was dark on the other side, I could barely see his face from the little light of the phone.

Taehyung sniffed and said, "I'm so sorry I called you this late."

His voice sounded abnormal to me. My immediate thought was "he's crying."

"No, no," I said, "It's alright. Talk to me."

He stayed quiet for a moment. Then he said, "I don't know why I'm feeling down lately."

I could hear him sobbing softly now. I guessed letting him talk would be a better way to comfort him than actually saying something.

"Hmm?" I urged him to speak more.

"I miss you so much. I wish you were here."

"I miss you too, baby."

"Can you stay on line till I fall asleep? I'm lonely." He sounded like a child pleading to his mother to let him sleep with her so that he won't get scared.

"Yeah, sure, baby." I said.

We stared at our screens for a while. I could see Taehyung's face a little clearer now.

"Would you like some music?" He asked.

"I would like it very much."

Taehyung turned on the song we used to listen to all the time. It was our song, "Love" by Lana Del Rey.

"It's enough just to make you feel crazy, crazy, crazy."

The song played on, the lyrics touching my heart directly. I closed my eyes. Taehyung's sigh could be heard occasionally. It almost felt like he was lying next to me.

The finishing music ended with the iconic "Don't worry, baby."

I said, "We'll meet soon. We'll listen to music and lie next to each other and hold on tight till we fall asleep. Don't worry, baby."

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My Masterlist

My Ideal...<3

Some of the very best red carpet looks of Zendaya that I totally adore 🥰

Are our own parents any different than the step mothers in the fairy tales?

I was watching a documentary series on Netflix called ‘Myths and Monsters’. At a point where they were discussing about ‘The Grimm's Fairy Tales’, which is a book of collected folktales of Germany by the Grimm brothers, they said that the brothers had actually modified the stories to make it acceptable to the children. And one such particular change was that in the story of ‘Hansel and Gretel’. Though worldwide we all know that the siblings were a victim to the cruelty of their stepmother, the original story tells otherwise. They were rather abandoned in the woods by their poverty driven parents.

Now the questions come: Why did the brothers exchanged the real parents with a stepmother? If it was so unrealistic or unacceptable for the real parents to have abandoned their own children, why would the original story has them in the first place?

The series also gave an idea to that. Basically the myths we know have some really deep morals into it. They usually portray the inner dark nature of humans through the images of monsters. So, it is not unlikely to put the real parents’ images as some cruel versions of humans. Because we humans, are capable of such cruelty. It is embedded inside all of us.

But since the civilizations started, we are trying our best to tame such nature within ourselves. As if the wilderness inside us is considered a taboo in the modern world we live in. So, we made another character to drive away this from ourselves. In this case, it is the stepmother. The stepmother has become a disguise for all the dark parts of a parent. Hence, we see this character in almost every fairy tales in the place of a cruel guardian.

Marauders era reimagined (part 2)

part 1

‘The Three Musketeers’ by Alexandre Dumas [Book Review]

Rating: 5/5

Genre: Adventure/Historical-Fiction

Summary: During the reign of King Louis XIII, an ambitious young man, d’Artagnan, aspiring to be one of the king’s musketeers come to Paris, where he meets the famous three musketeers; Athos, Porthos and Aramis. Along the way, they have to overcome the conspiracy of the Cardinal and his ally.

My Opinion: This classic adventure is very engaging and humorous. I usually don’t get attached with the adventure genre in books. But this one kept me entertained. This book contains such hilarious dialogues that I couldn’t help laughing out loud. The characters make very smart remarks too; which is quite impressive. The characters are varied and likeable. The protagonists as well as the antagonists are very brave in nature. The best part of this novel is a female antagonist. The concept is very unique considering the time period when it was written. At that time women were considered very delicate and soft natured. On the contrary the Lady de Winter in this novel displayed a very heinous character.

Favourite Characters: Aramis was the best musketeer in my opinion. He valued bravery as well as morality. On the other hand, the intelligence he showed at the time when needed was very admirable. I also liked the characterization of the Duke of Buckingham, though it was a minor one. His behaviour is very charming. The love he had for the queen, Anne of Austria, is very fascinating.

Quote:  “I do not cling to life sufficiently to fear death.” 

Red Hope! - Part 1

Specially requested by @lelewright1234. Hope you enjoy!

Note: This work is totally fictional and has nothing to do with BTS in real life. I mean no hate toward any person in particular. This plotline was requested. Though I personally hate bullies, I still believe there is hope for everyone.

Fandom: BTS Pairing: OT7 × OC (Leah) Warning: Bullies, swearing, drinking, car accident, blood, etc. Genre: Angst Summary: When Leah saves the boys from a car accident, despite them bullying her in the past, they reconsider their actions...

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 (Complete)

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The night was freezing cold. I remembered rubbing my hands to generate some heat while I walked down the road. I was coming back to my home from my best friend, Nina’s house. It was already past midnight and though she insisted me to stay at her place for the night, I still refused. Walking through the chilly night, I was regretting that decision.

There was some shouting coming from a group of boys in the middle of the road. They looked too drunk to even understand what they were doing. I got closer, being annoyed and worried at the same time that they might run into some accidents.

"Yoongi, you little freak!" One of them shouted.

I froze. It was no other than the boy named Jungkook from my class with his pack of boys he called his hyungs. The group who called themselves "Bangtan Boys". The boys who had been bullying me for the past 8 years for fun.

"Look who's here to keep us company?" Jin, the oldest of them shouted. It was too late. They'd already seen me.

Jin came toward me, putted one of his hands around my neck and leaned on me, "Why? It's our wife, Leah."

I was standing stiff on my place. But his whole body mass seemed to work against mine and my legs gave up. I was being pushed towards the group.

The laughter from the boys were still ringing on my ears when I noticed the speedy car, honking its horn, coming towards us. I had to think fast. They were too drunk to make it to the side of the road. I made the decision.

I pushed two of the boys standing in front of me with all of my might causing them to push the ones in front of them. I saw some of them tripped and fell.

And then, I was hit.

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The boys were all standing still, too shocked to react. The car that hit Leah was a bit further. A man on his 40’s got down from it. He was talking on his phone frantically and swearing occasionally.

Taehyung quietly walked toward Leah and sat down beside her, “Leah,” he called, hoping against hope that she was fine, that it was all just a prank she was playing to get back at them. But Leah laid motionless.

Taehyung hold her head up and took it on his lap. Then he noticed the blood on his hands. “Shit” he swore too loudly to make the others come to their senses.

“Is she…” Jimin’s voice cracked. He couldn’t finish the sentence.

Jin sat down beside Taehyung. He touched her side of the neck to feel the pulse, “She’s alive. I can feel her pulse.” A sigh of relief left from some of the boys.

“But” Taehyung stammered to form the right words, “the blood… I…she…too much…what if…” he broke down, crying. Jin took Leah’s head on his lap while Jimin embraced Taehyung, trying to calm him down.

A siren was heard. Everything happened in a blur. Leah was carried to the ambulance. There were people checking on the boys if they were hurt. The police man was interrogating them about the accident. Taehyung kept crying despite everyone reassuring him that it was going to be okay.

But above all, the guilt they were all feeling deep inside was something very new to the boys.

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My Masterlist