The Good Son by You-jeong Jeong

The Good Son
by You-jeong Jeong
translated by Chi-Young Kim
narrated by Johnathan McClain, Elizabeth Liang

Find out more about this book and author:
Goodreads

Published: 2018
Publisher: Penguin Books
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, South Korea
Paperback: 309
Rating: 5

First sentence(s):
The smell of blood woke me.

Who can you trust if you can't trust yourself?

Early one morning, twenty-six-year-old Yu-jin wakes up to a strange metallic smell, and a phone call from his brother asking if everything's all right at home - he missed a call from their mother in the middle of the night. Yu-jin soon discovers her murdered body, lying in a pool of blood at the bottom of the stairs of their stylish Seoul duplex. He can't remember much about the night before; having suffered from seizures for most of his life, Yu-jin often has trouble with his memory. All he has is a faint impression of his mother calling his name. But was she calling for help? Or begging for her life?

Thus begins Yu-jin's frantic three-day search to uncover what happened that night, and to finally learn the truth about himself and his family. A shocking and addictive psychological thriller, The Good Son explores the mysteries of mind and memory, and the twisted relationship between a mother and son, with incredible urgency.

My two-bits:

Felt like I was spinning and uncomfortable with this story. But, its thriller essence had a strong pull for this whydunnit.

~*~
* Listened to audiobook version.

Holiday Movies 2018

STRIKING up this feel good meme again...

Basically, watching holiday movies this season.

My list so far...

The Christmas Chronicles (2018)
Director: Clay Kaytis
Writer: Matt Lieberman
Story by: David Guggenheim
Stars: Kurt Russell, Darby Camp, Judah Lewis
-Netflix, Adventure , Comedy , Family, Christmas | imdb | my review | my rating: 5

Christmas Cookies (2016)
Director: James Head
Writer: Robert Tate Miller
Stars: Jill Wagner, Wes Brown, P. Lynn Johnson
-Hallmark, Drama, Romance, Christmas | imdb | my review | my rating: 5

The Christmas Train (2017)
Director: Ron Oliver
Teleplay: Neal H. Dobrofsky, Tippi Dobrofsky
Stars: Dermot Mulroney, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Danny Glover
Based on book by: David Baldacci
-Hallmark, Drama, Romance, Christmas | imdb | my review | my rating: 4

Christmas Wedding Planner (2017)
Director: Justin G. Dyck
Screenplay: Keith Cooper
Based on book by: Stacy Connelly
Stars: Jocelyn Hudon, Stephen Huszar, Kelly Rutherford
-Romance, Christmas | imdb | my rating: 4

Christmas With A View (2018)
Director: Justin G. Dyck
Screenplay: David Finley, Rebecca Lamarche, Keith Cooper
Based on book by: Teresa Southwick
Stars: Kaitlyn Leeb, Scott Cavalheiro, Mark Ghanimé
-Drama, Romance, Christmas | imdb | my rating: 5

Love Actually (2003)
Director/Writer: Richard Curtis
Stars: Hugh Grant, Martine McCutcheon, Liam Neeson
-Comedy, Drama, Romance, Christmas | imdb | my rating: 5

Remember The Night (2013)
Director: Mitchell Leisen
Writer: Preston Sturges (original screenplay)
Stars: Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, Beulah Bondi
-Comedy, Drama, Romance, Christmas | imdb | my review | my rating: 4

Snow Bride (2013)
Director: Bert Kish
Writer: Tracy Andreen
Stars: Katrina Law, Jordan Belfi, Patricia Richardson
-Hallmark, Comedy , Family , Romance, Christmas | imdb | my review | my rating: 5

White Christmas (1954)
Director: Michael Curtiz
Screenplay: Norman Krasna, Norman Panama
Stars: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Melvin Frank
-Comedy, Musical, Romance, Christmas | imdb | my rating: 5

Little Wonder by Kat Gardiner

Little Wonder
by Kat Gardiner
-Micro-fiction | Goodreads

Find out more about this book and author:
Goodreads
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter

Published: 2018
Publisher: Father/Daughter Records LLC
Genre: Micro-fiction, Short Stories
Paperback: 94
Rating: 5

Asymmetric and misremembered, Kat Gardiner fictionalizes the experience of opening and closing an all-ages music venue and cafe with her husband in a small Pacific Northwest town. An adult coming-of-age story told in fragments, Little Wonder, explores the bittersweet love affair that takes place between despair and hope whenever you try with all your heart to do something you believe in, and fail.

My two-bits:

A gem of a book with lots of little stories relating to a sense of home :-)

Winner for November

Here are the winners for giveaways that
ended November 26, 2018
during the Black Friday Book Bonanza Giveaway Hop (here)

Thanks to all contestants!
~*~

The Space Between
by Dete Meserve
-Mystery
Amazon | Goodreads
FYI: I included a couple more items in this box (not pictured)

Winner: Edye Nicole of Graceful Coffee

~*~
* I will email winners for mailing addresses within two weeks.
Winners, feel free to contact me with your info if you don't get my email
or if you are just too darn excited and want to let me know -- like NOW ;-D

* contest policy

* if not this time, maybe next time

Lovely Books and Things - 11.24.18

Lovely Books and Things
My Weekly Books and Films Update
Linking up with:
Stacking the Shelves (details)
Sunday Post (details)
Mailbox Monday (details)

~*~
HAPPY THINGS:

1. Circle of friends

2. Warm and cheerful holiday decorations

3. All about the turkey

~*~
Library: feeling Christmas-y

Carols and Chaos
by Cindy Anstey
-Historical, Romance, YA, Christmas | Goodreads

Christmas Camp
by Karen Schaler
-Contemporary, Romance, Christmas | Goodreads

OTHER things (kinda book-related):

Black Friday Book Bonanza Giveaway Hop
November 23-26, 2018
hosted by Reading Reality and Caffeinated Reviewer
SIGNUP to win my book box (here)

AND watched: in theatre

Burning (2018)
Beoning (original title)
Director: Chang-dong Lee
Screenplay: Jungmi Oh, Chang-dong Lee,
Based on short story, Barn Burning by Haruki Murakami
Stars: Ah-In Yoo, Steven Yeun, Jong-seo Jeon
-Drama, Mystery | imdb | my rating: 5
Jong-su, a part-time worker, bumps into Hae-mi while delivering, who used to live in the same neighborhood. Hae-mi asks him to look after her cat while she's on a trip to Africa. When Hae-mi comes back, she introduces Ben, a mysterious guy she met in Africa, to Jong-su. One day, Ben visits Jong-su's with Hae-mi and confesses his own secret hobby.

THIS screening included a Q&A with actor, Steven Yuen (a treat for Walking Dead fans).

SLOW thriller burn, but worth the wait. One of those ones that requires a re-watch. Beautiful long shots throughout.


AND watched: for Fall Film Challenge - six degrees from Kevin Bacon (here)

Murder In The First (1995)
Director: Marc Rocco
Writer: Dan Gordon
Stars: Christian Slater, Kevin Bacon, Gary Oldman
-Drama, Thriller | imdb | my rating: 5
An eager and idealistic young attorney defends an Alcatraz prisoner accused of murdering a fellow inmate. The extenuating circumstances: his client had just spent over three years in solitary confinement.

Watched: 11/18/18
Connection: Christian Slater was in this with Bacon
Stellar performance of Bacon in this role. Also, enjoyed the San Francisco scenes.

What Women Want (2011)
Wo zhi nv ren xin (original title)
Director: Daming Chen
Story by: Josh Goldsmith, Cathy Yuspa, Diane Drake
Screenplay: Josh Goldsmith, Cathy Yuspa
Adapted by: Daming Chen, Eva Cao
Stars: Andy Lau, Li Gong, Li Yuan
-Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi | imdb | my rating: 3
After an accident, a chauvinistic executive gains the ability to hear what women are really thinking.

Watched: 11/18/18
Connection: Russell Wong was with Ming-Na Wen in The Joy Luck Club who starred with Bacon in The Darkness.
While I like the star actors in this film, the chemistry was lacking between the couple.

~*~
* image source: vintage turkey card

* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

Thanks for stopping by :-)