Watching Wednesday: Sunshine of My Life

Sunshine of My Life

Genres: Chinese Drama, Romance

Cast: Zhang Han, Xu Lu

Rated: PG-13

Year Released: 2021

Synopsis from Viki

Watch HERE | No subscription required

Tang Ming Xuan (Zhang Han) is the workaholic general manager of the highly successful Ming Yuan Fashion Group. Married to his job, he is the consummate professional, and has all but resolved to remain single so he can focus his time and effort on making sure his business endeavours go off without a hitch.

But life changes forever on the day he meets Tang Fei (Xu Lu) at a design fair. She is a lively young woman with a passion for traditional embroidery, and plans to hone her skills by studying in Europe.

Although they adore spending time together, they refuse to consider the notion of changing their own long-set plans. So the day finally comes when Tang Fei must set off for Paris, and Tang Ming Xuan stays in China, working on his business plans.

But love will not be shunted aside so easily. And when the opportunity to launch a European fashion venture comes up, the duo let set to be reunited – as business partners...and perhaps more.

"Sunshine of My Life” is a 2021 Chinese drama series that was directed by Tien Jen Huang.

Aurora Burning: Aurora Cycle #2

My deception and my devotion. Only one of them for her.

Available at Amazon

Aurora Burning
Amie Kaufman (Website)
Jay Kristoff (Website)
Aurora Cycle, book two
Audiobook, 15+ hours
Kindle Edition, 497 pages
Published May 5th 2020 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
ASIN B07YRWKB65

Our heroes are back… kind of. From the bestselling co-authors of the Illuminae Files comes the second book in the epic series about a squad of misfits, losers, and discipline cases who just might be the galaxy’s best hope for survival.

First, the bad news: an ancient evil—you know, your standard consume-all-life-in-the-galaxy deal—is about to be unleashed. The good news? Squad 312 is standing by to save the day. They’ve just got to take care of a few small distractions first.

Like the clan of gremps who’d like to rearrange their favorite faces.

And the cadre of illegit GIA agents with creepy flowers where their eyes used to be, who’ll stop at nothing to get their hands on Auri.

Then there’s Kal’s long-lost sister, who’s not exactly happy to see her baby brother, and has a Syldrathi army at her back. With half the known galaxy on their tails, Squad 312 has never felt so wanted.

When they learn the Hadfield has been found, it’s time to come out of hiding. Two centuries ago, the colony ship vanished, leaving Auri as its sole survivor. Now, its black box might be what saves them. But time is short, and if Auri can’t learn to master her powers as a Trigger, the squad and all their admirers are going to be deader than the Great Ultrasaur of Abraaxis IV.

Shocking revelations, bank heists, mysterious gifts, inappropriately tight bodysuits, and an epic firefight will determine the fate of the Aurora Legion’s most unforgettable heroes—and maybe the rest of the galaxy as well.

I had to do it. I finally got around to it. And with the intro being the ever so perfect recap and, need I say, introduction to the characters, I was *so* happy to be back in this world.

Only to be absolutely devastated at the audacity of what's left of Squad 312 turning on one of their own. Rip out my heart why don't you!

And only to stomp on it with a cliffhanger ending? How dare you!

Rolling the spoilers... In this installment, Cat remains alive in memory alone. When her image isn't being manipulated for half ass interrogation methods that is. Tyler is taken prisoner, alongside Kal's sister, Saedii, and spends the greater half of the book in captivity. Kal and Auri endure "months" in isolation as Auri learns to wield her powers as the Trigger, refusing to forsake all for the greater good but still managing to forsake love when... *sigh* And the rest of the squad is just hanging on for the ride until everything goes dark. Literally.

4 out of 5 stars.

Available in ebook | hardcover | paperback | audiobook (I recommend the full cast audiobook!)



Now, I need to call out Saedii for looking a little too much like Lexa from "The 100". Right?

Previously in the series:

Watching Wednesday: Flower of Evil

Flower of Evil

Genres: Korean Drama, Melodrama, Romance

Cast: Lee Joon Gi, Moon Chae Won

Rated: R

Year Released: 2020

Synopsis from Viki

Watch HERE | No subscription required

On the outside, Baek Hee Sung (Lee Joon Gi) looks like the ideal husband. A hard-working craftsman, his metal-working studio has met with its fair share of success. Able to provide a good life for his wife and daughter, he’s an exemplary example of what a husband should be. But his accolades don’t stop there, as comfortable working around the house as he is working in his studio, Hee Sung can as easily fill the roles of father and husband as he can business owner and craftsman. But this perfect exterior hides some very dark secrets. Secrets he would rather his detective wife, Cha Ji Won (Moon Chae Won), never learn.

Unfortunately, secrets have a way of coming out and as a hard-hitting homicide detective, it’s Cha Ji Won’s job to uncover as many secrets as she can, in her never-ending quest for the truth. With an insatiable curiosity and an unwavering determination to solve even the hardest cases, Ji Won lives for her work. Thriving on the excitement of unraveling mysteries and the high that comes from bringing criminals to justice, Ji Won is always searching for the next clue.

But when Ji Won takes on a particularly cruel case, she starts down a dark path that could crumble the very foundations of her happy life. Determined to bring this evil psychopath to justice she dives ever deeper into this case, only to find that the criminal she’s been chasing may have been standing next to her all along.

A suspenseful game of cat and mouse, “Flower of Evil” is a 2020 crime thriller drama directed by Kim Cheol Kyu.

Deal With the Devil (Mercenary Librarians #1)

I won't even make you beg.

Available at Amazon

Deal With the Devil
Kit Rocha (Authors' Website)
Mercenary Librarians, book one
ebook, 336 pages
Audiobook, 12+ hours
Published July 28th 2020 by Tor Books
ASIN B07QMHKDGB

Nina is an information broker with a mission--she and her team of mercenary librarians use their knowledge to save the hopeless in a crumbling America.

Knox is the bitter, battle-weary captain of the Silver Devils. His squad of super soldiers went AWOL to avoid slaughtering innocents, and now he's fighting to survive.

They're on a deadly collision course, and the passion that flares between them only makes it more dangerous. They could burn down the world, destroying each other in the process...

Or they could do the impossible: team up.

This is the first book in a near-future science fiction series with elements of romance.

I wasn't expecting much when I grabbed this book off the digital library shelf. Admittedly, I might not have even read past the second paragraph of the blurb but, oh my, this book is good. "Elements of romance"? Uh... yeah! That's putting it mildly. This book has some serious heat.

In a nutshell, Knox has been hired to retrieve Nina not for monetary payment, but rather in trade for the hostage he needs who has the ability to save his men and himself. So he approaches Nina with the intent of betraying the deal he's bringing to their door. But he's desperate. He's dying. And not even his honor can supersede Knox's loyalty to his men.

When he and his crew meet Nina and her team, it's kismet. They fit. Each and every member, no matter how deadly or paranoid, manage to sync together into a single unit. But betrayal is lurking. And trust is a fragile thing.

I thought this was a YA. It's definitely not. Although... the "mastermind" behind targeting Nina was rather YA-ish. And not in a good way. Some have shelved it Urban Fantasy. I feel it's more than that. Rather, it's a post-apocalyptic fantasy romance. One that absolutely deserves to be in anyone's TBR pile.

4 out of 5 stars.

Available in ebook | audiobook | hardcover | paperback



[ Authors' Note ] Kit Rocha is the pseudonym for co-writing team Donna Herren and Bree Bridges. After penning dozens of paranormal novels, novellas and stories as Moira Rogers, they branched out into gritty, sexy dystopian romance.

FREE READ: The Dark of Twilight by Kate Danley (Twilight Shifters #1)

Available at Amazon

The Dark of Twilight
Kate Danley
Twilight Shifters, book one
Kindle Edition, 177 pages
Published December 1st 2014
ASIN B00PD2RAKI

Half a kingdom is marked to turn into wolves at night and half to turn into wolves during the day, but one girl does not shift and she must save them all.

Aein lost her family when she was a child, and ever since, she dreamed of becoming a soldier to serve the man who saved her. When that day finally comes and she is sent to patrol the border's swamp, it seems like her wish has come true.

But something bad follows her home.

When Lord Arnkell's wedding is interrupted by a werewolf attack, the dream shifts into a cursed nightmare... and Aein is the only one awake. Will she be strong enough to defend the ones she loves? Or will she be destroyed by the coming darkness?

Read for FREE from Amazon.

Shelved As: Paranormal | Young Adult | Urban Fantasy | Shapeshifters > Werewolves

Watching Wednesday: The Best Partner

The Best Partner 

Genres: Chinese Drama, Romance

Cast: Jin Dong, Lan Ying Ying

Rated: PG-13

Year Released: 2019

Synopsis from Viki

Watch HERE | No subscription required

Two legal worlds collide when Luo Bin (Jin Dong) meets Dai Xi (Lan Ying Ying).

The former is one of the most focused lawyers in the business, and a senior partner at the prestigious Panorama Law Firm. For him, the job is all about winning cases and very little else.

Dai Xi, meanwhile, is the polar opposite. Deeply invested in her clients’ plights, she values empathy and understanding.
But when Dai Xi is charged with representing her best friend’s cause, she ends up at Panorama – and must work as Luo Bin’s assistant.
She joins the Panorama team, and together with Luo Bin, the lawyers tackle a wide range of cases – from copyright infringement to custody rights in divorce cases, and property rights disputes to trade secrets infringements.

The two lawyers’ radically different outlooks mean that working together is anything but easy.

But could working together on key cases eventually prove beneficial for the duo? Will Dai Xi’s influence help mellow Luo Bin? And can he, in turn, spur Dai Xi on to greater legal success? Could they develop a mutual respect for one another – or will it be dis-order in the court?

“The Best Partner” is a 2019 Chinese drama series directed by Liu Jin.

If you liked the American show Suits then you just might enjoy this drama. It has less sexuality and more integrity. However, I wouldn't classify it as a Romance.

Side note: There is actually a 16 episode Korean remake of the American show Suits. Same name = Suits. I've never watched it but it's currently available on Netflix