Watching Wednesday: In-House Marriage Honey

In-House Marriage Honey

Genres: Japanese Drama, Romantic Comedy

Cast: Mizuki Itagaki, Matsui Airi

Rated: PG-13

Year Released: 2020

Synopsis from Viki

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Miura Manatsu (Mizuki Itagaki) is a young office worker who finds himself in a quandary: His mother is suffering from ill-health, and he believes that getting married will be a good way to bring some cheer to her – and help her recovery. The only problem is he doesn’t have a girlfriend.

So he downloads a dating app and starts looking for potential partners.

Another of the app’s users is Haruta Ami (Matsui Airi), a woman who has been struggling to get over her ex, and has resolved to dive headlong into a new relationship in order to forget her former flame.

The two meet online and decide to get married in a hastily arranged ceremony, barely knowing anything about one another.

But there’s a hitch: Little did they know, but they are actually workmates. And as they neglected to tell their co-workers that they were getting married, their relationship becomes an awkward secret.

Little by little, they get to know each other – and start to discover that despite the unconventional nature of their marriage, true love might not be completely out of reach after all…

This drama was based on a hit manga series by Fujiwara Emi that debuted in February 2018.

“In-House Marriage Honey” is a 2020 Japanese drama series that was directed by Ryo Morita, Ryohei Shinmiya, and Daisuke Honda.

This drama consists of only seven episodes. It's a fantastical story where everything just goes right from the moment two strangers agree to get married for differing reasons. Short but sweet. Comical but endearing. Probably my new favorite Jdrama.

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.