Staircase Wit

I rarely read YA, but if the movie or TV series version fascinates me enough, I would definitely read the books. After rapidly binge-watching Netflix's Shadow and Bone, I quickly devoured Siege and Storm. The plot is fast-paced and interesting, and the world-building makes for an absorbing read. I loved how the story is Tsarist Russia-inspired, instead of the Medieval European setting common in fantasy books. While it's no Harry Potter, I like the Shadow and Bone Trilogy as much as I liked The Hunger Games Trilogy. 

  Four women who live in Gangnam in Seoul, South Korea, offer insights about South Korean culture: obsession with K-pop idols, plastic surgery, borrowing money to afford plastic surgery, aversion to starting a family and having kids, and class and social discrimination.

We all hated and laughed at the Twilight Saga when the movies first came out. But now that all five installments are on Netflix, I decided to actually watch them and take them seriously. Yes, the dialogue is awful and some parts will just make you cringe; those are a given. But the most disturbing part of the entire series is Bella Swan herself. Imagine: 1. All her life, her mom took care of her. She just goes to her dad's house for two weeks in a year. BUT SHE CHOSE HER DAD OVER HER MOM BECAUSE SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH A BOY. 2. Said boy left her abruptly, so she's suddenly single. Instead of cultivating hobbies and  enjoying her friendship with her female friends, she chases after another boy and made him her rebound. 3. Now the rebound is undergoing major life changes, so even he started to stay away from her. She practically begs for him to not leave her, promising him the moon and the stars. 4. However, her first love suddenly returns, so she drops the rebound like a hot pota