#sparkna

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#read #bookstagram #sparkbooks #sparkna #romanceclass https://www.instagram.com/p/Bui-zhDlS5a/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=l8rjj90t6zv8

[iplanz]

#read #bookstagram #sparkbooks #sparkna #romanceclass https://www.instagram.com/p/BuTFeM1l6pu/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1j67db7hrncsa

[iplanz]

#read #sparkbooks #sparkna #romanceclass https://www.instagram.com/p/BuOdPFiFCfW/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=64sfh0mpc0so

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#PrideBookstagram Day 3: Don’t Tell My Mother by Brigitte Bautista. • Here’s another one of my highly recommended books! This is my first FF romance and it’s one of the best I’ve read since! • Sam and Clara’s love story is told in a witty, light tone while delivering a deep and heavy narrative on self-acceptance, love and freedom. I really loved how engaging the story was even when the pace was notably slower than what I am used to. I guess the pacing was part of it’s charm, part of this book’s grit and of why I had been rooting for Sam since page one. I also really loved the ending (super satisfying!) and heh, shout-out to Sam’s Papa bec I still haven’t gotten over ~that. 😭 • If you have already read this, you’d understand why the Nokia Phone is iconic! 🙌🏻 • A livereading of an excerpt from this book was done by Rachel Coates and Sam Aquino at last year’s #AprilFeelsDay and can be found on YouTube. 🤗 • The print edition (pictured) is published by Anvil under their #SparkNA line, available in NBS nationwide. The ebook version is available on Amazon worldwide. . . . . . . . . #bookstagram #bibliophile #booknerdPH #bookworm #instabooks #bookish #bookstagramersPH #IGreads #pride #lgbt #lgbtqiap #rainbow #pridebookstagram2018 #pridemonth #lovewins #sapphic #romanceclass #readlocalPH #diversebooks #diversereads

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April Bookstagram Day 21. #StackSaturday • These are books I’ll feature more on tomorrow’s challenges. Heehee. I put all these challenges on Google Sheets so I wouldn’t miss out on the prompts but lo and behold, I forgot about this until yesterday! 😅 • 📚#aprilinbooks18 & #bookstagramreadsapril • Can you find titles of your favorites in this stack? Tell me in the comments and I’ll tell you if I’ve read it. (I probably haven’t but let’s talk! 🤗) • Oh, and the Hedwig plush is @ginoongbyen ‘s. 😅 . . . . . . . . . . #bookstagram #bibliophile #booknerdPH #bookworm #instabooks #bookish #IGreads #romance #fantasy #anthology #selfpublishing #indiepublishing #romanceclass #SparkNA #readlocalPH #diversebooks #diversereads #ireadYA

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April #Bookstagram! Tame the Kitten by Bianca Mori • I’m very proud of this shot bec 😂 who else would’ve thought of taking photos of this book with actual kittens?? 🤣 #ImSoClever I cannot take full credit though bec this actully started when my cat-lady sister @ruhhurtado saw this book in my shelves, her eyes lit up like 😃 and I had to immediately shut that thought down with “This book is not about ~those kittens!😏” • 🐱#aprilbookstagram18 (@book_junkee @reverieandink @erinsummerill ): Made You Laugh. The banter in this book is just 🙌🏻😍 😃 🐱#aprilinbooks18 (@bookisglee ): Books Set In Another Country. Though the author is Filipino, the story is set in America (in NY, i think?) and the heroine is Puerto Rican. 🐱#aprilbookishmadness (@knjigoljubkamaja ): Author You Love. Bianca Mori is a superbly talented writer and it is such an honor to share Summer Feels with her (her story there, Four Basic Principles, is ❤️🔥 🐬! ) She’s also an amazing person IRL and I especially love her funny and fueled tweets to bits! 🤗 • I reviewed this on my blog last year and there’s a part there where I mention a request for a spin-off where Tamara is the lead. I want to call it “Tame Tamara” and I’m still waiting for itttt! LOL • Do your pets tolerate your bookstagrams and maybe even pose with your books? I didn’t come too close to the cats in this pic bec I’m forever scared of claws! 😬 . . . . . . #bibliophile #booknerdPH #bookworm #instabooks #bookish #tamethekitten #PinoyRomance #catsofinstagram #romanceclass #SparkNA #readlocalPH

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The Art of Shifting Gears by Chi Yu Rodriguez

I brought this book on commute yesterday to ease the burden of Manila traffic and whoopdedoo, the traffic was so bad I finished the rest of the book (I was at the third Lap when the commute started) the same day.

*** WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD*** It’s mild, but I didn’t realize I was writing down spoilers until after I’ve written the review. Ehe.

This is my first book from Chi (although I bought The Bye-bye Bouquet earlier) and this was a refreshing read from #romanceclass. For starters, this felt more of a coming-of-age story than my usual romance. The kiligs are there and Rae ultimately ends up with her LI, but a lot more things are going on in her life. It felt like a YA story in the NA setting, and it makes more sense to me, considering what Rae and her brothers had to go through in their youth.

I’m glad that although Rae’s romance was an important part of her transformation to a full-fledged adult, it didn’t revolve around it. She had a whole life with work, school and family that the romance becomes a well-deserved cherry on top. I also love her strong, female narrative. There are cracks in her armor but somehow those gave her character strength.

Here are some parts that personally attacked my feelings. Haha!

I loved her support system, too, Kyle in particular. I imagine college life wouldn’t suck so much whatever happens if you had Kyle as a roommate. And Tim and Max’s (even Aunt Gem, though very briefly) love and quirks and grief are wonderfully written. Rae’s colleagues at Manila Kart were well written, too.

I guess a thing that confused me a bit were the “villains”. I want more of a back story, a flashback, for me to really feel how betrayed Rae was. It would also add more depth to her hang-ups with Mike. I have to note that although Tessa was super problematic, I’m very curious about what happens to her. (Please write a sequel in her POV! I LOVE redemption arc stories!! Haha)

Now, the boys! Yuan was a JPop-ish twist in my opinion, and it’s great that they have a moment together. JR was the unlikely LI but once the story picked up, I wasn’t creeped out about him so much. And Jason? Haha. If Tessa is Book 2, I want Jason to be Book 3! (Demanding?) Or maybe Jason could be an interim story and Tim would be Book 3? LOL now I’m getting carried away!

ANYWAY

What I loved most about this story is the aspect of Rae as a car enthusiast. She goes carting and she works in a carshop, but I appreciate the subtle inclusion of cars in important scenes in the story. It doesn’t matter if she’s karting, or the scene is in an elevator car (wink wink, I’m reaching here!) or Rae contemplating car smells or the LI leaning on a car door…argh, cars are a constant in Rae’s life!

4 of 5 Stars. The starting point is a little confusing, but after the story passes a significant road mark, it becomes an enjoyable ride through an important journey in a young woman’s life. :)

Blurb:

Rae de los Santos was en route to a perfect adult life. She knew what to major in, she knew what career path she was going to pursue, and she knew who she was going to be with all the way to the realization of her dreams—until her seamless journey made a turn for the unimaginable and skidded to a stop. All of a sudden she was facing every roadblock possible, and the people she held dear ended up running over her heart. For a year, she distracted herself with hot lead and burnt rubber, using karting as a lifeline until she was strong enough to face the world that shunned her. But during Rae’s junior year in college, she was again blindsided by signs that weren’t supposed to be there. Will Rae go full speed ahead? Or will the seduction of the past slow her down?

Buy Links:

Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Shifting-Gears-Chi-Rodriguez-ebook/dp/B06XBXZV8F

Print Copy is available in National Bookstores nationwide (PH Only)

About the Author:

Chi Yu Rodriguez has many feelings. Sometimes these feelings find their way to paper in the form of short stories and fiction online. Sometimes they don't come out at all and end up as unresolved sexual tension or terrible internal angst. She prefers making imaginary people go through these feelings for her pleasure. Her muses hate her for it, and they repay her by being forever fickle. She wrestles with them in her head everyday.

@chiyurodriguez - Add me on instagram, twitter, goodreads, amazon and wattpad

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Chasing Mr. Prefect by Katt Briones

I’ve been putting off writing this review because I’m lazy (are you even surprised? LOL), but also because I don’t know if words can fully express how much I enjoyed Vinnie and Cholo’s story.

See, Vinnie is this really flawed, really relatable girl and Cholo is, well, rearrange Mr. Prefect and he’s actually Mr. Perfect! They’re both really smart and hardworking, especially when it comes to the acads and that drive to excel, however different their motivations, were exactly what brought them together initially.

And then Katt Briones’ superb writing brought out the characters out in 3D (in my mind, okay?). They go through wonderful changes, Vinnie dealing with her angst and Cholo embracing the fact that he can’t always be perfect, and that’s okay.

I am personally irked with works that shift between Tagalog and English sporadically but in this one, where Tagalog words are mostly in dialogue, it wasn’t jarring. I actually enjoyed it, experiencing their banter in its full glory.

My favorite part (and I think I tweeted/IG’ed this already) is the part where Cholo tells Vinnie, “Seatbelt mo.” UGH! KILIGGGG! This is exactly how you say I Love You without really saying it, you know. And I do think this simple phrase wouldn’t work if it was translated. Argh.

Okay, so where was I again? The review, right. Got distracted with remembering the kilig for a second there. Heehee.

Anyway, what else do I love about Chasing Mr. Prefect? The conflict. Because while it utilized both of the MC’s and LI’s character flaws, it wasn’t predictable. I mean, I expected Vinnie’s volatile angst would come into play at the end of Act 2, but I didn’t hate her for it. And I think Cholo’s characterization handled the conflict well, too. He didn’t coddle Vinnie, nor did he immediately forgive her. H stood his ground, even when they both got hurt in the process. There was enough grovel, and I loved it.

What I need more of is the Korea parts. Not to give too much away, but ugh, I WANT MORE VINNIE AND CHOLO!

*Also #ChAsher, but heehee, I feel like I don’t need to wait too long for this.

4 of 5 Stars. It is amazing. Character depth is A+ (I even loved to hate Summer and Miki) and the plot is well executed. <3

Blurb:

For the first time in her life, Vinnie finds herself on the brink of academic suspension.

While standing up to a bully is something she’ll never regret, she has to take on additional responsibilities in lieu of punishment for the offense. This unfortunately involves working with Cholo, the head disciplinary prefect, who seems to take delight in other people’s blunders. Her determination to match his expectations eventually leads her into a crazy chase to keep up.

Buy Links:

E-book:

Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Mr-Prefect-Katt-Briones-ebook/dp/B06WW81J86

Print:

Anvil: https://www.anvilpublishing.com/shop/fiction-literature/chasing-mr-prefect/

Also available in National Bookstore (PH)

About the Author:

Katt Briones writes Young Adult, fan fiction, and romance stories to unwind and de-stress. She graduated with a degree in Business Economics and is currently working as a financial reporting analyst. When not busy with work and writing, she spends her free time reading, sketching landscapes, fangirling over Korean girl groups, and looking up pasta recipes on Youtube. She currently resides in Las Pinas with her family, a pet dog named Kai, and a cat named Mr. Smith.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16221087.Katt_Briones

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kttbri