Tara Tries To Write

{ Book Review } Fall Like Rain | Ana Tejano

September 30, 2015 1 Comment

Let me start this review post with a greeting, because Fall Like Rain is celebrating its birthday today! Happy, happy birthday, Mark and Rain~ and congratulations to author Ana Tejano for being able to put this book out there for us to read. <3

Anyway.

If I haven’t said this yet, then let me say it now: One of my favorite tropes is the “Friends to Lovers” trope. I am a complete sucker for it. I write it. I read it. I wish I lived it too, but the universe can only give you so much, so. When I learned that Ana Tejano’s Fall Like Rain tackles just that, I knew I had to read. And so I did.

Fall Like Rain
Ana Tejano

Rain De Castro has been in love with her best friend, Mark Velasco, for almost the entire time she has known him, but she’s clearly in the friend zone because he’s happily in a relationship. Or so she thought, until the news of his break-up reaches her. Now that Mark’s single again, she decides that it’s time to get out of the zone. But when her cousin Lissa comes into the picture and sets her eyes on Mark, Rain feels troubled when he gets a little too friendly with her. Rain is determined to fight for what she feels this time, but is it worth the effort if it’s a losing battle from the start? Will she back off to give way for her best friend’s happiness, even if it means losing him to someone else again?

Fall Like Rain is FREE on Amazon until October 3rd! Grab a copy now!

Click on the Read More button for my review of this story. There may be spoilers, so click at your own risk!

Reading, Review

{ Book Review } The Year We Became Invincible | Mae Coyiuto

September 27, 2015 No Comments

Dear Future Partner,
Where in the hell are you?

That up there is probably how I’d write the first few lines of this book, had this been my story to tell. Of course it will not be YA, and perhaps not as hopeful as Mae Coyiuto’s The Year We Became Invincible, but it’s a start. But I’m not writing this to lament a personal lack; I’m writing this entry to review Ms. Coyiuto’s latest novella . . . so I’d better get to that. And quick, before I start thinking of things to write to my future partner about.

The Year We Became Invincible
Mae Coyiuto

Dear Future Reader,

If you’re reading this book, it’s either:

1. You’re my future partner

2. I’m famous and my writings have been immortalized

3. You’ve violated my privacy and these are not meant for you

Let’s hope it’s not the last one. Before this year, I had my life all planned out. This book contains the story of the year that changed my life (well, my life so far). It’s the year I learned how to be invincible. That wasn’t really specific, but I guess you have to read on to see what I’m talking about.

Love,

Camille

The Year We Became Invincible is available at your nearest National Booktore outlets. Buy your copy today!

My review of The Year We Became Invincible follows after the jump. There are spoilers, so click the Read More button at your own risk! ^_^

Excerpts, The Writing Community

#JustWritePH: What stupid things would you do #ForLove?

September 25, 2015 No Comments

#ForLove

Love is never easy, but the journey to that happily ever after is what makes it worth it. Witness the struggles of these characters as they work their way through both new romances and second chances at love in this four-story bundle. Features “I Still…” by Beth G., “Sigh No More” by Carla de Guzman, “Velvet Valentine” by Giselle Bacalla, and “One Sweet November Day” by Amae Dechavez.

CLICK HERE TO BUY THE BUNDLE.

Get a chance to win this bundle by joining THIS GIVEAWAY! It’s absolutely FREE!

Click the Read More link for the excerpts. My reviews for Sigh No More by Carla de Guzman and One Sweet November Day by Amae Dechavez, as well asstory blurbs and author follow links are found HERE.

Review, The Writing Community

{ Bundle Review } #JustWritePH’s #ForLove

September 25, 2015 1 Comment

Love is never easy, but the journey to that happily ever after is what makes it worth it. Witness the struggles of these characters as they work their way through both new romances and second chances at love in this four-story bundle. Features I Still… by Beth G., Sigh No More by Carla de Guzman, Velvet Valentine by Giselle Bacalla, and One Sweet November Day by Amae Dechavez.

Did you know that the #ForLove bundle is available on Buqo for only P45/$0.99? CLICK HERE to buy the bundle.

Or, you know . . . you can also win this bundle by joining their ongoing giveaway! Click onTHIS LINK to enter.

Click the Read More link below for introductions to all four stories in the #ForLove bundle, followed by a quick review of Sigh No More and One Sweet November Day. Excerpts will be up in a separate post.

Personal, The Writing Community

Them MIBF Shenanigans

September 23, 2015 No Comments

I attended the MIBF twice this year; first on Thursday (9/17), and then on Sunday (9/20). It wasn't a surprise how SMX was crowded during the weekend, what with a cosplay event happening simultaneously on the second floor. — I attended the MIBF twice this year; first on Thursday (9/17), and then on Sunday (9/20). It wasn’t a surprise how SMX was crowded during the weekend, what with a cosplay event happening simultaneously on the second floor.

MIBF, or the Manila International Book Fair, is the country’s biggest and longest running book fair that usually happens in mid-September. As per usual, I am a relative n00b to this, and only attended it for the first time in 2013. A sort-of mistake, because I didn’t bring a lot of moolah with me so I failed buying more books. (Then again, that might have been a very wise move.) I did come home with three new books and I was happy and content with them. If I have read all three is another matter altogether.

This year, I got to attend the 36th MIBF as an author. No, really. I had to sit down and read those words from a friend’s Facebook post and realized it was true for me too, and the feeling is unbelievable. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t get a book signing session or people following me around asking to take pictures. I didn’t even actually sell books in the traditional sense, nor did I participate in any talk or seminar about writing. Nope. None of that . . . BUT!!! those are my future goals.

So what did I do, you ask? Well, I . . .

Reacquainted myself with Filipino publications, especially those outside my genre, by walking through the different booths and browsing their selections.
Donated a couple of old books for a library and exchanged them for #BuqoYA bundles I haven’t read yet.
- SIDENOTE: A total of 489 books (novels, textbooks, even comic books) were donated. These books will be distributed to different libraries in Mariveles and Binondo.
Hung out at the Buqo booth for long stretches of time, which was really convenient because all the walking can really take its toll on you, especially when you’re lugging a bag of books.
Bought new books by fellow Filipina writers and got some of them signed too! (Thank you Agay, Mina, and Edith!) It was just too bad I wasn’t there when Kate Evangelista signed her books!)
Met other Buqo workshoppers and got to take pictures and chat with them, if only for a little while.
“Gave away” freebies to any book donors who chose the Buqo bundle I belong to (#StrangeLit #KillerSeasons REPRESENT!)
Gave away promo codes to my book Paper Planes Back Home too, in the form of cute little bookmarks.
Had lively, oftentimes non-sequitur chats with author friends, new or otherwise. (We have set goals, people. Just watch out for them! :P)