Filipino Friday #1: Surprise, Reader!

It's not Friday anymore but it's better late than never. 

Really excited for this year's ReaderCon which is now part of the NBDB's (National Book Development Board) Philippine International Literary Festival (PILF) happening from Nov. 12-14. Right after that, Komikon on the 15th. All happening at the Bayanihan Center along Pioneer St., Mandaluyong City. 

Here's the prompt:

Surprise, Reader! Hello, it’s the first week of Filipino Fridays 2014! Whether it’s your first time to participate or not, tell us a bit about yourself. More specifically, tell us about your favorite book discoveries for this year. Any author you started reading this year that you can’t get enough of? A book you didn’t think you’d like, but you ended up liking/loving? Any book series that you just have to get your hands on? Have you discovered anything new from Filipino authors this year?

About myself:

I'm a delinquent book blogger and a reading addict. I just happen to work in the book sphere through buqo, a Filipino digital bookstore app. :-) This is the second time I'm participating in Filipino Fridays. 

Author I started reading that I can't get enough of: Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan working in tandem for The Strain trilogy. I couldn't put the books down.

A book I didn't think I'd like but ended up liking/ loving: The Vegetarian Myth by Lierre Keith. I expected to hate it because I've chosen to be vegetarian several times in my life. I was only curious when I got the book. I found that it was written with a lot of compassion for vegetarians and the motivations of a vegetarian. And it got me even more interested in agriculture (especially here in the Philippines) and how else to be more conscious of my impact on the environment. 

A book series that I'd like to get my hands on: Um, please, George R.R. Martin, please release your next Game of Thrones book already. I've been patiently waiting. 

Discovered something new from a Filipino author this year: 

• A lot, actually. First off, I discovered Coming To Terms edited by Lorna Kalaw-Tirol. It's an old book. But not old to me. I loved reading the book and seeing how another generation faced mid-life. 
• Next, I discovered Taming Romeo by Clare Ayala. It's a steamy read set in the West Coast with a wonderfully colorful immigrant Filipino family. I'm glad Clare is releasing the second book in the series, Claiming Carlos, this time focusing on the sister of Evie (Taming Romeo's protagonist), Choco. 
• I also fell in love with the books by Candy Gourlay. Tall Story was such a wonderful read. My husband finished the book ahead of me. That's a feat because my husband doesn't usually read fiction! And I'm in the middle of Shine, her second YA book. Loving it so far!

So, that's it. Looking forward to the next Filipino Friday!

Falling for The Sanchezes (and Romeo!): A Book Review of Taming Romeo by Rachelle Ayala

Taming Romeo by Rachelle Ayala
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I started reading this book in February. Then life caught up with me. I recently went back to it in the first few days of May and boy, did my summer get hotter! Finishing the book was memorable to me because I did it right after doing the groceries. This reminds me that reading can really be squeezed in anytime, anywhere.

The reason I love this book, though, isn't really about Romeo (although, he is one hot love interest!). You know what I loved about it? I loved Evie's family. There's nothing like an intimate portrait of a Pinoy family. That's what stole my heart. My favorite character, apart from Evie, the main character, is her older sister, Choco. Her dynamics with her family is hilarious and it's so true of an eldest Pinay daughter to be the mediator (and burdened with having to take sides at some point).

But please don't get me wrong! This is a steamy read, for sure. The fantasy of having a bad (bad, bad, bad) motorcycle-riding Romeo (also a Pinoy soap opera star) who names his Yamaha, Juliet, and who wears a lip ring...will come true. The setting moves about from the West Coast to the East Coast but it is totally Pinoy at heart. The pace is really quick and the characters will win you over. The only person I don't get in the whole book is Eric Shen, Evie's missing-in-action boyfriend (if you say it over and over, you'll have a laugh) but then again, there are really guys like that. But could he be that bad? They did share a long relationship. Anyway, don't let me give you spoilers. Just read it.

Taming Romeo was a fun, roller-coaster ride of love (and sex! and contraception!) and also a lovely little portrait of the migrant Pinoy family who still keeps a giant spoon and fork in their living room. What's not to love?

View all my reviews