Cover Reveal: SUMMER FEELS: A #RomanceClass Anthology

Hello everyone. Do you guys still remember me?  

First of all, I would like to greet you all a Belated Happy Easter! Hope you had fun. It had been a while since I talked to all of you about books and I seriously missed it. 

Well, I'm still in the book community, if you're wondering. I'm still reading a dozen books every month and lurking in twitter to see everyone's favorite 2017 book so far. But reviewing is pushed way down on my priority list right now, to pursue my dream to write stories. 

Today is a milestone for me because I was included in an amazing summer anthology which I'm super excited to share and reveal to you all of you now.

So without further ado, here it is.

Title: Summer Feels: A #romanceclass Anthology

Genre/s: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Publication Date: April 30, 2017

Pre-order on Amazon | Print Copies 

Add it on Goodreads

Descriptions:

Summer loving happens so fast, as you'll find with Summer Feels, an anthology of 23 stories of love under the summer sun by #romanceclass authors. Savor the candied thrill of firsts—first loves, first kisses, first solo vacations—and the bittersweet triumph of second chances. Tour the Philippines as the stories take you to mountain retreats and island paradises. Let the magic of the hot sun, clear blue skies, and lots of love take you on a roller coaster ride of feels. With stories ranging from sweet to sexy, there's sure to be something for any fan of romance.

Featuring stories by:

Elea Andrea Almazora • Erleen Alvarez • Ella Banta • RachelleBelaro • H. Bentham • Halina Cabrera • Charlie Dio • Mina V. Esguerra • Elizabeth Galit • Georgette S. Gonzales • Ami Granada • Irene Jurado • Catherine Lo • Arlene Manocot • Bianca Mori • Eris Peñaluna • Farrah F. Polestico • Kit Salazar • MielSalva • Fay Sebastian • Kate Sebastian • Yeyet Soriano • Marian Tee

Look at that pretty thing!  Don't you just want to pack your bags and travel to the nearest beach and soak up in the sun?  

This cover was made by none other than the amazing, Miles Tan. 

About the Designer Miles Tan likes inhabiting imaginary worlds, from fantasy books to sci-fi shows to cheeky mysteries to role-playing games. She works with websites, plays with graphics, and is now currently painting with words.

 Finding X is her first published novella. Her short story“Something Real” is included in the YA Luna East anthology, Kids These Days.

 To learn more about her books, visit milestanbooks.com. To see more of the cover art she’s designed, check out milestanbooks.com/works. 

Stories included in this anthology:

·  “All about That Bass” by Fay Sebastian

·  “Alter Christus” by Catherine Lo

·  “Fall for Me” by MielSalva

·  “The Game of Twenty Questions” by Elizabeth Galit

· “The Summer You Said Hello” by Ami Granada

· “At the Bermuda Triangle” by Elea Andrea Almazora

· “Beachin’ Summer” by Arlene Manocot

· “Buddy System” by Yeyet Soriano

· “Busy out of the Friendzone” by Charlie Dio

· “Flying with You” by Rachelle Belaro

· “Guide for a Day” by H. Bentham

· “Ready to Run” by Kit Salazar

· “Secondhand Wanderlust” by Erleen Alvarez

· “The Search for the Kissing Monster” by Ella Banta

· “Anything Can Happen” by Marian Tee

· “Four Basic Principles” by Bianca Mori

· “Love after Summer” by Irene Jurado

· “Lucky in Paradise” by Farrah F. Polestico

· “The Swimming Instructor” by Eris Peñaluna

· “Wedding Night Stand” by Mina V. Esguerra

· “An Overdue Adventure” by Kate Sebastian

· “Buttered Sunset” by Halina Cabrera

· “Then Derrick Was Back” by Georgette S. Gonzales

This anthology has beautiful sceneries, diverse characters, feel-good vibes and it has every kind of swoon-worthy romance. It's the perfect vacation read!

And you can now pre-order the book in a discounted price of $1.99 until April 30, 2017. Here's the link on Amazon.

Comment your thoughts about the cover.

Book Review: Songs to Make You Stay (Playlist #3)

Title: Songs to Make You Stay (Playlist #3)
Author: Jay E. Tria
Genre/s: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Released Date: October 9, 2016
Add to Goodreads
Buy this on Amazon 

Synopsis:

Love isn't supposed to be this hard.

Now that he’s finally won Jill, the girl who's always rocked his world, you’d think life would be heaven on earth for Shinta Mori. In a way, it is. But maybe he’s underestimated the fact that he’s a hunky movie star in Japan while his girl is ruling the indie music scene all the way in Manila.

When he spends a long-awaited vacation with her--through impromptu performances, frenzied flyer distribution, and unhinged radio guestings--he realizes how imperfect his seemingly perfect life is. And he begins to wonder if what they have is strong enough to survive years of being apart.

Can Shinta prove he’s worthy of the spotlight the universe shines on him? And more importantly, deserving of the devotion of a young girl in love?

Author Interview: Catherine Torres, Sula's Voyage

There are two reasons why this post today is special. First, because I interviewed one of the Filipina authors who won in the Scholastic Asian Book Awards 2014 and second is because today is the publication day of Sula's Voyage. That means you can now go to your local bookstore and see her book in the shelves. Isn't that awesome?

But before you go there, let's get to know the author behind Sula's Voyage and her journey to publication.

1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I'm a diplomat and writer based in Berlin, Germany. I'm also a mom and my seven-year-old son, Sam, recently landed his first book deal (he sold me a comic book he made for 5 Euros). My husband, Jay, is Korean and teaches English at a university in Busan. He also loves books and doesn't mind when I buy lots of them (he'd probably mind if I buy lots of shoes and clothes, but I don't care too much for those). I was born and bred in Manila, and have also lived in Tokyo, New Delhi, and Singapore. I love coffee and dream of having my own book cafe someday. Oh, and I play the ukulele!

2. Can you describe Sula's Voyage in 15 words or less?

Dark-skinned drifter finds her moorings with help from family, friends, and the sea.

3. Just like superheroes, I think it's safe to say that books also has an origin story before they became what they are right now. It might started out as a thought, an experience, a dialogue you heard, a conversation with a friend, or an idea that has been plaguing your brain for quite sometime. So tell us, what's your book's origin story? And what made you decide to write it?

Elsewhere, I have mentioned that I was inspired to write the story after having seen the Diwata ng Lahi, a 'reincarnated' Balangay, sailing into the Singapore harbor in 2010. But let me go deeper and farther back in time than that experience--many things we do have reasons or motivations beyond the immediate ones. I have always been something of a closet environmentalist. Back in grade school, a friend and I put up this 'Sisters Against the Destruction of the Earth' or SADE (obviously, I had not yet heard of The Marquis at the time). Unfortunately, it didn't prosper: the one project we were planning, a cleanup of the banks of the Marikina River, did not even push through. But deep inside, I have always wanted to be something of a warrior for the earth. The sea, in particular, has a special pull for me--maybe because we live in an archipelago, and our ancestors were wave-riders. So the story is a sort of vicarious wish fulfillment. And I hope it inspires the same love and protectiveness of the sea among its readers, some of whom might be braver than I am and become real sea warriors someday.

4. While you were in the process of writing this book, did you ever doubt yourself or second guess the reason why you are writing this story? If yes, how did you overcome those obstacles?

Oh yes. Even from the start, I knew I wanted to submit the manuscript to the Scholastic Asia Book Award (SABA)--that was my prompt and incentive to write in spite of my hectic schedule. So sometimes I questioned my motives. Was I writing the way I was writing in order to win the prize? But when I finished the book, I knew I could be at peace with myself and that I had accomplished a labor of love. One of the things I learned in college, having majored in Psychology, is that extrinsic rewards can actually be less effective that intrinsic ones. But sometimes, a combination of both can be quite effective.

5. As an aspiring author, hearing about how authors got published is always fascinating and inspiring to me. So can you tell us your journey to publication? And what was the first thing you did or said after you got the news about the book deal?

That's the wonderful thing about SABA. Winning it, or even just being a finalist, could land you a book deal. Sula's Voyage was first runner-up in SABA 2014. That was announced in May of that year. Two months later, an editor from Scholastic Asia contacted me and said they were evaluating the manuscript for possible publication. A month later, she e-mailed me again with the news that they would, indeed, like to publish it. The first thing I did, diplomat that I am, was to reply to her e-mail to say thanks. Then I posted a long status update about it on my Facebook timeline. I suppose I should have popped a bottle of champagne or something, but I wanted to share the news with my family and friends who had always believed they would see my name on a book spine someday.

6. Tell us what it's like to become a published author? What was your most favorite moment in this whole experience, aside from seeing and holding a physical copy of your book?

Let me tell you a secret--I haven't actually held a copy of the book, yet. As we speak, I am in Berlin, miles away from the launch in Singapore. At the same time, I have another book scheduled for release in Manila, a short story collection, Mariposa Gang and Other Stories, to be published by UST Publishing House. So within a month, I go from unpublished author to having two titles under my belt. It's a little intoxicating, especially for someone who loves the printed word, but I'm taking it with a grain of salt. In one of my favorite books on writing, Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott says, "If what you have in mind is fame and fortune, publication is going to drive you crazy." I've been warned enough by other writers whom I've spoken to and whose books on writing I've read so I don't expect those things at all. I'm thrilled simply to be able to let my stories out of their cage, to let them spread their wings, and sit on the shoulder of someone who, at that very moment, might need to hear some bird song.

7. What is your advice to all the writers who are just beginning their writing journey?

Embrace the adventure of writing, but not to the exclusion of everything else. Go out into the world and see what it's like. Read, every chance you get. Sit by the sea or under a tree and be alone with your thoughts now and then. Trust your inner voice and seek to be authentic, and you'll be fine.

Thank you so much Catherine, for dropping by my blog! Congratulations on being a published author. Have an awesome publication day!

About the Author:
Website | Facebook | Email

Catherine Torres (Catherine Rose Torres) is a diplomat and writer from Manila. Her work has taken her to postings in New Delhi, Singapore, and now, Berlin. When foreign affairs, as well as domestic ones, permit, Catherine travels around the world on boats made of words. Occasionally, as with Sula’s Voyage, she even builds the boat herself. Her short story collection Mariposa Gang and Other Storieswill also be released in 2016.

Title: Sula's Voyage
Release Date: May 27, 2016
Publisher: Scholastic Asia
Genre/s: YA Coming of Age, Fantasy

Fifteen-year-old Sula has always known she is different. Even though her parents have shown her nothing but love and acceptance, she sees her dark skin as a reminder of how she doesn’t fit in with the rest of her family.

What’s worse is she also feels that her parents are hiding something from her. After getting expelled from school, Sula reluctantly goes to stay with her mother’s friends. There she unexpectedly finds herself on a journey of self-discovery — a journey that keeps drawing her to the sea. Sula must not only figure our her parents’ secret, but also just how different, and possibly magical, she really is.

Songs to Get Over You Blog Tour: Double Book Review

Hey, everyone! How you've been? Well, I'm glad you're still dropping by my virtual abode. Today, I'm  breaking my hiatus for a double book review. Yes, you heard that right! Two review in one blog post. So here it goes.

Title: Songs of Our Break-Up (Playlist #1)

Author: Jay E. Tria

Genre/s: NA Contemporary Romance

Released Date: August 22, 2015

Add to Goodreads TBR List

Buy on Amazon | Buqo

Synopsis:

Every breakup has its playlist.

How do you get over a seven-year relationship? 21-year-old Jill is trying to find out. But moving on is a harder job when Kim, her ex-boyfriend, is the lead guitarist of the band, and Jill is the vocalist. Every song they play together feels like slicing open a barely healed tattoo.

Jill’s best friend Miki says she will be out of this gloom soon. Breakups have a probation period, he says. Jill is on the last month of hers and Miki is patiently keeping her company.

But the real silver lining is Shinta. Having a hot Japanese actor friend in times like these is a welcome distraction. This gorgeous celebrity has been defying time zones and distance through the years to be there for Jill. Now he is here, physically present, and together he and Jill go through old lyrics, vivid memories, walks in the rain, and bottles of beer. Together they try to answer the question: what do you do when forever ends?

Review: 

Songs of Our Break Up is the story of Jill, vocalist and guitarist of the indie band, Trainman, as she went through the three-months probation period of her break-up with their lead guitarist, Kim. Complicated, was a weak word to describe their relationship and Songs of Our Break-Up summed up, beautifully, the messy stages of moving on and falling in love again.

There were a lot of things I love about this book; the memorable characters, the silly bantering, the atmosphere of the indie music scene and the lyrics of Trainman's album. I wish the Trainman album was real because the lyrics just speaks volume. Even without the melody, it already has a huge effect on me. How much more if someone put some notes and sang it? I'd probably cry myself to sleep while listening to their album.

Jill was all of us as she went through the process of moving on, but failing a few times because she still has to be around her ex. Good thing she has Shinta (the super charming and handsome AF Japanese actor who used to be their fan but now, became their friend) and Miki (their rhythm guitarist and her best friend who is secretly in love with her). Between the two, I'm rooting for Miki. It was heart-breaking to see his efforts were disregarded yet he's still waiting in the wings.  But Shinta is awesome, too, don't get me wrong. He was the sliver of Japanese sunshine in Jill's gloomy world.  

I was a bit confused with the non-linear narration, though. I guess, I'm just not used to it and it sometimes threw me off of my reading trance. But that's just a minor issue. Overall, it was a good and unique contemporary story that I would highly recommend to anyone who likes contemporary story about music and moving on.

Rating: 

P.S.

Also watch this live reading of Songs of Our Break-Up because if you're not yet convinced by my review, I'm sure this will.

Title: Songs to Get Over You (Playlist #2)

Author: Jay E. Tria

Genre/s: NA Contemporary Romance

Released Date: February 29, 2016

Add to Goodreads TBR List

Buy on Amazon | Buqo

Synopsis:

It's harder to get over someone who was never really yours.

They say rock stars get all the girls. But Miki knows that's not always true. He, for one, though the guitarist of popular indie band Trainman, just can't seem to get the girl. It's kind of his fault, really. No one told him to fall in love with Jill. No one told him to stand still and watch as she moved on from a terrible breakup into the arms of another guy—a Japanese celebrity with the face of an angel and the body of a god.

So when someone else comes along, someone who finds him cute, smart, and funny (sometimes in the haha sort of way), will Miki finally move on? Or will he continue to pine for Jill?

Review:

When I heard that the second book in the Playlist series is Miki's story, I immediately squee. I love Miki but I pity his unrequited love for Jill. He's such a caring and loving guy and he doesn't deserve to be in the friend-zone. Good thing, Ana saved him from that place.

"She's cute and perky and obviously socially adept." Jill paused as she processed this. "She's like the anti-me. That's so strange. But then she's also tall and skinny and moves like a boy, like me." - Songs of Our Break-Up

Ana was Miki's classmate in one of his elective classes in college. She's a CPA and loves to work as a corporate slave. She's not the anti-Jill for me now that I read this story, I think she's the version of a left-brain-dominant Jill that doesn't have hung-ups and emotional baggage.  She's pretty cool, sweet and patient. She knew Miki's secret feelings for Jill and she waited and taught him how to break the habit of pining for his best friend.

Their relationship was more realiztic than the first book but is as beautiful. I was really happy that Miki finally found someone. Overall, it's a swoon-worthy sequel to the Playlist series.

Rating

About the Author:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Hi! I'm a writer of contemporary Young Adult and New Adult romance. These days I'm writing paranormal/fantasy too, and it's a fun exercise. I'm often inspired by daydreams, celebrity crushes, a childhood fascination of Japanese drama and manga, and an incessant itch to travel.

Stacking the Shelves #18

Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual.

Hi readers! It's been a while, huh? How have you been?

So many things happened to me since my last Stacking the Shelves post. You better sit down because this is a long post.

I left my job in July for personal reasons. I've been in that office for a year. It wasn't easy finding a new job in our province. I was jobless for a month. I could have written a blog post or two since I have a lot of time in my hand but I can't seem to put what I was going through in here, at the time.

I thought my joblessness will last until the end of the year. So while I was letting the time passed, I thought why not join an online-writing workshop. That's when I found #StrangeLit. It's a free online-writing worshop sponsored by a local online bookstore named Buqo. The gist of the worshop is to write an Urban Fantasy / PNR story with a minimum of 5,000 words in month of August. At the end of the month, the completed stories will be bundled, published and sold in Buqo. It was best way for me to pass the time, so I joined.

I didn't expect I will be hired the first week of August but it was a welcomed surprise. It wasn't that complicated to juggle my new job and my writing schedule because I've been doing that since Nanowrimo 2014. I finished the first draft of my #StrangeLit novella a week before submission but I decided not to submit it. I think I can improve and expand my story further and to do that, I needed more time to let the story simmer.

Anyway, I'm enjoying my new job so far. I'm immersing myself into the business sector and learning everyday. I'm thinking of creating a blog schedule now that I'm back. I'll let you know soon what it is.

And that's the end of my long post. I know you're excited to see what books I received, so here they are:

June to September Book Haul

Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne (PB)
The Last Ever After (The School for Good and Evil #3) by Soman Chainani (PB)
 Fans of the Impossible Life by Kate Scelsa (signed ARC)
Mirrored by Alex Flinn (ARC)
Ash and Bramble by Sarah Prineas (ARC)
Dreamland by Robert L. Anderson (ARC)

And my Angry Robot Trophy which I won from the Hidden Huntress Fan-Art Competition by Angry Robots Publishing.

Cute, isn't it?

Thank you to Usborne UK, HarperCollins International, Angry Robots, Kye of Eternity Through Pages and Shelumiel of Bookish and Awesome for my book haul.