Hello, it's been a while. I hope you are doing well. ♡
A lot of things have happened since I last took a peek here, most notable of which are that I moved to a more spacious unit in a better location but also within the same community and I took better care of my health. A little more than a month ago, I started taking pills again to hopefully manage my myoma (yes, I have them again) and I've generally been okay in the sense that I don't get as much mood swings as when I was using another brand years ago, although I have noticed that I now feel more. Every emotion is magnified: happiness, glee, giddiness from being loved, but also sadness, anger, and even anxiety. Last Friday I spent about two hours crying inconsolably because one of my dolls got destroyed. It's exhausting. I always tell J that it's so difficult being a woman, and I mean that each time.
Last night I was able to finish my first book for 2023: Must Love Books by Shauna Robinson.
It's a big deal to me because from being able to read at least two books per month, I seemed to lose my reading mojo and for the whole of 2022 I was only able to read one book. One. And it was a graphic novel! How embarrassing. To be fair, I also reread the entire The Sandman series in time for the Netflix TV show, but rereads do not count.
Anyway, I enjoyed this story because it's about books, authors, the publishing industry, and how the main character Nora finds purpose and navigates her mental health issues. For fans of romance, it's an HFN ending with FilAm author Andrew Santos. Content warning: contemplating suicide.
It was never devastating events that sent Nora's mind spiraling towards a place that scared her. It could be a major change that slowly gnawed at her, or several insignificant moments that piled up and sent her right back to the thoughts that she tried to avoid. She felt sometimes that her mind was always in some state of interacting with these thoughts, whether it was gravitating toward them, trying to move away from them, or pretending they didn't exist. But they were always, always there.
I related with Nora because I recognize feeling stuck. I spent a long time in my previous job waiting for a promotion that didn't come, underpaid even though I was working way past working hours and even on weekends. My situation, career-wise, is so much better now thanks to my huge leap back in 2021, and I couldn't be happier with my current team.
However, there are still days when I feel how easy it would be to just... cease to exist. It could be my PMDD talking; I recognize it's just my brain telling me these things, and I know I will never harm myself, but sometimes the thought of being unalive sounds so tempting. Imagine all your problems disappearing and just floating away into the void, versus feeling all these emotions and dealing with all my issues, how easy it would be. I think of these things, but then almost immediately images of my family and J come to me, and how I wouldn't want them to be subjected to something like that. Not like that, when I lost my Tatay almost two years ago and I am still reeling from the loss.
This should be a celebratory come back post, promising more blog posts in the future, but I don't have it in me to try to be cheerful today. Maybe I can do it tomorrow when I try to write about my current hyper-fixation: Leigh Bardugo's Crows from the Grishaverse.
I hope you are doing well. Well, better than me at least. :)
Alternate title: Navigating Relationships Later In Life
Romantic relationships are always complicated; that’s why there are so many songs, movies, and TV shows that focus on the various ways in which they can break down or go wrong. However, it’s fair to say that real-life relationships can be even more complicated and confusing - especially if you are returning to the dating game in later life.
J and I met when we were 29. I wish we could have met earlier, sparing me from heartaches and awful dates, but I guess it was perfect timing as well, since we were both mature enough already to handle our relationship at the same time allowing us space to grow together. Time flies, and we're celebrating our sixth anniversary next month!
I remember what it was like being single and wishing for someone to love and love me in return. Heck, I was single for seven years before I met J. Love knows no age, though, but we can all use a little help. So with that in mind, here are some tools that can guide you navigate the world of dating when you are a little older than your average single.
Ensure you’re ready to put yourself out there. Whether you have dealt with a terrible breakup, a bereavement, or even a separation or divorce, you mustn’t put yourself out there before you are emotionally ready. While the prospect of a new relationship may seem exciting (especially if you are lacking companionship), you’ll only hurt yourself further down the line by jumping in too soon. Before dating, you might want to ask yourself these questions:
- Am I able to love myself as I am?
- What am I looking for in a relationship?
- What kind of person do I want to date?
- What happens if this relationship does not break down?
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Before heading on a date, it’s okay to feel a little nervous. After all, you’ll want to make a good impression on the person you’re with so that you could potentially see each other again. However, it’s important to remember that some things are beyond our control - and you cannot force a connection with another person. Instead of trying to present yourself as their ideal date - focus on showing them who you really are. Being yourself is the easiest way to make a lasting, genuine connection with another person.
Find new ways to boost your confidence. If you haven’t been part of the romantic scene for a while, you may feel as though you have entered a whole new world (especially when it comes to online dating). However, it’s important to remember that dating is pretty much the same as it has always been - and if you maintain a positive outlook, you have nothing to worry about. Nevertheless, you should find a variety of ways to boost your confidence ahead of time so that you can push away any feelings of stress and anxiety. This can be achieved by:
- Not jumping from one relationship to the next, giving yourself the break you need to get to know yourself and understand your needs.
- Knowing your worth and what you require from a partner. Refusing to compromise your standards.
- Taking steps to improve your physical health, meaning that you will naturally feel healthier and more confident. For example, you could try to complete some workouts at home, using natural supplements to maximize the results. You can find out more about how they work for you here.
- Visiting a life coach, gaining advice on how to naturally boost your confidence and feelings of self-worth.
- Reciting affirmations in the mirror or as you are getting ready to go out. Focus on things you like about yourself - whether that relates to your sense of humor or your smile.
Speaking of being a little bit older than your average single, Mina V. Esguerra released a new book this weekend with a 41-year old Main Character, Totally Engaged!
Rose Alban, 41, has been happily living alone and single in Manila. When her entire family moved to the US she became responsible for their house and since then she's transformed it into her home, her sanctuary, and base for a new and more fulfilling career. She was even able to convert the garage into a studio apartment, that she's now renting out to her friend's brother Pascal Cortes, 39, former MBA professor who's now heading operations at an exciting education startup at a nearby business district.
That's not enough for her mother and well-meaning relatives, who want nothing more than to see her join them in the US by any means necessary. When they surprise her with a visit, Rose knows the only way they'll finally stop plotting to get her a green card is if they see her settled down—so of course she asks the hot prof next door to pretend to be her fiancé.
I love my Kindle Paperwhite so much, but today I downloaded the Kindle app for the iPad and gosh, it made me appreciate the covers so much more! Flexing my copies of the book here on my iPad and Kindle before I reading it tonight. Grab your Kindle copy on Amazon, or contact Mina for a print edition of the book!
If you're still trying to find Love out there, cliché, I know, but I truly believe things unfold when they are meant to. Good luck!
I used to pride myself in completing 20-30 books per year, which is easy to track thanks to Goodreads Reading Challenge, but as years passed this number kept dwindling. For 2019, I finished a measly seven books. It's not for the lack of reading material as I still One-Click at least one book every or every other week, nor lack of time because working from home afforded me time that would have been spent on transportation. I have no other excuse aside from wasting time scrolling mindlessly and lack of energy to do little else.
I finished The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins in three days. That's a feat these days, considering how I am only able to read on weekends and before bedtime.
It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the 10th annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to out charm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.
The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined - every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute... and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.
A quick scan on my blog would show I am a huge Hunger Games fan. When the announcement came that Suzanne Collins is releasing a prequel and speculations went wild over whose story we are going to learn more about, I was disappointed to learn that of all the characters fans loved so much, the new book would be about the young life of the tyrant President Coriolanus Snow. In my head, he is a completely evil man and reading any attempt to humanize him or any kind of justification on why he became what he was would turn me off this trilogy completely. Nevertheless I knew I really wanted to read this if only for Suzanne's amazing world-building, and so I continuously refreshed Amazon, waiting for the Kindle version to be available for purchase (since we are not able to go out to go to bookstores anymore). We are familiar with Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay. We have no doubt that Snow rose to power and ruled with an iron fist for many years. It's just amazing to see how he got there.
In this book we are transported to the early days of the Hunger Games, the ultimate and most cruel display of the Capitol's power over all the districts of Panem. War has ended, and to remind Panem that the Capitol is in control, all districts must send a pair of tributes who will battle it out to the death in the arena until one remains. In the first book The Hunger Games, it was explained to us that victors from each district come back as mentors for tributes chosen at the annual reaping. Aside from Haymitch who was the only surviving victor that could help Katniss and Peeta, District 12 produced only one other victor that was not named. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is her story as much as it is Coryo's.
Apparently, the glitzy Hunger Games things like the fancy trains, sponsors, placing bets on tributes, glamorous designers and parades, and a technologically-advanced arena were not always the case. It was very interesting to see how they all came about, and the reasons why they were deemed necessary. Seriously, the level of detail in connecting this book to the original three is outstanding. My mind is blown.
Despite the grim nature of the book (kids forced into killing other kids for the whole country to see), this is actually the most lighthearted and funniest, if we would go by the dialogues and Snow's internal monologue. Make no mistake, though. We see parallels with our present times, like kids in cages, and I wonder if the horrific reality of the dystopian world of Panem is not very far after all.
In the same vein of the Hunger Games quartet of movies giving us an expanded yet condensed version of the events that transpired in the books, I am very much looking forward to seeing the characters be brought to life in the big screen, and hopefully by then we can come back to the movie theatres again. Please bring Francis Lawrence back to direct.
I have a list of books I would like to read for the first time again, and the Hunger Games trilogy is one of them. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a great and worthy addition to the lore. If you are a fan of the books, do make sure to read it. I didn't want to spoil any of the other nice surprises for you, but definitely get a copy if you loved the original trilogy and wanted to consume more from the dystopian world of Panem. Now if you haven't read any of the books yet, I would suggest that you also start with the Hunger Games trilogy before picking this up, because it would make seeing the Easter eggs more fun and special, like a nice gift from an old friend you haven't seen in a while.
“If I don’t break your heart, the world is going to end.”Content warnings for readers include grief, off-page death of a parent, accidental death of young person told in flashback, cancer, illness of elderly person, characters kissing and considering having sex.
When Grayson posts about his girlfriend breaking up with him with that line in an anonymous “Breakup Confessions” thread, Raya recognizes the references and knows that it’s him.
Raya has been dealing with a deeply personal loss, with only her comic books to give her quiet comfort. But thanks to her forum-lurking, she now knows that the guy she’s been crushing on for years is single again. What’s that called, when she might actually have a chance with him but senior high school just ended and they’re heading off on separate paths forever and ever? It’s called a long shot. Right. Only heroes take a risk with those odds and still win.
But when Grayson walks into the hobby shop she works for and asks Raya for a comic book recommendation, Raya realizes that superheroes can come in all shapes and sizes. And as they bond over the summer on all things caped and geeky, Raya discovers that maybe—just maybe—she deserves a chance at a super-powered love story of her own.
I feel like if I were part of their universe, I would have totally fit right in and in fact Raya and Grayson feel like my long-lost friends; I would've been a lurker at their online forum who is also a regular customer at Cowls at the Door, Please, the comic book shop Raya works in. I would've bumped into them at Cons. I would've been one of the many who saw Raya's inadvertent confessions and cheered them on from the safety of my keyboard.
Look, I don't want to reveal too many details because you deserve to read it with fresh eyes, in the same way that I didn't pay special attention to the content warnings so one of the twists surprised me. (That's not an invitation to go read the content warnings again, mind you.)
I loved this quote mostly because I related so much:
"There's nothing more exhilarating than having your significant other share the same weird interests with you, and when you find someone like that, well... he's a keeper."My boyfriend got a long and cheesy text message from myself after I read that line, heh.
Don't mind us, we're just a couple of NPCs in Raya and Grayson's world.
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| ToyCon 2016 |
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| AsiaPOP Comicon 2016 |
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| Oreo's Spider-Man: Far From Home Event, 2019 |
Can I also say that it's so refreshing to read about people celebrating their fandoms and not being mocked for it. I've had my fair share of this when I was a little younger because I am very excitable when it comes to things I like and I refuse to apologize for it. It's great that being a geek is considered cool now and we have a lot of businesses investing in hosting different types of Cons.
If there's anything that I had a little bit of a problem suspending my disbelief for, it's that a college student can own a comic book shop located inside a mall. Rent for even a kiosk at a mall can rack up to hundred thousands of pesos, and their store is even big enough to host events! I mean, not to say it is impossible, but it could be difficult and very expensive. That, and how there's no other staff aside from the owner Grace and Raya. What if they both need to be somewhere else? What if it's just Grace or Raya there and she need to pee?
That aside, I hope you can let Raya and Grayson into your bookshelves and/ or Kindle Libraries. The ebook is available on Amazon, while you can get physical copies of the book from #romanceclass, or you may contact the author directly on Twitter or Instagram.
One more thing! If you would like to read more romances written by Filipino authors, definitely check out the #romanceclass community! Feels Fest 2019 is happening next week, October 5, and we're having a Slumber Party! Listen to live readings, interact with romance authors and fellow readers, and purchase your next great read/s! Register here. I will be there and I would love to meet you!
Only the ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* glowiest golden glow *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ for my favorite Caped Crusader.
And you guys, I'd like to thank my lucky stars as I really hit the jackpot with this set of products because save for one Stunna touchup after lunch, my makeup did not budge at all! I really need to hit my blogging stride again because I'd like to post more makeup reviews here.
This is what I looked like hours later, while waiting for our xiao long bao to be served.
Did you know that the first time we met, one of the first things we found out we had in common is that we're both BatFans? Look how spiffy he looks here. ^_^ Batman Beyond suit from Spandex Hero Philippines! Contact the Page if you're still looking for your Halloween costume!
Because it's Batman Day, all Batman titles and graphic novels are being sold at 20% off. I made a bee line for the Sandman volumes and got these:
This morning, while checking Facebook, this appeared on my Memories:
I wore the same lip color last year and even got the prequel and first volume of Sandman! I also have the same arm candy with me but he wasn't wearing a costume then, heh.
Cheers to spending more Batman Days with my favorite BatFan, and cheers to posting more makeup looks here!
I was supposed to spend the weekend at home, but it wasn't to be. Heh. My boyfriend J asked if I wanted to go to MIBF, and I was like ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ and then (ღ˘⌣˘áƒ¦)
Determined not to spend too much and wearing comfortable shoes, I went to SMX with J and I. Felt. Old. Crowds always flock to MIBF but I used to be able to tolerate and even elbow my way through them, but I didn't have the energy to do that now. The huge halls of SMX were filled with cheap books, pens, and stationery, and my eyes almost watered with want, but of course my wallet won the argument and I only ended up with these:
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| City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert and Dear Evan Hansen (The Novel) by Val Emmich with Steven Levenson, Ben Pasek, and Justin Paul |
As for Dear Evan Hansen, I am a fan of Ben Platt and the Original Broadway Cast Recording that you may listen to below if you haven't yet, and I would like to read the novelization of the musical.
I also got a bunch of stickers, mostly because I wanted the Dunder Mifflin, Inc. Paper Company sticker, hee.
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| Love love love |
I.. I don't know what this is called but I AM SO AMUSED! It's like a squish ball that looks gross but really I can't stop squeezing it! It's my stress reliever in the office now.
If you don't know yet, the Alien from Pizza Planet featured prominently in the Toy Story movies is one of my top favorite animated characters, and J got me this big plushie. He knows the way to my heart, that guy.
And thus ends my weekend that was supposedly spent without incident, but ended up being well-spent. I love my MIBF + Collecticon haul.
Did you go to any of these events? I like checking out other people's hauls so I'm usually found hanging out on Instagram just visiting whatever event's hashtag, and right now I'm checking #MIBF2019. See you at MIBF 2020, I guess?
Four years after reading Gone Girl, here I am reviewing Sharp Objects. My interest for the book got piqued because I heard about the TV series starring Amy Adams as the protagonist Camille Preaker.
Lending support are Patricia Clarkson as her mother Adore and Eliza Scanlen as her half-sister Amma.
I purchased the ebook and wow. What a trip.
Fresh from a brief stay at a psych hospital, reporter Camille Preaker faces a troubling assignment: she must return to her tiny hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls. For years, Camille has hardly spoken to her neurotic, hypochondriac mother or to the half-sister she barely knows: a beautiful thirteen-year-old with an eerie grip on the town. Now, installed in her old bedroom in her family's Victorian mansion, Camille finds herself identifying with the young victims—a bit too strongly. Dogged by her own demons, she must unravel the psychological puzzle of her own past if she wants to get the story—and survive this homecoming.
I am a cutter, you see. Also a snipper, a slicer, a carver, a jabber. I am a very special case. I have a purpose. My skin, you see, screams. It's covered with words - cook, cupcake, kitty, curls - as if a knife-wielding first-grader learned to write on my flesh. I sometimes, but only sometimes, laugh. Getting out of the bath and seeing, out of the corner of my eye, down the side of a leg: babydoll. Pull on a sweater and, in a flash of my wrist: harmful. Why these words? Thousands of hours of therapy have yielded a few ideas from the good doctors. They are often feminine, in a Dick and Jane, pink vs. puppy dog tails sort of way. Or they're flat-out negative. Number of synonyms for anxious carved in my skin: eleven. The one thing I know for sure is that at the time, it was crucial to see these letters on me, and not just see them, but feel them. Burning on my left hip: petticoat.If you consume books to escape from the harsh realities of life, do not read this book. This book is gruesome, real, raw, dark, and terrifying. Flynn's writing is so effective in that it stays with you long after you have finished reading; it has been days after I have read Sharp Objects and I am still affected by the characters.
J and I have started watching the TV series but only two episodes have been released so far. Netflix has spoiled me so. The two episodes I have seen are worth the wait though, as each one feels like a mini movie. I'm glad I heard about Amy Adams playing the role before I read the book so it made it easier for me to visualize Camille and how everyone says she was the prettiest girl in Wind Gap when she was young. Props also to Sophia Lillis who plays a very convincing young Camille. She could've been a cloned younger Amy in real life!
I am looking forward to seeing the rest of the show, but I am almost scared to read Dark Places. Maybe I'll wait for another four years.
No one’s ever told Eleanor that life should be better than fine.Despite the title of the book and what Eleanor Oliphant lets on, Eleanor is NOT fine. Empty, devoid of human touch and friendly interaction, follows a strict routine like clockwork that is almost mechanical, Eleanor's life feels lonely. Oh so lonely. But she is fine with that. At least that's what she leads herself to believe.
Meet Eleanor Oliphant: She struggles with appropriate social skills and tends to say exactly what she’s thinking. Nothing is missing in her carefully timetabled life of avoiding social interactions, where weekends are punctuated by frozen pizza, vodka, and phone chats with Mummy.
But everything changes when Eleanor meets Raymond, the bumbling and deeply unhygienic IT guy from her office. When she and Raymond together save Sammy, an elderly gentleman who has fallen on the sidewalk, the three become the kinds of friends who rescue one another from the lives of isolation they have each been living. And it is Raymond’s big heart that will ultimately help Eleanor find the way to repair her own profoundly damaged one.
Soon to be a major motion picture produced by Reese Witherspoon, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine is the smart, warm, and uplifting story of an out-of-the-ordinary heroine whose deadpan weirdness and unconscious wit make for an irresistible journey as she realizes. . .
The only way to survive is to open your heart.
If someone asks how you are, you are meant to say FINE. You are not meant to say that you cried yourself to sleep last night because you hadn't spoken to another person for two consecutive days. FINE is what you say.From the start of the novel you immediately get the sense that something bad has happened to Eleanor, but you don't really fully grasp the horror she went through until it is completely revealed in the end.
It's expected that this novel will make me cry, but it also made me laugh out loud a lot. I love dry humor and this book has plenty of that. Eleanor's naivete reminds you of how isolated she is but it is not presented in a mean way that you don't feel bad about laughing. She reminds me of another character I loved, Don Tillman of Graeme Simsion's The Rosie Project, although this novel is a lot darker.
And the writing. The writing is so good. I can't believe it is Honeyman's first novel, and I am now a fan looking forward to her next books.
This book is pure joy, wonder, warmth, and kindness. This excerpt from The Guardian's review says it best:
Characters aren’t goodies, baddies or plot devices, they just feel like people. The overwhelming emotion is kindness. If you don’t cry the first time Eleanor goes to a hair salon and thanks the blowsy Laura for “making her shiny”, you haven’t a heart. This is a narrative full of quiet warmth and deep and unspoken sadness. It makes you want to throw a party and invite everyone you know and give them a hug, even that person at work everyone thinks is a bit weird.But my favorite thing about this book is probably the fact that Eleanor didn't need a man to save her. There was a hint of romance, yes, but Eleanor, with the help of counselling and new-found friends, ultimately saved herself.
Read this book if you can, friends.
Needless to say, that book also came home with me.
Hello, everyone. This is Legendary Ladies by Ann Shen.
Now that you've seen it, I can hardly be blamed, right? Sigh. Pretty books and their pretty covers.
It was the artwork that initially caught my eye, and then the word goddesses jumped out at me. A quick skim of the blurb at the back and I was left with no choice, really. I've always been interested in mythology, its rich and colorful history, and its impacts on our culture, and this book features stories of the divine feminine? I was instantly sold.
I took my time and relished the fact I have a new book to open, and finally flipped through its pages today.
This is an impulse purchase I do not regret one bit.
Along with an artwork and each one's mythology, the author Ann Shen indicated the place of origin as well as each goddess' purpose and why we should call on her. Everything's in a digestible format and easy to understand.
The book is divided into five sections representing the "things that we value and seek in our lives": Creativity and Manifestation, Love, Power, Protection, and Reinvention. Through these stories where the goddesses have found their power, and a little bit of faith and magic, the author hopes to empower everyone who reads this book.
I hope the same so I would like to share some of the goddesses that stood out to me.
Around seven to eight years ago, I got into a little squabble with an old officemate because he wanted to "steal" the name Athena that I wanted to name my non-existent child. In the end I accepted it was a petty thing to fight over since I didn't have plans to have kids in the foreseeable future. Yes, he did name his daughter Athena. Oh well. I still have a list of my other preferred names in my journal.
More than the beautiful artworks and the love and amazing attention to detail poured into each one, I loved that this book featured a diverse cast of female divinities from all over the world and not just the more commonly known ones from say, Greek, Norse, or Egyptian Mythology. I would have loved to see someone from the Philippines in the line-up, so I hope Ann Shen writes a second installment! Her other book, Bad Girls Throughout History: 100 Remarkable Women who Changed the World is on my never-ending book wish list, too!
In her introduction, the author said:
The divine feminine has always been here and will continue to be a part of our stories. Now it's up to you to honor it within yourself, because you are a descendant of these wild, willful women. These are our collective mothers, after all.Ain't that the truth.
Happy Mother's Day to all our Moms and everyone who plays the role of a Mother figure whatever the circumstances may be. ♥
Katie Brenner has the perfect life: a flat in London, a glamorous job, and a super-cool Instagram feed.I think there's no better proof that I loved this book than the fact I continued reading didn't stop until it's finished – at 2:34 AM, no less. To think I almost didn't give it a chance. In my defense I loved Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic series only up until Shopaholic and Sister because I felt Rebecca Brandon née Bloomwood never really learns her lesson and continuously gets out of sticky situations (that she started herself!) by lying book after book after book. But since this is a stand-alone I gave it a go, partly because I needed something light and funny and I knew Sophie Kinsella can give me those.
OK, so the truth is that she rents a tiny room with no space for a wardrobe, has a hideous commute to a lowly admin job, and the life she shares on Instagram isn’t really hers.
But one day her dreams are bound to come true, aren’t they?
Until her not-so-perfect life comes crashing down when her mega-successful boss Demeter gives her the sack. All Katie’s hopes are shattered. She has to move home to Somerset, where she helps her dad with his new glamping business.
Then Demeter and her family book in for a holiday, and Katie sees her chance. But should she get revenge on the woman who ruined her dreams - or try to get her job back? Does Demeter – the woman who has everything – actually have such an idyllic life herself? Maybe they have more in common than it seems.
And what’s wrong with not-so-perfect, anyway?
And I was not disappointed. My Not So Perfect Life is actually quite refreshing. Well, it felt a tad too long but I didn't mind. I feel I related with the story because the Main Character Katie/ Cat Brenner works in branding which is related to the industry I belong to which is Public Relations. I found myself agreeing with Demeter's views on "holding the client's hand and making them feel secure all throughout", and her need to attend industry events and schmooze even when she'd rather be somewhere else. I actually feel Demeter's a great boss and that I could learn a lot from her.
"What we do in our job," she says thoughtfully, "it's a balance. On the one hand it's about listening to the client. Interpreting. Responding. But on the other, it's about having the courage to go with big ideas. It's about standing up for your convictions. You need a bit of tenacity. Yes?"At the same time, I loved how the book explored other territories and exposed me to industries I am not really familiar to like farming and glamping. Oh how fun it must be to stay at Anters Farm, join in the activities, and enjoy the view (and homemade bread and jams)! And I loved Katie's relationship with her father and stepmother.
Also, as someone who reinvented herself with a new name after college, I can relate to Katie changing her name to Cat. I wasn't always a Krissy, you know. ;)
As for the romance, well, it was pretty much unremarkable, but I give you this: Sophie Kinsella knows how to push my buttons.
He feels like fun. He feels like cleverness and irreverence and wit and charm, all packaged up in a long, lean frame. He feels like the man I've been waiting to meet ever since I moved to London, ever since I wanted to move to London.Recommended reading, and plus points for using the @mynotsoperfectlife Instagram handle! And hey, not that it matters to anyone else but me, it’s the first book I finished on my new Kindle!
I think I've finally worked out how to feel good about life. Every time you see someone's bright-and-shiny, remember: They have their own crappy truths too. Of course they do. And every time you see your own crappy truth and feel desperate and think, Is this my life, remember: It's not. Everyone's got a bright-and-shiny, even if it's hard to find sometimes.On to my next book! Although, since things are bound to get crazy again when I go back to work tomorrow, who knows when I'll be able to finish one again.
What's your favorite Sophie Kinsella book?
Which moment has defined your life so far?Shunned by most of her family yet blessed with supportive employers, Iris mostly kept to herself as her way of coping. But as Alanis Morissette sings, "Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you..." Life threw her a curve-ball in the form of Gio Mella.
Whether she likes it or not, Iris’s life has been divided into two: Before the Incident, and After the Incident. Something very private was made very public, and since then life has been about recovering from being shamed, discovering her true friends, and struggling to find a new normal.
Two years into this new life and she finally connects with a guy again. He lives in the apartment down the hall, he’s hot, and he doesn’t look at her that way. He doesn’t know what happened. But he also won’t give her his name, not right away—which has to mean he’s got something to hide too.
Iris wants to start over. Should she do that with the only person who will understand, or is this the same idiotic decision that got her in trouble in the first place?
And what a complex curve-ball he was.
What I love about Mina's Main Characters is that they are never damsels-in-distress. Although Iris had a few doubts because of her Questionable Decisions from the past, she knew what she wanted and damned if she didn't go after it. On the other hand, Gio as the Love Interest was not without issues yet he coped with them the way he knew how. Add fleshed out supporting characters, intense families (and those sex scenes! *fans self*), and Easter eggs from Mina's other well-loved books into the mix and you have one of my top favorite books of hers that I have read. Tall order, you say? Well, aside from the story and further exploration of the NV Park universe that Mina created and I loved, I also got to see a glimpse on my favorite Kimmy Domingo (from Love Your Frenemies) after her happily-ever-after with Manolo on their book!
There are no real, tangible villains in this book aside from judgmental anonymous and faceless Internet commenters.
I have to admit, it took a little bit longer for me to finish this because it felt too dark and unnerving and real at times, not because I had a similar Incident, but mostly because violation of people's privacy and women's rights are hot topics right now. Out of all Mina's books that I have read, Iris and Gio seem to have the issues that are most relevant, what with gossip blogs and social media in full swing whenever one's privacy is maliciously exposed. When it felt like it was just easier for Iris and Gio to give up and revert back to the new normal they were used to before they met each other, what gave me hope is that I was reading a romance book, and [this is not a spoiler, mind you] romance books always have happy endings!
"You, me, falling. Everything."
Ugh. I am swept off my feet. Thanks for another great read, Mina! ♡ (You can contact Mina for copies or you can also 1-Click it on Amazon, OR attend #AprilFeelsDay on April 28!)
PS: Dear Mina, I need a book with Matilda's story, TIA!
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| The Compleat Ankh-Morpork by Terry Pratchett (P390), The Madame Chic boxed set by Jennifer L. Scott (P580 for three books), Poorly Drawn Lines by Reza Farazmand (P190), and The Complete Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen (P230) |
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| A closer look |
Here are the other books I regrettably had to let go. You can see the prices on most of them and see how sulit they are.
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| Everything Alice (The Wonderland Book of Makes & Bakes) and Everything Oz (The Wizard Book of Makes & Bakes) These were the first books that caught my eye and I liked them because they offer great ideas for theme parties and I LOVE theme parties. However, I had to consider the fact that I won't probably be needing these anytime soon, so off the cart they went. |
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| Marvel Avengers Encyclopedia |
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| Jane Austen Cover to Cover |
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| Cath Kidston Button Factory |
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| Dottie Polka's Vintage Collection |
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| Makery Sewing by Kate Smith I want to go back for this! |
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| Alice's Wonderland by Catherine Nichols |
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| The Further Adventures of a London Call Girl I remember discovering the blog from an old Cosmopolitan US issue back in college, following it, and wanting to buy the books. I didn't see the first book so I didn't see the point of getting this. |
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| Adventure Time |
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| From Notting Hill with Four Weddings... Actually I almost got this because I was intrigued by the title, but I didn't have time to check reviews so I didn't |
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| There were a lot of Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, too. I'm liking the covers. |
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| The Looking Glass House by Vanessa Tait |
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| More Than This by Patrick Ness |
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| Bloom Collection Bible |
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| Myths & Legends by Philip Wilkinson This book is THICK and HEAVY! I regret letting go of this. |
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| The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion This is one of my favorite reads back in 2014! I have it in my Kindle but a hardcover edition sounded so very tempting, but in the end I had to chuck it out my cart because I realized that the point of my Kindle is to lessen my need for book storage space, and getting this defeats that. There was a lady who was holding a copy too, and it seemed like she was contemplating whether to get it or not. I gave her the nudge she needed and recommended the book, causing her to put both this and the sequel, The Rosie Effect, in her cart. The guy beside us did the same. :) |
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| Martha Stewart Weddings |
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| RHS Miniature Garden Grower I've always wanted to make a terrarium, while my boyfriend wants to start taking care of a bonsai plant. I regret not getting this. |
- Go on a weekday and/ or during off-peak hours so you can browse books in peace.
- Wear comfortable shoes. I repeat, it is a ginormous hall and you would want to check all 20,000+ titles in all the aisles. Don't fight the temptation and wear shoes fit for battle.
- Devise a system on how you can cover all grounds. The tables of books are arranged per category, and you might want to skip some genres. That's okay.
- Lessen the use of plastic and bring your own canvas bags. Some people even brought luggages!
- This goes without saying, but have enough money with you.
- Make sure to put a dent on your reading list after shopping.
- Bring someone who will enjoy book-shopping with you and not complain when you're taking too long.
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