When's the best time to pick up books written by Filipino diaspora authors? Any time! On any day. All-year-round. But since October is celebrated as Filipino American History Month, it seemed like a good time to put together a list of books written by Filipino diaspora authors. Make no mistake. Filipino and Filipino diaspora authors have so many vibrant and meaningful stories to offer -- and it can honestly be tough to decide where to begin! Hence, the goal of this blog post: to help you find where to start. Hopefully. While I try to be really exhaustive with my book lists, this ... Read the Post...
Monthly Synopsis: A September of Plentiful Planning & Serendipity
In my last monthly synopsis, I talked about how I was dreading my own birth month because it's usually a hectic time for me. To my surprise, the good things in August severely outweighed the bad. It was a month of huge milestones for me. But how did September fare in comparison? In a nutshell, it's been a September of plentiful planning but minimal reading. But more importantly, while August was filled with personal milestones, September was brimming with serendipitous opportunities and unexpected obsessions. In other words, it's been a really good and immensely fortunate month for me. ... Read the Post...
Cup of Content, Vol. 2: Notion, Netflix, & Bookish Creator Shout-outs
When I posted my first volume of this new blog feature, I was more than a little apprehensive about the feedback it would receive. I mean, yes, this blog is first and foremost my personal corner on the Internet. But at the same time, I don't want to subject my readers to irrelevant content -- and there's a persistent voice in my head that says everything about me is irrelevant. Thankfully, unlike the voice in my head, all the blog post comments I received were encouraging and heartening. Many of you see Cup of Content as an opportunity to get to know me better. I can't fully express how ... Read the Post...
Books in Bullets: Adult Romance Books That Sparked Joy and Comfort
Today, I'm writing another set of bullet reviews! For this post, I am reviewing three adult romance novels that sparked so much joy and comfort in my heart: All three books genuinely surprised me in the best way possible. But what's uniquely similar about them is that the plot of their stories involves the influence of certain media, be it news media or entertainment media. Obviously, as a reader with a degree in Communication Research, I am very intrigued by stories wherein media plays a role. And after reading these three adult romance books? I want more! The Bromance Book ... Read the Post...
Where To Buy Affordable (But Still Gorgeous) Themes For Your Personal Blog
Affordable but still undeniably gorgeous blog themes — do they exist? The months leading up to my blog relaunch are quite fresh in my mind. I can still recall the exhaustion I felt as I searched high and low for a new theme that suited my needs and was well within my tiny budget. On average, beautifully designed premium themes can cost from $60 to $90. That is a huge investment to make! Especially if your blog is less of a business and more of a sideline passion project. And I think that's the case for many of us. We're just here to express ourselves creatively and to share our ... Read the Post...
K-Pop Romance Novels To Make Your Fandom Heart Flutter
Romance books and novels that feature K-pop and (fictional) Korean idols? Um. Yes please! I've been sitting on this blog post idea for months. (Yes, even before my blog relaunch.) But I didn't have the right motivation to actually start writing it. Thankfully, my latest obsession with Dynamite -- the latest song from BTS -- gave me the final push I needed to put this list of recommendations together. Huge, huge thanks to Jungkook and Taehyung for being absolute cuties in their latest music video! Without whom, this blog post would still be a draft collecting dust. What are K-pop ... Read the Post...
Green Bone Saga Read-along
Last August, news broke that Jade City is getting a TV series adaptation. For obvious reasons, Book Twitter went wild. Meanwhile, I jumped at the chance to promote the Green Bone Agenda! Hence, I pitched the idea of a Green Bone Saga read-along, which would be dedicated to the first two books of this highly acclaimed fantasy trilogy. Okay. Jade City read-along!!! WHO IS IN? Reply with "My blood for the clan. ?"— Shealea ? (@shutupshealea) August 13, 2020 What is the Green Bone Saga? The Green Bone Saga is an urban fantasy trilogy written by award-winning author Fonda Lee. ... Read the Post...
Cup of Content, Vol. 1: BTS, Rich Pregnant Moms, & Bookish Discussions
Hello, friends! This will definitely be one of my less popular blog features. However, it's one that I've been itching to do for a long time. So stats be damned, to be honest. What exactly am I rambling about? A few weeks ago, I talked about a bi-monthly wrap-up feature that's dedicated to media content that I've consumed and enjoyed. On Twitter, I asked people to vote for a cute name. The most popular choices were Cup of Content and Bits & Bytes. Ultimately, the former won out! ✨ Cup of Content ✨ is a new, shiny blog feature that was inspired by two things: (1) my love for sharing ... Read the Post...
