Book Review: Habang Wala Pa Sila by Juan Miguel Severo

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Rating: ★★★★★
Read: April 2016

It took only a single video for me to like this guy. It was my first time to listen to Spoken Word Poetry and I was instantly convinced that this guy really has the talent! The way he spits each and every word made it go straight to my heart. The way he delivered and performed left me awestruck. There was just so much power and passion in his eyes and voice. So when I heard about his book, I felt all giddy and excited.

The book is mainly a collection of all his poems and reading it made me fall in love with him even more. I don’t know what it is that he has, but each and every poem cut deep in my heart in a way I, myself couldn’t even understand. He has the power to make his readers and listeners feel his pain.

Ending this review with my favorite line from one of his poems, Naniniwala Ako:

At patawad, wag ka sanang mairita pero gusto kitang makita, maniwala ka, dahil minsan nakakasawa na nasa isip lang kita.

Source: dustypromises

Book Review: Love & Misadventure by Lang Leav

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Rating: ★★★★★
Read: March 2016

I’ve always loved reading poems and has always been amazed by how beautifully it is written. I remember being so frustrated when I was a kid because I was so eager to make my own piece but I never really had the best inspiration, so I haven’t really come up with anything until recently, when I found him, the greatest inspiration of all. Suddenly, I know what Michael Faudet meant when he said, “I write because you exist.”

I really don’t know what took me so long to read Love and Misadventure, aside from the fact that it’s way too expensive. I cannot wait to read her two other books. All in all, I really loved this one. There are so many feelings attached to each piece that made it so real.

Here’s my favorite:

“Before I fell
in love with words,
with setting skies
and singing birds—
it was you I fell
in love with first.”

March 28, 2016: Twenty Second

Posted on 03/29/2016 by Lenn

I can’t believe that just like that, it’s already been 22 years. Looking back, it seems like it was only yesterday when I keep complaining about how school is stressing the shit out of me and now, it’s been almost two years since I graduated and I’m still finding myself and learning so many things about life and the ‘real’ world.

It just feels so crazy looking back at how long I’ve been roaming this world and what’s crazier is that I don’t feel that it’s been that long already. Twenty two years. Wow, I’ve been through a lot and I can’t imagine that somehow, I survived everything and I’m still about to face so much more. With that, I’ve compiled 22 things I’ve learned and here they are:

You don’t have to have it all figured out. Your 20s is all about enjoying life, exploring and learning new things.
Cut out toxic people in your life. If they keep trying to pull you down, you don’t need them.
Invest in relationships worth investing. If these people support you and help you grow as a person, keep them and further nurture your relationship with them. Family, friends, colleagues, boyfriend/girlfriend.
Always think positive.
What others think of you isn’t important. It’s none of your business and it should not drag you down.
Your failures doesn’t define you, what defines you is how you stood up and tried again.
Never compare your experiences with others’.
Pursue your passion. Always do what you think is best for you, if it doesn’t go as planned, who cares? The thing is, you tried.
Never be terrified of taking a break from the rest of the world.
You cannot please everyone. You will be criticized and judged in everything you do, just accept it and continue to do things that will make you and your loved ones happy.
Let yourself be heard.
Do not let the negativity of the world consume you.
Always trust your instincts.
Learn from your mistakes. There is no point in regretting what is already said and done.
Always take a moment to stop and notice the little things that can make you happy.
Stop thinking too much of the future and live in the ‘now’.
If it makes you happy, do it.
It’s never a bad thing to put yourself first.
It’s never too late to start anew.
When God closes a window, know that he is about to open a gate.
No obstacle is ever too hard when you have faith in Him.
The only constant thing in this world is change and all we have to do is accept all the changes and keep moving forward. We may usually not see it clearer at the moment, but rest assured, it’s all for the best.

There are really no words to describe how blessed and thankful I feel to be surrounded by awesome people. I cannot really pinpoint when and where it started, and how, but somehow, I woke up one day with a big smile on my face and realized that there are so many things to be thankful about. Truly, God always has a better plan for each and every downfall. I woke up one day and despite the stress, I know that I am happy and that this is all worth the wait and the struggle and the hurt. I finally understood, I finally know who and what I am waking up for. I may not have it all figured out yet, but I know that I will, soon.

Posted on 03/02/2016 by Lenn

You’re the moon that lights up the night sky.
Beautiful, mysterious and so full of power.

You are a book that I’ll never get tired of reading.

You are the song that plays on my mind every now and then.
The song that my heart knows very well.

You are the Christmas day that I’ve been waiting all year to come;
so jolly and full of life.

You are a garden full of flowers that I can spend all afternoon just staring at.

You are the rainbow that awaits every storm.
A collision of colors so beautiful it gives hope.

You are an implosion of diamonds that sparkles in every corner of my life.

You are that one thing I have that resembles to every beautiful thing in the world.

You are a miracle; a touch of heaven on earth.
And I am so happy to be the one to have found you.

My Jedi Knight

Posted on 02/26/2016 by Lenn

Your eyes, they shine so bright
Like a star that keeps me awake at night
You are sweet and funny and always right
You are the moon that lights up the night
You can sit beside me and hold me tight
I won’t mind, I can be Amidala
and you’ll be my Jedi Knight

Book Review: White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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RATING: ★ ★ ★ ★

White Hot Kiss is the first ever book written by JLA that I’ve read. It took me some time reading it because it’s really been a struggle reading these days, having work and all. But the book was absolutely an awesome read!

It’s about Layla, trying so much to fit in with the family she grew up with. They are Wardens, entitled to keep the world demon-free, but Layla is only half-Warden, and the other half? Yup, you guessed it, demon. And just when she thought her life couldn’t get any worse, it did. Suddenly, everything she ever believed in came crashing down and the only way to find the truth out is to be friends with a demon. A demon so handsome she couldn’t say no.

I liked how this book has just the right mixture of fantasy and romance in it. I found myself shipping for Layla and Roth rather than Layla and Zayne. I really still have no idea who she will end up with at the end of the third book but I hope it’s Roth. He’s done a lot of undevil things just for her and that, for me, is the true meaning of love.

“I lost myself the moment I found you.”

Source: dustypromises

TBR of the Month

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These are the books that I’m hoping to finish this month.

As you all know, I’ve read the second book in the Mara Dyer series last November and I was hunting down the third book right after I finished reading it, but it always seemed out of stock, but just a few weeks ago, my officemate told me he saw it in a Fullybooked branch near their place in QC and yeah, I asked him to buy it for me. Finally, I’d be able to know the conclusion to Mara and Noah’s story! Meanwhile, I stumbled upon Kissing Ted Callahan and Other Boys yesterday and the cover was just so cute and I knew that I just had to have it!

There are so many things I’m looking forward to this month and I just can’t wait! Commissioner’s Cup will also start next week, so yeah, more basketball! Yay!

Source: dustypromises

On Reading

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Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always been fascinated whenever I see someone reading a book. It always seems to me that they shut the world out and they’re in a different dimension, but what really started this hobby was when our English teacher asked us to read Plagues and Federation: Diary of Kitty Barnes by Vashti Farrer for our book report and then I started reading Nicholas Sparks books and it was heavenly and after that, I never really knew how to leave the house without anything to read inside my bag anymore.

These days, I find it really hard to squeeze in some reading because I’ve been busy with a lot of things; Work, family, basketball and other stuff too. I was still able to finish reading one or two books a month during the past year but this year, so far, I suck at my reading challenge/status. I still haven’t finished anything since 2016 started and I’m really frustrated about it.

I’m currently stuck with White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout and it’s really going well and I don’t have a decent excuse about not being able to finish it other than I usually just end up sleeping when I get home from work. So, yeah. Boo me.

Source: dustypromises

Book Review: Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Posted on 01/14/2016 by Lenn

Photo not mine, credits to the owner.

Rating: ★★★★☆
Read: December 2015

The whole Christmas vacation, I thought, would be the best time to finish a lot of the books that were sitting on my shelf for a very long time but, well, that didn’t happen. I only finished one book during that two-week vacation and it was Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour.

The first time I tried to read this book was last November and I didn’t get the chance to finish reading it because the first few chapters was a tad bit too sad for my life. I haven’t picked it up until last December when the Christmas vacation started and from then on, I knew that I had to finish reading it.

I can’t believe I went across different states of America while sitting on our patio. It was the greatest and sweetest road trips I’ve ever had. While reading the book, though, I always find Amy very… sad. I don’t blame her, though. She’s been through so much for a 17-year-old and though she sometimes frustrates me and makes me wanna shake her up and tell her that everything’s gonna be okay, I still understand that she actually has every right to feel and act that way.

Roger, on the other hand, was the sweetest thing I’ve ever fallen in love with. He was just the perfect guy for the loneliest girl in the whole of California. It was a very awkward trip for the two of them but along the way, they managed to learn so many things about each other and they’ve developed a really strong friendship. Roger has his own issues and I really, really love the way he dealt with all of them.

All in all, this book made me smile at the end. It may not have been the best ending for everyone, but I liked it. It just makes it more realistic.

“If you don’t feel great on the inside, just look great on the outside and after a while you won’t be able to tell the difference.”

To All The Girls Whose Hearts Were Broken

Posted on 12/05/2015 by Lenn

To All The Girls Whose Hearts Were Broken By The Man They Thought Would Never Hurt Them,

How have you been lately? Aren’t you tired of crying yourself to sleep almost every night after he left? I hope you are because no matter how much you cry or how much sleep you lose, it wouldn’t change the fact that he’s gone. Stop waking up every morning with the hope that he will hit your phone up or will change his mind, instead, do something that will change the way you see things. Focus on yourself and figure out how to get over this mess you’re in.

I know it hurts. I know how much it hurts to accept it, I know how much it hurts to be replaced and I know how much it hurts to be betrayed. I know, because I’ve been there. I know that you’re still trying to understand how all this happened and how you didn’t know about it. I know that you’re still trying to blame yourself for not being good enough for him.

I know how hard it is to let go, move on, forgive and forget. It’s never too easy to do all those things at once, especially when you’ve poured your heart out loving him, especially when you’ve invested so much for the relationship to work. I know how hard it is to let go of something you once thought would last forever.

But the thing is, people change and sometimes, they turn out to be the person they swore they’d never be. Sometimes, they turn into this monster you’ve always been afraid of and you should know that. You should learn to realize that this person, the one who’s causing you so much pain isn’t the same person you fell in love with all those years or months back. Don’t let the same face confuse you because what’s important is what lies inside.

One thing I thought of during that tragic experience that helped me move on is this: Do I want to be stuck here for the rest of my life? Do I want to spend all my waking hours with this monster? No. And at that point, I knew that I should walk away and I did. Without looking back, without second thoughts. I let him go and let him be with the other girl. I did not lose, though. To tell you the truth, I won. Because I found my freedom and I turned out to be stronger, better and wiser.

So to everyone who doesn’t think they can do it, I’m writing this for you to tell you that you can and you will get over it. There’s so many things out there to be happy about, don’t let yourself stay in a situation where all you feel is pain. Spread out your wings, it may be a little bit bent but you can still fly.