by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 12, 2023 | Book Reviews
You can add Mated to the Bully Stepbrothers by Qeemahhh (aka Enitan Abdulazeez) to the list of books that don’t make a lot of sense. From the title alone I automatically assumed this is a shifter romance since “mates” were mentioned. However, aside from the mention of Arielle being an Omega, her wolf’s name being Talia (in the first two chapters), the “mates” thing, and the reference to quicker healing, there is no other indicator that any of the characters are werewolves at all. That could have been taken out completely and made them all human and it would not have affected the story. They don’t even have a mind link which is common lore for werewolf stories with characters that are related or part of the same pack.
Just for context, this is the (unedited) blurb of the book, for your reference:
She has spent most of her life at the expense of others, bullied at school, working shifts and also tons of suffering but Arielle did not mind. Arielle has believed that clocking 18 would be the game-changer for her because she’ll find her mate and live an exotic life. Before her parents left her and her sister to the cruel world, a witch has told them she’ll be mated to a powerful creature and she’ll live a good life. What Arielle didn’t expect was to be mated to the three sons of the alpha of the pack, and also step brothers.
Would Arielle get the beautiful life she has always wanted or would it be a series of new torture? Would she be able to bring the three creatures together?
What would happen when the brothers learn that Arielle is not a normal omega and possesses a strong power? Will the power take either Arielle or the three brothers? Find out in this thrilling story.
The story begins with Arielle living in a hovel with rats eating her food as she doesn’t even have a fridge and her sister working for the Luna. The story even goes on to say that her sister lives at the packhouse and has no things at her place as she lives alone. Then as soon as the story introduces Derek, Enzo, and Aiden as her mates, she suddenly lives in a low-cost apartment complete with appliances and furnishings. She still wears “rags” but now she doesn’t live in a hovel.
Second point, the title says that the men are “stepbrothers” however they indicate that they have the same dad but different moms … that makes them half-brothers since they are all still related by blood. We don’t know if they belong to the same pack Arielle does. We don’t know if they are ranked wolves. What we do know is that they are wealthy.
Third, the book cover says “her” instead of “the” but Arielle is an orphan so they could not be her step anything.
Fourth, I have read up to chapter 40 now (yes, 40!) and she is bullied in every chapter by everyone except her sister. I think everyone is aware that bullying is bad, right? So how is it acceptable as a romance story arc for the main character to be bullied for (so far) the whole story, including by her supposed mates? We’re not even talking about just verbal abuse. Arielle is abused verbally, physically, psychologically, AND cyberbullied. Yes, her so-called “mates” are part of that whole twisted party. They don’t even want people to know that they are mates. She is their dirty little secret … nothing more than a sex slave.
Fifth, they just mark her (as in just bit her neck with no warning) on the day they discover they are mates at her apartment. She never marks them back.
Sixth, it takes the brothers more than 30 chapters to realize what douchebags they are, and then with the flip of a switch, they are suddenly nice to her, protective, and declaring to everyone that she is their mate. JUST. LIKE. THAT. No epiphany, no transitionary paragraphs, they are just suddenly nice. IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE!
Don’t even get me started on the grammar and word usage! For example, every time the says “phantom” she actually means fathom. In an effort to self-edit, some words have asterisks in place of letters. That’s fine and all if it made sense. For example, if she says “c–k” when referring to the male genitalia, that makes sense. But when she says “c–ked” referring to “tilting the head” then the asterisks are just ridiculous! There are so much more but those are the ones that stood out the most as I was reading. Note: I’ve replaced the * with – for this post because the page is not translating the way I want it to.
To be honest, I don’t even know why Arielle is still alive. I also don’t understand how the entire school bullies her and no person of authority has a clue. With everything that has happened to Arielle, I would have had her murdered or committing suicide (by jumping off a cliff or drowning in the river, for example) much earlier in the book where (assuming this is still a shifter story) the Moon Goddess intercedes, gives her a second chance at life somewhere else or as somewhere else. I would LOVE for this to be a rebirth story, rather than spending so much time on the bullying.
If the author really wants her to end up with the three, there has to be something that triggers the change in them, and we should see it. At the moment, I am just waiting for the other shoe to drop. They tricked her like that before, humiliating her in front of everyone, what is to stop them from doing it again? I think the author needs to figure out what she really wants to happen and where this story is supposed to go because right now it just seems like she enjoys making Arielle suffer. Is there such a thing as fictional character bullying?
If you are curious and want to check out Mated to the Bully Stepbrothers by Qeemahhh (aka Enitan Abdulazeez) for yourself to form your own opinion you can find it on Dreame. It is an ongoing story so who knows where the story will go.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 11, 2023 | Book Reviews
I have read my share of stories with confusing titles and premises but I must admit, Mated to the Gay Alpha by Blessing Ezekiel, so far is the most confusing of them all. The main character is Catherine (or Cathy), a human girl. At the beginning of the story, we see her leaving her home to visit her sick aunt. The author goes out of his way to say that Cathy is a nurse so I assumed she was going there to take care of her sick aunt. Instead, she is tasked to help her aunt by assisting her in the mansion as a line cook. What a waste of her talent! It would have made more sense if the author said she was a chef.
Then we have the identical Alpha twins, Darin and Darwin, who are gay and fully mated to Elliot, their Beta’s nephew. A twist in the plot, Derick, Darwin’s wolf, scents the air and discovers that Cathy is his second mate and for some reason, while he isn’t repelled by Elliot, he also isn’t attracted to him anymore. Darin, on the other hand, finds himself quite attracted to Cathy, despite his wolf, Eric, having no feelings for her and constantly reminding him that Elliot is his mate.
Darwin thinks his wolf is bespelled and accuses Cathy of witchcraft. Cathy has no idea what is happening. And Darin is fascinated by her. Darin decides to interact with Cathy by impersonating Darwin, partly to get information that he wouldn’t be privy to otherwise, but later because he just couldn’t help himself.
Things get complicated when they succumb to their physical attraction with him still pretending to be Darwin. Then Darwin also succumbs and unintentionally Cathy ends up involved with both thinking they were the same person. To put it simply, our characters are confused and we are confused. Are they gay? What is wrong with Elliot? He’s been hostile towards Cathy from the get-go. Is he truly their mate or was their witchcraft involved? Is Cathy actually mates to both of them? What about Lucas?
The story has potential, that much I can assure you, but it also needs a lot of work. The author keeps interchanging names, gets pronouns wrong, and is fond of using idiomatic expressions but uses the wrong one almost all the time. sigh In addition, the way the erotic scenes are written is not really as steamy as I thought they would be, especially the M2M scenes that came with a trigger warning. The way they were written was actually quite juvenile which leads me to believe the author is young and has little or no experience. That being said, experience is gained through practice so do research and keep writing.
This is currently an ongoing story and has 41 chapters to date. I’m on chapter 41 so you know I haven’t given up on it. I am still waiting for clarity and crossing my fingers that it will happen. You can find Mated to the Gay Alpha by Blessing Ezekiel on Goodnovel.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 10, 2023 | Technology
May is upon us again, which only means that the spotlight shines extra bright once more for our moms as we celebrate Mother’s Day. If you’re thinking of the right surprise to give to the number one lady in your life, then we’re here to give you a clue. It starts with an A and ends with an R. It’s a kitchen favorite, one that will help our number one chef flex her amazing cooking skills.
It’s Air Fryers! At least according to the latest data from OnBuy which has reported a big surge of sales on this nifty appliance weeks before the annual celebration of Mother’s Day. This kitchen must-have has boomed in popularity in the last couple of years and for good reasons. In this article, we’ll walk you through all its benefits by putting the focus on one of the most powerful models in the market: The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer. Below are all the reasons why you should #BringBrevilleHome.
Air frying is a better alternative to traditional deep frying.
When you deep fry, oil is heated into high amounts that can lead to increased concentrations of inflammatory compounds that are absorbed by the food. With air frying, you minimize the use of oil or can even entirely remove it. The way it works is that it uses convection heat to cook food, similar to the way a fan oven works.
It can help you cook healthier versions of your favorite fried dishes.
Regular consumption of deep-fried food has been known to be correlated to the development of chronic ailments like cardiovascular disease. The use of convection heat to fry can create the same crispy exterior that we all love so much from our favorite fried treats. The result is healthier versions of meals with lower saturated fat that are better for our diets.
It’s versatile!
The versatility of this kitchen partner is something all cooking aficionados will definitely appreciate. The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer is a perfect example of this. On top of having a dedicated air frying setting, this unit from the premium home lifestyle brand comes with nine other cooking functions which include toast, roast, bake, crumpet, and even pizza. It’s like having 10 appliances, all in one powerful model.
It’s perfect for busy bees.
Talking about power, the Smart Oven Air Fryer is also ideal for anyone who wants to be efficient with cooking. Its dual-speed convection feature reduces cooking time by 30 percent which is perfect for all busy moms out there.
It’s very user-friendly.
Air frying food is a no-brainer because you can easily pick settings for your recipe. The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer takes this a notch higher with its Element IQ System which has a smart algorithm that creates the ideal cooking environment for a range of different cooking techniques. Forget about cold, uneven spots and ideal rack positions. This air fryer does it all for you and more, regardless of your cooking skills.
This Mother’s Day, give the gift of innovation to the special woman in your life by turning their dream kitchen into a reality. We already know that our moms are geniuses when it comes to creating meals that we love, but it doesn’t hurt to bring home an equally smart partner that can help them make even more cooking wonders. If you’re into it, you can even go the extra mile and take a crack at cooking by bonding with her to make your own Mother’s Day feast.
It’s time to #BringBrevilleHome this Mother’s Day. Want to know more about the Smart Oven Air Fryer? Visit their website to get the full deets about this appliance. Don’t forget to also follow their official Facebook and Instagram to get updated on their other releases.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 9, 2023 | Book Reviews
I tried. I really tried to give Pregnant My Alpha Bully’s Baby by Ariel Liza a chance. I even got as far as 10 so you know I really tried. Unfortunately, I spent every moment gnashing my teeth in frustration as almost every single line (no exaggeration) is grammatically incorrect!
I think it is safe to assume this book was initially not in English and that the author lazily just used Google translate or some such app to convert it to English and then … without proofreading it, just published it … verbatim.
For starters, the title alone is lacking in punctuation which makes it difficult to read at first glance and then my brain goes “Ah! There should be a comma after ‘pregnant’.”
That being said, I found the story flow confusing from the get-go. The main characters, Claire and Ethan, are in high school. Claire is being bullied daily by Ethan and his girlfriend Mia, not just verbally but physically as well. Claire has a boyfriend named Jake who is handsome and athletic. He protects her whenever he can but he cannot be around all the time to protect her as he has to attend his classes, too.
Claire goes home and her mom tells her to get dressed as she is expecting special guests who turn out to be her boyfriend Mason and his son Ethan (surprise!) and they announce that they are getting married TOMORROW. Mom just drops the bomb, just like that. In the meantime, Ethan seemed to have developed an unusual attraction to Claire that he never displayed before.
After the wedding, mom tells Claire that she and Mason are leaving for a month for their honeymoon in Italy, leaving Claire and Ethan alone together at the mansion. Can you guess what happens next? There are talks of “deeper skin” and “secret place” and “you/I just got it”. Got what? And what happens to sexy boyfriend Jake now?
Is Claire human? Is Ethan an Alpha wolf? How about Jake? Is he an Alpha wolf, too? It is just messy.
If you can get passed the multitude of grammatical errors (which is almost the entire story, it seems) then give this a shot. I am willing to give Pregnant My Alpha Bully’s Baby by Ariel Liza maybe 5 to 10 chapters more and if the story does not improve, I am dropping this. I am praying it gets better … also that the author decides to get a copy editor, stat!
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 5, 2023 | Food & Beverage
Who says you can’t enjoy the delicious taste of roast beef every day? Thanks to the number one pizza chain in the country, Greenwich, you can now get roast beef anytime you have a craving for it with the Roast Beef & Cream Cheese Overload® Pizza. This innovative overloaded offer is a premium flavor under Greenwich’s Overload Creations pizza line, starting at P345!
Greenwich Overload Creations Roastbeef and Cream Cheese Pizza
“This is our most indulgent, premium beef pizza yet. The Roast Beef & Cream Cheese Overload® Pizza is full of flavor and savory goodness! As always, we want to give you a deliciously awesome food trip with the barkada, with an overload pizza creation that is incredibly filling,” said Ali de Torres, Greenwich’s Head of Marketing.
Fresh from the oven, Greenwich’s Roast Beef & Cream Cheese Overload® Pizza is filled with cream cheese, generously topped with savory and juicy roast beef complemented with sauteed onions and mushrooms. It will be offered in two sizes—Double (P345) and Barkada (P585).
A Mothe’s Day Treat
Because moms deserve to be celebrated, Greenwich will also offer a special Mother’s Day Bundle that includes one Double Size 9-inch Roast Beef & Cream Cheese Overload® Pizza with three Lasagna Supreme® Chicken Combo for only P699!
The Mother’s Day Bundle will be available in all Greenwich branches nationwide for dine-in and take-out only, starting May 8, 2023. Meanwhile, Roast Beef & Cream Cheese Overload® Pizza is also available for dine-in, take-out, online at www.greenwichdelivery.com or via GrabFood and Foodpanda. You may also contact their hotline at #5-55-55.
For more information, visit Greenwich’s official Facebook page, Greenwich Barkada, or message Greenwich Barkada on Facebook Messenger.
About Greenwich
Greenwich’s story began in 1971 as a small, family-owned store selling a selection of pizzas at the former Greenhills Commercial Center. As the brand’s pizzas grew in popularity, Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) took notice. In 1994, JFC acquired majority shares in Greenwich, infusing what was a family business with industry-leading competitiveness. New pizza variants and a variety of products were introduced through the years, creating a reputation for Greenwich as a maker of mouthwatering pizzas and pasta for the Filipino “barkada.” Today, Greenwich is the country’s biggest pizza and pasta chain with over 270 stores and counting, and home of the best-selling Hawaiian Overload®, All-in Overload®, and Lasagna Supreme®.
I have read my share of stories with confusing titles and premises but I must admit, Mated to the Gay Alpha by Blessing Ezekiel, so far is the most confusing of them all. The main character is Catherine (or Cathy), a human girl. At the beginning of the story, we see her leaving her home to visit her sick aunt. The author goes out of his way to say that Cathy is a nurse so I assumed she was going there to take care of her sick aunt. Instead, she is tasked to help her aunt by assisting her in the mansion as a line cook. What a waste of her talent! It would have made more sense if the author said she was a chef.
I tried. I really tried to give Pregnant My Alpha Bully’s Baby by Ariel Liza a chance. I even got as far as 10 so you know I really tried. Unfortunately, I spent every moment gnashing my teeth in frustration as almost every single line (no exaggeration) is grammatically incorrect!
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