by Penny Angeles-Tan | Feb 16, 2023 | Book Reviews
I started reading The Lost Lycan Luna by Jessica Hall
on iReader at a friend’s recommendation. I didn’t even know about it because the story is not on Goodnovel, which is where I primarily read pay-per-chapter books.
This is a story of an abused rogue orphan girl, Ivy, who we later discover is the lost princess of a Lycan kingdom. On the day of her execution, her life was spared when the Lycan King, Kyson, intervened and decided to take her and her best friend Abbie with him back to his castle. Kyson realized she was his mate but since she hadn’t turned 18 yet, she was unable to sense the mate bond.
The story is compelling. It possibly falls under the “dark romance” genre because of all the scenes depicting violence but not between the main characters. It is a love story where Kyson and Ivy struggle with each other and try to overcome prejudice, miscommunication, and mistrust.
I was amazed at how strong Ivy is. Her ability to withstand pain for the people she loves is awe-inspiring. Her relationship with Abbie is incomparable, it is greater even than her affection for the king. As Ivy and Abbie always say … “more than my life”.
If this is a story you would like to read, too, you will find it on iReader. Be warned, though, that the story is actually 3 stories, which is why there are so many chapters. I’m looking forward to The Lost Lycan Luna by Jessica Hall on Amazon soon.
Was this plagiarized?
the photo was taken from https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna32657885
As I was reading, I noticed that there were some similarities to another story I’ve read/am reading by another author. Continuing to read, however, I realized that the similarities are superficial.
- main characters are the Lycan King and the lost Lycan princess
- the main female character was thought to be a rogue orphan
- the main character has a best friend who came with her to the Lycan King’s castle
- the main female character did not know that she was a Lycan
As the story progresses the differences between the two become very apparent as the way the story develops is different. Let’s face it, if we look hard enough we will find many similarities between stories A through Z. I’ve honestly lost count of how many stories I’ve read of a man who is married to a woman for three years divorces her so that he could be with her cousin/stepsister only for him to later find out that his wife was secretly a rich and powerful woman.
My point is, we shouldn’t be too quick to accuse another author of plagiarism without actually reading further into the story. While there could be strong similarities at the start it doesn’t mean that the story is exactly the same.
There is an exercise we do in one of the classes I used to teach where I would give the entire class the same information to write their own versions of the story. This is a similar situation to that. And, let’s be honest, nothing is truly original anymore. We all take inspiration from many things, and it would not be inconceivable for many authors to get inspired by a story written by someone else. It does not make them a plagiarizer.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Feb 15, 2023 | Book Reviews
The Fae’s Gamble by Ferrell Dawson combines three things I love … mythology/supernatural tales, pop culture references, and fated mates! Growing up I have always been fascinated by stories about the supernatural. I would read any story that spoke of gods and goddesses, different types of fae, characters from different folklore, etc.
I started to read this book because it tells the story of what supposedly happened to the magic and magical creatures of Scotland. Many of the names of their magical creatures I can’t even pronounce without looking them up first, lol! Our female lead went to Scotland for her doctorate degree, not knowing that a) she has witch blood and b) she was invited to complete her degree there because she is a direct descendant of the witch that bound the magic and could possibly break the curse.
Dr. Calum Welsh is a fae prince. For centuries he has been researching ways to break the curse. In doing so he established the Office of Highland Magic where faculties members are actually different magical creatures in disguise. He invited Fern to Scotland to join his faculty and earn her degree knowing of her lineage but not realizing that she is his mate.
Both of them try hard to resist the pull of the bond. Together with a wulver and a baobhan sith our hapless mates travel and desperately seek ways to help Fern break the curse.
The Fae’s Gamble by Ferrell Dawson is a romance, sure. But the adventure/fantasy aspect is so much more interesting! It is definitely worth the $3.99 on Amazon. If you have a Kindle Unlimited account, though, it’s free.
FYI, pop culture references made include Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, to name but a few.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Feb 14, 2023 | Book Reviews
Just in time for Valentine’s Day! Candy Cane Craving by Colbie Dunbar was a surprise for me for the genre because this is probably the first time I’ve encountered a male omega who is more witty, confident, and outgoing than the Alpha. It is already a stereotype that Alphas are supposed to be strong, fearless, yada yada and Omegas are supposed to be soft and gentle. So to have an Omega aggressive and who know what he wants right off the bat was a wonderful surprise for me. Gage had me smiling from the get-go.
In Colbie Dunbar’s world “Alpha” is not necessarily some powerful leader. Conan is an accountant working a regular job, has a boss, and makes enough money to be able to afford his own apartment. In contrast, Gage is an Omega who has made enough money to not have to work for more than a year (so far), has a large property he is currently renovating, and can afford to take his time and not do anything for some time to come.
Seemingly it would actually appear as though Gage is the Alpha and Conan, the Omega, but I will trust in Colbie Dunbar’s process. In a nutshell, it seems that the only real distinction I can tell is that it is the Omegas who get pregnant. I love the fact, though, that this book explores the idea of the Omega being top and the Alpha, bottom.
If you are curious about Candy Cane Craving by Colbie Dunbar you can find it on Amazon for $3.99 or free with Kindle Unlimited.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Feb 12, 2023 | Discounts, Sales, and Giveaways
Globe’s retail venture Rappit is showering its customers with a practical kind of love this February, from discounts on your favorite products to special offers, there’s definitely something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for a gift for your special someone or want to treat yourself, Rappit has got you covered! Here’s what’s in store.
Rappit curated special collections, including the Somebunny To Love collection of chocolates from Toblerone, Kisses, Cadbury, and KitKat; the All Things Blush collection of beauty products from Olay, St. Ives, Vaseline, and Aveeno; and the Singles collection with treats from Heineken, M&Ms, Rio Strong, TimTam, San Miguel, Snickers, and Suntory.
If you’re planning a romantic evening, the Date Night Collection is perfect, with premium meats from Mrs. Garcia’s and Meltique, fine wines from Carlo Rossi, Novellino, Yellow Tail, Arbor Mist, and Beringer, and chocolates from Hershey’s, Ferrero Rocher, and Cadbury.
Rappit’s Love Yourself collection is perfect for those looking to care for their health, with healthy picks from UnMeat, Quaker Oats, Nestle Yogurt, Kellogg’s Cereals, Kirkland Organic Almond Milk, Del Monte Juices, and Century Tuna.
In addition, Rappit also lined up a special offer for all chocolate lovers out there! Pick your favorite chocolates from the Valentine’s Mix and Match of Toblerone and Cadbury and have a P60 off voucher when you spend P300 on participating items.
And since we love you at Rappit, you get to enjoy free delivery with just a minimum spend of P3,000 on your groceries!
“This Valentine’s Month, we at Rappit want to show our love and appreciation to our customers by offering sweet deals and collections – from treats to health and beauty products, we’ve got something for everyone. Whether you’re celebrating with your significant other or just looking for ways to pamper yourself, we’re here to make this Love Month extra special,” said Cindy Toh, CEO of Rappit.
So, what are you waiting for? Get ready to shower your loved ones (and yourself) with lots of love this Valentine’s Day with Rappit. Visit https://rappitph.page.link/BF2023PR to learn more and start shopping today!
About Rappit
Rappit, formerly PureGo, is a collaboration between 917Ventures and Puregold. Rappit is every Filipino’s rewarding grocery sidekick, the only app that brings great grocery deals with a more rewarding shopping experience. It offers over 6,000 great groceries and serves several cities in the Philippines through same-day and scheduled deliveries.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Feb 12, 2023 | Book Reviews
I had mixed feelings when reading Fighting Fate by Alle. A part of it was because the first chapter was more like a preview to the future and the succeeding chapters did not really connect to it. By the time the story was anywhere near what the first chapter was talking about, I’d already read more than half the story. In my opinion, the first chapter was unnecessary and could be scrapped … or shortened and made a preview instead. Skipping over that chapter, though, the story as it progressed was pretty good. It was easy for me to accept why both Selene and Rocco did not want to meet their fated mates.
In Alle’s world werewolves don’t sense their fated mates by scent or touch at any old time so long as they are of age. They must be within sensing distance on a full moon in her world. It also presumes that their fated mate will also be a wolf. This made it easy for the lead characters to “fight their fate” as they made sure not to be near any other wolves on a full moon.
Moving past the first chapter, the story is easy to get immersed in. Before I knew it I found myself involved in the story and couldn’t put it down. I think Selene and Rocco are perfect for each other. Their determination to succeed in life is admirable and the reasons why they are avoiding the mate bond are understandable.
Fighting Fate by Alle has 64 chapters so it won’t take you forever to read. The story length is just perfect. Some chapters feel like they run longer than the rest (which they probably do) but mostly I’ve discovered that those are the chapters where a lot of things happen to our characters. If this is the kind of story you think you can get into, then you can read it on reading apps like Goodnovel or …
I was happy to discover that it is also available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble for $4.99! Yessssss! This means we can enjoy this book without paying chapter by chapter, which is a less expensive alternative. doing the dance of joy
The Fae’s Gamble by Ferrell Dawson combines three things I love … mythology/supernatural tales, pop culture references, and fated mates! Growing up I have always been fascinated by stories about the supernatural. I would read any story that spoke of gods and goddesses, different types of fae, characters from different folklore, etc.
Just in time for Valentine’s Day! Candy Cane Craving by Colbie Dunbar was a surprise for me for the genre because this is probably the first time I’ve encountered a male omega who is more witty, confident, and outgoing than the Alpha. It is already a stereotype that Alphas are supposed to be strong, fearless, yada yada and Omegas are supposed to be soft and gentle. So to have an Omega aggressive and who know what he wants right off the bat was a wonderful surprise for me. Gage had me smiling from the get-go.
I had mixed feelings when reading Fighting Fate by Alle. A part of it was because the first chapter was more like a preview to the future and the succeeding chapters did not really connect to it. By the time the story was anywhere near what the first chapter was talking about, I’d already read more than half the story. In my opinion, the first chapter was unnecessary and could be scrapped … or shortened and made a preview instead. Skipping over that chapter, though, the story as it progressed was pretty good. It was easy for me to accept why both Selene and Rocco did not want to meet their fated mates.
Fighting Fate by Alle has 64 chapters so it won’t take you forever to read. The story length is just perfect. Some chapters feel like they run longer than the rest (which they probably do) but mostly I’ve discovered that those are the chapters where a lot of things happen to our characters. If this is the kind of story you think you can get into, then you can read it on reading apps like 
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