by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 11, 2022 | Book Reviews
They say that no idea is truly original because everything we create is built on something someone else wrote or made which, in turn, was built on someone else’s idea, too. At times we even end up plagiarizing ourselves! That being said, I believe that, despite the formula, authors should infuse something in their story that will make it stand out, be different, and not easily be thought of as a copy of someone else’s work.
It sounds the same but not
When I started to read The Alpha’s Rejected Mate by JK Bartolome my immediate thought was that this was very similar to Alpha Atlas by Jane Doe without the bully squad of the Alpha to be.
Angel is quiet, shy, and overweight. She tends to wear baggy clothes and people assume it is because she has no sense of style. Consequently, many of her peers ridicule and bully her. In addition, her wolf, Slade, has not shown up yet so they think she is wolfless.
Gabriel is the soon-to-be Alpha. On the day he found out that Angel was his mate, he did not hesitate to reject her. Stupid, weakling Angel did not accept the rejection, she just walked away and decided to leave the pack.
Time passes and she returns as a warrior to train Gabriel’s pack to defend themselves. Does this sound familiar yet? She is no longer the fat, shy, and retiring girl they knew. She was now an unbeatable warrior.
While she was away Gabriel was busy humping every willing she-wolf and Angel suffered through it all. Upon her return he decides to stop all that and accept her as his mate, hoping she does not reject him. Pffft!
Go ahead and call me a grammar nazi
From page one, it is clear that English is not this author’s first language. I’d forgive it if I saw some effort to use a grammar and spellchecker. Sadly, it looks like we have another lazy author here who cannot be bothered to, at the very least, use the tools that come built-in with document software like Word or GoogleDocs. It is so prevalent that these authors think we will just forgive the awful grammar which leads to them not making an effort to fix it.
Be responsible
If doing so feels like more work for them then they should hire an editor or proofreader. Even I cannot claim to be perfect so I religiously check for grammar and spelling errors and sometimes, some still get left behind. The point here is TRYING because the reader can see when you try.
It’s always the same … messed up pronouns, tenses, etc. Sigh.
In addition, I have to add, that anyone who writes in an established genre should research the genre first. It is better to research and get it right than mess up big time and get called on it by a lot of people. Or … create their own world and mythology.
How old are you?
From the way it is written I can only assume that our author is young, or at least wrote it when he/she/they were younger. I gauge this from the juvenile behavior of the characters, and the very limited skill and technique writing in the love scenes (which speaks of inexperience) as the best that could be described is oral sex, and not even very descriptive at that.
He/she/they do not also seem to understand what happens when a female goes into heat. Wolves are like dogs when they go into heat … they will want to have sex RIGHT NOW with any male and every male nearby will have an almost uncontrollable urge to have sex with her. This isn’t fiction, that’s really how it is with canines.
In the standard mythos about werewolves, they react the same way as wolves. So, the fact that the author did not really describe this properly leads me to believe that the author is young and does not know this or … did not do his/her/their research.
To be fair, it is not a bad story. It just could be better. It doesn’t need massive plot changes. All it really needs is cleaning up at the very least. Do I hate it? No. Do I like it, meh … okay is the best I can give you. But just to give you perspective, I did finish it. There are only a little over 30 chapters so it isn’t difficult to read.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 9, 2022 | Book Reviews
Stories like The Wallflower and the Alpha’s by Addison Winters annoy me because it has a lot of potential but the author is lazy, inattentive, and uncaring. Let me list down the reasons why this author gets my goat.
Massive proofreading/editing issues
She does not edit her work or get a proofreader or editor to help her make her story better.
- She can’t make up her mind if she is “speaking” in the first or third person.
- She messes up her pronouns. Male pronouns are him, he, and his. Female pronouns are her, she, and hers.
- She messes up her tenses.
- She can’t keep track of her POV.
- She does not know how to use figures of speech correctly. She just uses them because she feels like it whether they are appropriate or not. Research first!
- An apostrophe is used to denote ownership, so the title of the book should be “The Wallflower and the Alphas” not “The Wallflower and the Alpha’s” which is the actual title. It is so wrong that my spellchecker keeps telling me to fix it.
Now, for those of you who have been reading my reviews, you know that I tend to be forgiving with spelling and grammar IF the story is good enough. What gets my goat is grammar and spellcheck are FREE! Word has it, GoogleDocs has it … there are even free apps available! Use any of them!
She doesn’t pay attention
And, like I said, this story has potential but needs a MAJOR REVAMP to be worth selling on Amazon (for 4.99 a pop!) and on Goodnovel for almost 3.5k coins. Other things this (I assume YOUNG) author needs to do:
- Know your proportions … two halves make a whole. Avery can’t be half-wolf, half-witch, and half-Veela … that is one “half” more than a whole person. To be precise you should have said PART wolf, witch, and Veela.
- Don’t get lost in the minutiae. We don’t need to know her entire “getting ready for school” routine from how she washes her hair, what body scrub he uses and why, applies makeup, applies deodorant and perfume, dries her hair, fixes her hair, walks naked to her room, chooses underwear, chooses clothes to wear, puts them on … and so on and so on. It’s unnecessary unless you were just after the word count.
- Keep track of where you are in the story! If you are confused, we are confused! Avery comes out of the shower of her ensuite in a towel, then Elijah and Jake come in and make out with her on the bed but she is suddenly in a dress. Then Avery is in a shed with Andrew (whoever that is) and walks away to go to the house then suddenly she is dry humping Elijah. What in the world?!? Make up your mind, are her clothes on or off? At one point she takes off her dress, and she is wearing it again, then you have her in a towel, then in a dress again.
- In love scenes, keep track of where everyone is … some of the positions you have them in is just not possible unless your participants are snakes or contortionists.
- Be aware of where your characters are supposed to be physically and mentally. You cannot have Avery scared of them one moment then suddenly okay with them eating her out at the back of the truck, and then scared to let them near her again wondering why they are looking at her “like that”.
- At the point where Elijah acknowledges that she is his mate and decides to win her over … why, oh, why are you still making him bully her? WTF is the logic in that? He just said he was going to stop doing that and would try to win her over then he trips her and embarrasses her in front of the entire school?!? Does that sound logical to you?
A very easy solution is to reread what you have written before writing the next chapter and then going from there.
Freytag’s pyramid
This is one of the reasons I felt the need to post about Freytag’s pyramid on my socials a while back. Anyone who wants to venture into writing with the intention of possibly making money out of it should care enough to make sure their audience enjoys the experience and to do that there has to be structure.
I am not ruling out non-linear storytelling. Non-linear can be fun! Case in point, Pulp Fiction … one of my favorite Quentin Tarantino movies. But even with non-linear stories, it still makes an effort to hit all the stars.
Bullying
I am not a fan of bully romances, although I have read a few. I try to keep an open mind and endeavor to understand the psyche of the characters to see why they are the way they are. Here are my thoughts:
- If the bully is an Alpha then he will not make a good alpha at all because he should be taking care of his pack members not making victims of them.
- Make her do his homework? OMG! So pathetic! Elijah is not just lazy, he is also stupid! And this is supposed to be their Alpha? I’d transfer to another pack.
- Big, burly boys stringing girls up a flagpole? Seriously? And everyone is just watching? How sick are the people in this school that they can just condone that? And where the fuck are the adults? What, not even a janitor in sight? Unbelievable!
- Avery’s mates bullied her for AT LEAST SIX YEARS which included physical, mental, and verbal abuse. Now that they all know that they are her mates they expect Avery to just forgive them … let bygones be bygones … because they will spend the rest of their lives making it up to her? Why did they pick on her in the first place? What did she do to them? NOTHING!
Ugh! I’m getting angry. I HATE BULLIES. And, honestly, considering how long they have been bullying her she should have either rejected them or at the very least made it more difficult for them to win her over. Her having a crush on them all this time DESPITE their bullying her leads me to think Avery seriously needs psychiatric help. I wish I could say it is masochism but, unfortunately, based on the author, she is always devastated and in tears when they bully her … so, why?!?
If you want to give this book a chance because there is actually a good story under all the junk you can find it on Goodnovel and other reading apps. If you want to “save money” and buy the book on Amazon, be warned that it comes in four parts at 4.99 each. The advantage of reading it on Amazon is you can return the book and ask for a refund. But you can only do that within a short period so read fast and if you love it, keep it. Otherwise, return it.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 8, 2022 | Book Reviews
Dirty Talk with my Dad’s Best Friend by Flora Ferrari is a fairy tale. Love at “first sight”, forbidden love, figurative dragons to slay, and a happy resolution.
Hallie (19) is a freelance video editor. Her father, Graham, is a doctor, her mom, Janine, is a nurse, and her sister, Lila, to a psychology student. For the last 2 years, she has had a secret crush on Hayden, her dad’s best friend, and only her sister knows about it.
Hayden (45) is an independent news correspondent. For the last 2 years, he was overseas and spent the last few months a prisoner of terrorists. Upon his return, he is invited by his friend Graham, Hallie’s dad, to come and visit.
Although Hayden has known Hallie since she was a baby, he was never attracted to her until he sees her as an adult for the first time during his visit. Uncharacteristically, he found himself tongue-tied and lost for words as he gazed at her.
A late-night encounter in the kitchen for a glass of water between Hallie and Hayden quickly becomes heated as one look between them sends their passions soaring … but no sex. The following day, they resolve to tell Graham about what happened because they don’t want to stop (and want to go further) but fate has other plans as Graham announces that he was leaving for the West Coast that same day for a month-long work trip.
Out of respect for Graham, since they haven’t spoken to him yet, they decided on no more encounters … just on the phone. I think phone sex can be super hot if both parties are really into it. It could make the next physical encounter that much hotter.
Things get really hot between the two and for both, it is not just about sex. From the get-go, they are both secretly thinking of marriage and family. I thought that was really fast (and unrealistic) but that is not to say it cannot happen. Hallie is only 19 and has barely lived let alone dated, but from the moment she had a crush on Hayden, she was already dreaming of happily ever after with him.
For Hayden at 45, it is probably partially a biological clock thing, but how many men see a woman and decide that they want to get her pregnant from the first moment they see her? He even “saves his seed” by choosing not to masturbate because he says “all his seed belongs inside her”. rolls eyes
It is a feel-good story so if you are looking for light, fast reading, this fits the bill. Dirty Talk with My Dad’s Best Friend by Flora Ferrari is the 311th book of the “A Man Who Knows What He Wants” series. It will be available soon on Amazon.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 6, 2022 | Business
Filipinos remember Sinclair for its infamous advertisement in the 80s and 90s that inspired more people to make home improvements by themselves. The term do-it-yourself or DIY became synonymous with the brand’s catchphrase “Sinclair it!” that established the brand as a household name over the past decades.
Over the past years, Sinclair remains true to its vision of providing premium quality paint products for millions of families and establishments around the world. With the rise of technological advancements and as the market for construction development remains competitive, Sinclair is marking its return to the local market with a broader and more advanced selection of products that provide beauty, durability, affordability, and eco-friendly solution suit for every Pinoy home.
The New Generation of Sinclair
With the reopening of the local market, Sinclair’s timely return will fire up the local competition with its latest premium products that continue the legacy that it started.
Aside from its Traditional or Classic Paint selection that made Sinclair one of the world’s pioneer and trusted brands, Sinclair highlights its innovation with its modern technology paint system, from oil-based to water-based paint and universal colorants.
“We’re delighted to bring back the brand that provided beauty, protection, and comfort to many Filipinos over the past years. With Sinclair’s new line of products – from oil-based to water-based – customers can assure continued premium quality products that will last for a long time while keeping the environment safe and sound,” Mr. Derick Tan, Founder, and CEO of Magna Prime Chemical Technologies, Inc., the company that manufactures Sinclair in the Philippines.
Sinclair’s new generation of paint products highlights its waterproofing innovation that made the paint system more economical, easier to apply, and durable. Inspired by the beauty and long-lasting capability of nature, these new generation paints are made suitable for the tropical weather system in the Philippines on top of the climate change we’re experiencing:
Natica Waterproofing Paint – Inspired by the abundant marine shells in the Philippines, this waterproofing paint possesses marine shells’ thick and smooth features that represent durability and protection. Made of modified pure acrylic paint, this latest innovation of Sinclair is used as a water-proofer, primer, sealer, and top coat making it more cost-efficient than the traditional method of waterproofing and painting exterior walls.
Armadillo Polyurethane Paint – inspired by the New World placental mammal, this Armadillo Polyurethane Paint is the first water-based PU Paint in the Philippines takes pride in being a tough and flexible paint just like an armadillo skin. Recommended for use on high-rise buildings to avoid frequent repainting or costly paint over because of its durability.
Tamago Cleanable Interior Paint – Sinclair’s take on the sheen of an egg – or Tamago (卵/玉子) in the Japanese language – is made to provide a sleeker yet manageable look for home and establishment’s interiors. Made to provide a clean and cleanable look, its simple yet calming effect is achieved with its balance of flat and glossy while protecting your walls or hiding wall imperfections.
Taro Silicone Paint – This is the first silicone paint in the country. With the wet season taking over almost half of the year in the Philippines, rainwater has become one of the main reasons why paint fails to protect many homes and establishments. With Sinclair’s Taro Silicone Paint, families and establishments can have peace of mind any season due to its impregnating capabilities. Impregnation happens when the paint penetrates through the pores of the substrate thus enhancing its adhesion. It also has high-performance formula creating high-vapor permeability that allows water vapor to escape from the surface, avoiding the build-up of algae and fungus that cause paint to peel off. This paint is suitable for structures located in highlands, beside seashores, and in areas where wall moisture is present.
More Options to Choose From
Aside from the New Generation paints, Sinclair also levels up its Classic Paint selection which ranges from oil-based to water-based paints that provide equal beauty and protection to various surfaces.
Ligno – this waster-based wood primer is ideal for priming, sealing, and filling wooden substrates that help prevent tannins and stains. An eco-friendly product, this paint has low odor, low volatile organic compounds, and is non-toxic.
Rhino – for those metal surfaces, this Sinclair water-based metal primer and top coat provide a two-in-one purpose that saves time and money. This paint has excellent corrosion resistance for indoor and outdoor applications, ideal for new or weathered galvanized metal, steel, and aluminum roofing surfaces, properly prepared or treated ferrous metal, garages and fences, machines and industrial equipment, pipelines, and tanks.
Cascara – for multi-surface paint, the Sinclair Cascara is an eco-friendly, high-gloss, low-odor, water-based paint ideal as a topcoat for wood, metal, and concrete on interior and exterior areas.
Sinclair is also sparking more colors to its Filipino customer through its colorants products that are made to provide good color retention without losing the glossiness of the base paint. Along with its New Generation paints, Sinclair is also launching Chameleon Colorant, which is dubbed as the universal colorant that gives accurate blend and color preference. Chameleon Colorants are specially formulated using special types of chemicals and pigments to ensure that they can blend homogenously either with water-based, solvent-based, or epoxy-based type of paints.
“With more Filipinos enjoying DIY home projects, Sinclair paint products that are highly recommended by professionals are made to spark creativity and freedom, while providing protection, peace of mind, and value to Pinoy’s hard work and money,” Mr. Tan concluded.
The return of Sinclair Paint in the Philippine market was officiated during the PHILCONSTUCT 2022. For more details about Sinclair’s products, you may visit https://www.magnaprime.com.ph/product-category/sinclair.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 6, 2022 | Book Reviews
I confess that when I read the title of the book Grump Daddy Next Door by Ruby Emhart I wasn’t sure what I was going to get. Was this going to be a Daddy/Little fetish thing or was the male character an actual father? The story opens with nary a father in sight but as the story progresses it starts to become apparent.
At the beginning of the story, Kira, the female main character is trapped in a nightmare date and Max is the knight in shining armor who rescues her by pretending to be an old friend who wanted to catch up.
From the first moment their eyes met, they were instantly drawn to each. The pull was so strong that Kira didn’t think too hard about Max punching her v-card at the restaurant’s restroom. It was wild and exhilarating … too bad he had to be a jerk after.
Days pass and Kira applies for a job as an accountant and discovers that the company she is interviewing at is owned by Max! At the interview, Max can’t help but try to get a rise out of her, for his amusement. Long and short, he decides to hire her since she is the best qualified out of all the applicants … not just because the monster in his pants says so.
Working with him meant opportunities for them to have more sexual encounters and they agreed on no commitment and no labels despite some reservations. Fyi, in the story, there is no mention of Max having any tattoos so I don’t know how this yummy man ended up in the cover art.
So how did Max become a grump daddy who lived next door? Max is the guardian to his niece, Katie, whose parents are in jail for embezzling from his company. Her mom, Alexis, is about to be released from jail early and this stresses him out … this makes him grumpy to everyone, not just Kira. As for the next door part, it turns out that Kira lives in the apartment ABOVE his so … actually, he isn’t “next door” but definitely a neighbor.
Grump Daddy Next Door by Ruby Emhart is a quick read … it only took me 5 hours. The story flow is fast-paced, and unexpected scenes would make you go aha! I enjoyed it, and I think you will, too! You can find it on Amazon for just 0.99 starting Nov. 9, 2022!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
From the way it is written I can only assume that our author is young, or at least wrote it when he/she/they were younger. I gauge this from the juvenile behavior of the characters, and the very limited skill and technique writing in the love scenes (which speaks of inexperience) as the best that could be described is oral sex, and not even very descriptive at that.
She does not edit her work or get a proofreader or editor to help her make her story better.
Dirty Talk with my Dad’s Best Friend by Flora Ferrari is a fairy tale. Love at “first sight”, forbidden love, figurative dragons to slay, and a happy resolution.
I confess that when I read the title of the book Grump Daddy Next Door by Ruby Emhart I wasn’t sure what I was going to get. Was this going to be a Daddy/Little fetish thing or was the male character an actual father? The story opens with nary a father in sight but as the story progresses it starts to become apparent.
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