by Penny Angeles-Tan | Feb 3, 2023 | Book Reviews
I added And Then There Were Four by Lillith Carrie to my library on Goodnovel probably a week ago but didn’t really start reading it until yesterday. I’m glad I did because it is pretty good. This author does have a bit of a problem with homonyms (like to and too) and synonyms here and there, but forgivable for an e-book as I am assuming it will get fixed before it goes to print.
And then I discovered that the paperback version (and its sequels) are on Amazon and Barnes and Noble for $24.99 on both. The sexy cover is the paperback version. I kid you not, I am very worried that it went into print without copy editing. I contemplated buying the paperback (as I would save a bundle if I did) but a very big part of me is also worried that I will end up whipping out my blue pen and editing as I read. Que horror! shudder
Copy-editing issues aside, I think you will enjoy this story. It technically falls under reverse harem because early on it is revealed that Ivy is mated to all four brothers – Damian, Hale, Talon, and James. However, 40% into the book and she has yet to be with more than one brother at a time. I guess I will find out as I read along if she ever gets with more than one.
In her universe, having four mates is not usual. Add to that the fact that she is human, unlike the men who are all werewolves. While, yes, the major conflict appears to be about the brothers accepting her as their mate, there are many things brewing in the background that make this story more interesting. Check it out on Goodnovel and other reading apps or you can purchase the paperback version on Amazon or B&N.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Feb 2, 2023 | Food & Beverage
I’ve been told by my family that I am pretty adventurous as a home cook – I like trying new things and I like challenging myself with complicated dishes. But sometimes I am just too tired and all I want to do is serve my family something quick and easy so that I am not too tired to enjoy dinner with my family. This is why I am thankful that Purefoods came up with the Ready-to-Eat line that guarantees quality time made easy with my family and guarantees that the dishes are delicious and the chef (me!) gets compliments on how yummy the dishes are. 😀
Purefoods Ready-to-Eat Bistek Tagalog
A dish that is a staple in many Filipino households is the Bistek Tagalog. Slow-cooked to perfection it only takes around 10 minutes to cook. Just add onions (if feeling yamanin) to get that authentic Bistek Tagalog you are looking for.
Correct me if I am wrong but, Bistek just isn’t the same without onions, am I right?
To my non-Filipino friends, you guessed it! Bistek is the Filipino way of saying beef steak but, as with most dishes that are “Filipinized” it tastes nothing like the beef steak you probably grew up with.
Purefoods Ready-to-Eat Bicol Express
Bicol Express is probably one of my favorite Filipino dishes because it is spicy. The main ingredients of which are meat, peppers, coconut milk (gata), and seasonings. As an extender, you could add vegetables like sigadilyas (also known as winged beans), for example. I’ve seen some versions with carrots and bell peppers but I think they are more for color contrast.
When I had the opportunity to try this I was pleasantly surprised at how flavorful it was. With instant dishes like these, I tend to assume that I would still have to fix them to make them edible. Thankfully, that isn’t the case.
Leveling up your dishes
But just because these Purefoods Ready-to-Eat meals are instant meals doesn’t mean you cannot level up your dishes anymore. Check out the links to the recipes below:
With these Ready-to-Eat dishes by Purefoods, I don’t need to spend a very long time in the kitchen. Quality time with my family is made easy with Purefoods Ready-to-Eat
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jan 31, 2023 | Book Reviews
I received an alert a while back in my inbox that one of the authors I follow on Goodnovel had a new book. The book was called Omega’s Twin Hybrids by Saree Bee. Part of the appeal is, of course, that the main characters (two of them to be exact) are shifters. Finch is a wolf shifter and Jack is a dragon shifter, and yes, they are twins. Upon reading this my first question was “how” but I rationalize later that in Saree Bee’s world, it is possible.
The biggest appeal for me, admittedly, is the fact that the female lead, Grace (an omega), is a full-bodied woman. In literary circles, this is also referred to as a BBW (big beautiful woman), which makes her a very relatable character. Let’s face it, all the stories where the ladies are reed thin may sound nice, but for most women that is a fantasy that we find hard to get involved in as most of us (over 30) have already gained more weight and inches than we want.
In this book, there is no doubt that Grace is loved and twice over! Fair warning, though, expect to encounter a lot of sex, sex, sex, as our man Finch (in particular) is insatiable and Jack is no slouch either. Despite all the smutty smut (lol!), Omega’s Twin Hybrids by Saree Bee really does have a good story you can follow – corporate hostile takeover, self-image angst, family issues, and prejudice.
You can find this completed story on Goodnovel if you are inclined to read it. There are only 57 chapters and the story is fast-paced so I feel confident that you will enjoy it. I certainly did.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jan 30, 2023 | Book Reviews
Stephanie does it again! Flipping through the pages of Four Fantasies by Stephanie Brother I couldn’t help but wonder at how amazing this story is. It is tender and loving and relatable all at the same time. I can easily imagine myself as Lorraine having gone through something similar in life. All that is missing are four amazing men like Troy, Leo, Dante, and Darian.
Having men offer to fulfill our fantasies would be a dream come true if we are brave enough to accept it. Just the thought of it makes me swoon.
Troy, Leo, Dante, and Darian are dancers at the Club Red Revue but that fact is almost incidental as it serves two purposes in the story. 1) it establishes the link to book 1, and 2) it is where Lorraine first sets eyes and lusts after these four men when they fo their numbers onstage. After that majority of the story is at her home or on her dates.
The men are in their mid-twenties while Lorraine is 8 to 10 years older. The age gap bothers Lorraine at first but the men don’t seem to notice or it was never a factor to them at all. The only things she receives from her men are love and laughter. Such bliss!
You can find Four Fantasies by Stephanie Brother at Amazon for 2.99 or free with Kindle Unlimited. A paperback version is available as well for 12.99. After you finish reading this story check out the bonus chapter on Stephanie’s website. It is so sweet and rounds up the story beautifully.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jan 29, 2023 | Book Reviews
If I had to base it on the cover art and the title I had assumed that Twisted Eros by Aria Skylar is a super steamy book. The first chapter led me astray into thinking this book would likely mostly feature BDSM. This is pretty far from the truth. While BDSM is hinted at the most we will see is light bondage and domination I’ve rarely seen in the dark romance books I have read in the past.
A smart, business-savvy, and successful woman goes on an “abduction vacation” with a sexy, masked stranger to get a desperately needed break. He whisks her away to a secret haven of rest and sexual pleasure. But our masked “kidnapper” has his own agenda besides pleasuring her and as the story goes they both end up on a voyage of self-discovery that gets them all twisted.
While some reviews have not been very encouraging about this book, I actually enjoyed it despite the sex scenes mainly being vanilla. I think I enjoyed the soul-searching that happened for each character and with each other and I thought her retelling of the tale of Eros and Psyche was interesting. If you don’t know the story of Eros and Psyche then, obviously, you wouldn’t get it but as a fan of mythology growing up, it was interesting to see the parallels.
Here is a comic version of the myth of Eros and Psyche.
Twisted Eros by Aria Skylar is the first book of the Modern Mythica series and can be purchased on Amazon and Barnes & Noble as an ebook for a whopping $6.49. The paperback is $19.99. I find the price steep as I have read better stories for less, but it is still worth reading.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jan 28, 2023 | Book Reviews
Compared to the 2 books of Anika Skye that I reviewed before this I feel like the writing style of Alpha Wolf’s Fated Bride by Anika Skye is very juvenile … which is a step down from the ones that came before. As a matter of fact, it does not read as if the author wrote it.
There is too much exposition, and the author gets lost in the prose. Thankfully it is a short story and I finished it in less than a day. I really wish it were better. Since the 2nd book was an improvement on the first, I (mistakenly) thought that this would be even more of an improvement. Instead, it regressed and it feels like this is the first book this author has written instead.
It is too raw to be published. I recommend running it by a copy editor first. Hopefully, he/she knows what they’re doing and can help make this better.
Alpha Wolf’s Fated Bride by Anika Skye is only 0.99 on Amazon and is also on Kindle Unlimited if you want to check it out. If you look at the reviews there are some who really liked it so maybe it just isn’t my cup of tea.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jan 23, 2023 | Book Reviews
I started and stopped reading Billionaire Bad Boys: An Off-Limits Romance by Lacy Nash so many times, I really wanted to give it a chance but I wasn’t getting engaged. The pace of the story is very slow. The first time they meet we see the spark but it isn’t until chapter 19 that we get Bryan’s POV and find out for certain that he is attracted to her, too.
The pulse of this story is just steady. Barely anything happens to make a beat jump up. We have Jackson’s stalking and Matilda’s predictable protective society matron attitude. One would think those would be enough but with most of the story being from Lily’s POV we aren’t really getting the whole picture, just her thoughts.
Bryan is reputedly a billionaire playboy but I have yet to see him do anything that would qualify as bad, really. If anything, he actually looks pretty angelic to me. Conflicts resolve themselves quickly without too much drama or build-up. It’s just too pat for me.
After 20+ chapters they acknowledge their mutual attraction and become an item. Yes, it takes more than 20 chapters for them to even hold hands. Maybe I’m just not the target audience but I feel I have read better stuff from this author. You should still try it when it comes out. It might be your cup of tea, it just isn’t for me. It isn’t yet but it should be out on Amazon soon.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jan 20, 2023 | Book Reviews
There must be something in the water at the Screaming Eagles clubhouse. What other explanation could there be for there to be so many wonderful men in one place? Bound to the Bikers by Stephanie Brother is her 3rd book of the Screaming Eagles MC Bikers series and is centered on the daughter of the club President, Faith.
I love that it isn’t just a fuckfest. Stephanie Brother takes the time to give us a good story and any smutty scenes are not just fantasy fulfillment but are designed to fit the flow of the story beautifully.
Faith is an incredible woman. Even though she overcame a very traumatic past through extensive therapy for several years, she still learns to accept Alpha, Blade, and Ripper (scars and all, figurative and literal) and falls in love with them. Learning of her father’s past and accepting it as well is the big turning point of the story not just for the characters but for us, the viewers also. As I was reading it made me question if there was ever any good reason to do what they did. You should read it as well and come to your own conclusions.
While this book is part of a series it is not necessary to read the previous books to appreciate it unless you want to get “up close and personal” with the 2 other reverse harems that get mentioned in the book. Super love this! Thank you for writing their story, Stephanie!
You can get this book on Amazon for only 2.99, or free with Kindle Unlimited. If you are looking for the bonus content (secret epilogue) click HERE.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jan 18, 2023 | Events
As the luckiest animal in the Chinese Zodiac, the rabbit promises a year of prosperity, hope, and calm. The historic Rizal Park Hotel invites guests to usher in abundance and success by celebrating the Year of the Water Rabbit with a sumptuous, curated menu of authentic Chinese cuisine, available across the property’s dining outlets from Imperial Court to Café Rizal.
At the signature Chinese outlet Imperial Court, families and friends may celebrate the Year of the Rabbit with menu options designed specifically for the occasion. Start with the Good Fortune Menu at P28,888/table (10 persons) featuring 9 curated dishes such as Grilled Wagyu Beef w/ Honey Mustard Salad, Shrimp Baby Abalone Truffle Sauce, Fried Pigeon, and Steamed Garlic Crab. The menu comes with two complimentary bottles of white wine.
Guests craving Peking Duck, Stir-Fry Scallop Szechuan Style, and Steamed Lapu-Lapu may choose the Prosperity Menu, which features these along with six more dishes. The Prosperity Menu is available for only P29,888/table of 10 persons, inclusive of two bottles of white wine or rose.
Imperial Court’s Lunar New Year menus are available from January 21 to February 5, 2023.
On Lunar New Year’s Day, enjoy a dim sum buffet of Siomai, Tikoy, Dumplings, Buchi, and other delicacies at the hotel for only P600 – an irresistible offer that comes with celebrating over a glass of wine and a festivity of lion dance and firecrackers. In addition, guests can also dine at Cafe Rizal for its buffet of Chinese congee and side dishes.
For more information about Rizal Park Hotel’s dining offers for the Lunar New Year, call (02) 8804-8700. Follow Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RizalParkHotel and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rizalparkhotel1911.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jan 18, 2023 | Book Reviews
“What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, and never in a thousand years?” Whoa! I loved that riddle! Do you know the answer?
When I decided to review We’re All Mad Here by Leann Belle it was mostly because I was curious about how the author would reimagine Alice in Wonderland which is a dark tale that Disney manage to tame it for the kids.
This story is really, really good. It is actually very dark and gory. This usually isn’t my thing but I was fixated and couldn’t stop reading. If Lewis Carroll was into BDSM I think he would possibly have written this story in much the way Leann Belle did. I think that she was able to perfectly capture the essence of a dark and twisted Wonderland with a healthy (some would say unhealthy) mix of sex in many forms.
Her interpretation of the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum (yummy twins!), and the Mad Hatter and the March Hare are just delicious! All those luscious men! I’m glad Alice was able to show them a thing or three. Also, I was imagining Nina Dobrev as Alice the entire time, at her current age, not her age in The Vampire Diaries.
Am I recommending this book? Hell, yeah! But it comes with a warning. There are several scenes that could be triggering so if dark romance is not your thing, proceed with caution.
If you have a Kindle Unlimited account that means you can read it “for free” at Amazon or you can purchase it for 3.99. I promise this is really good! It took me 2 days to read because there were some scenes that were just really … challenging, I think that is the word I am looking for, but once I got passed them it was all good.
I received an alert a while back in my inbox that one of the authors I follow on Goodnovel had a new book. The book was called Omega’s Twin Hybrids by Saree Bee. Part of the appeal is, of course, that the main characters (two of them to be exact) are shifters. Finch is a wolf shifter and Jack is a dragon shifter, and yes, they are twins. Upon reading this my first question was “how” but I rationalize later that in Saree Bee’s world, it is possible.
Stephanie does it again! Flipping through the pages of Four Fantasies by Stephanie Brother I couldn’t help but wonder at how amazing this story is. It is tender and loving and relatable all at the same time. I can easily imagine myself as Lorraine having gone through something similar in life. All that is missing are four amazing men like Troy, Leo, Dante, and Darian.
If I had to base it on the cover art and the title I had assumed that Twisted Eros by Aria Skylar is a super steamy book. The first chapter led me astray into thinking this book would likely mostly feature BDSM. This is pretty far from the truth. While BDSM is hinted at the most we will see is light bondage and domination I’ve rarely seen in the dark romance books I have read in the past.
Compared to the 2 books of Anika Skye that I reviewed before this I feel like the writing style of Alpha Wolf’s Fated Bride by Anika Skye is very juvenile … which is a step down from the ones that came before. As a matter of fact, it does not read as if the author wrote it.
I started and stopped reading Billionaire Bad Boys: An Off-Limits Romance by Lacy Nash so many times, I really wanted to give it a chance but I wasn’t getting engaged. The pace of the story is very slow. The first time they meet we see the spark but it isn’t until chapter 19 that we get Bryan’s POV and find out for certain that he is attracted to her, too.
There must be something in the water at the Screaming Eagles clubhouse. What other explanation could there be for there to be so many wonderful men in one place? Bound to the Bikers by Stephanie Brother is her 3rd book of the Screaming Eagles MC Bikers series and is centered on the daughter of the club President, Faith.
As the luckiest animal in the Chinese Zodiac, the rabbit promises a year of prosperity, hope, and calm. The historic Rizal Park Hotel invites guests to usher in abundance and success by celebrating the Year of the Water Rabbit with a sumptuous, curated menu of authentic Chinese cuisine, available across the property’s dining outlets from Imperial Court to Café Rizal.
“What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, and never in a thousand years?” Whoa! I loved that riddle! Do you know the answer?
You must be logged in to post a comment.