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.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jan 17, 2023 | Health and Wellness
Water is an important element to regulate the body so drinking water should be pure and hygienic. Otherwise, people may suffer from various water-borne diseases.
Water is the most important and necessary element in human life the source of all body fluids including blood, lymph, saliva, digestive enzymes, urines, etc. is pure drinking water. Water is the regulator of all body functions. It is the main source of transporting energy to every cell in the body. The brain is also made up of 80% of water, severe dehydration may lead to mental derangement and inability to think clearly. The human body requires 6 to 8 glasses of pure water daily to function properly.
Why is it Important to Drink Only Pure Water?
It is vital to our good health that our drinking water is pure because if it is not, the microorganisms and parasites that are in the water may make us very ill.
Impure drinking water could cause the following health problems:
Bacteria
Bacteria in your drinking water could cause typhoid fever, which would present with the following symptoms: diarrhea, severe vomiting, enlarged spleen, and an inflamed intestine. Typhoid fever could be fatal if not treated.
Bacteria could also cause cholera, which would present as diarrhea, severe vomiting, and dehydration. Cholera can be fatal if left untreated.
Viruses
Viruses in drinking water can cause infectious hepatitis, which causes fever, loss of appetite, severe headache, jaundice, abdominal pain, and an enlarged liver. Hepatitis is rarely fatal, but it could cause permanent liver damage.
Parasitic Worms
Parasitic worms could cause schistosomiasis, resulting in anemia, a skin rash, abdominal pain, chronic fatigue, and chronic general ill health.
Aqua SmartGuard adopts a patented and advanced Firewall UVC technology to guarantee up to 99.99% protection against bacteria, viruses, and cysts such as salmonella, E-coli, and COVID-19.
Aqua SmartGuard’s countertop unit is now available and is priced at a monthly subscription of PHP 1,490 plus a one-time installation fee!
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jan 17, 2023 | Book Reviews
Three Stepbrothers’ Prize by Nicole Casey did not meet my expectations. The first book in the Love by Numbers 2 series, Two Sugar Daddies’ Virgin, was such a joy that I anticipated more of the same if not better.
I understand getting lost in the moment. I understand wanting to just forget about inhibitions and responsibilities and just live in the now. However, I don’t know why, in this day and age, our main characters have not even thought about any form of contraception, not even condoms. I would have thought a morning-after pill would have at least occurred to Parvati after her night with Daniel. After all, they were at a luxury resort in Hawaii, not the boondocks. Also to consider … they were not on vacation for one day, they had many opportunities to get something. The three guys are billionaires, they could easily get a box of condoms each.
While this could qualify as a reverse harem I wouldn’t call it a menage. In the one instance in the story when the brothers “shared” her, they actually took turns so it was more like a train.
There are also more than a handful of parts that need to be tweaked such as incorrect terms like “imaginative” instead of just “imagine” and homonyms. The editor in me had a blue pencil out.
This story is just ok but I’ve read better from Nicole Casey. It is mostly because I did not feel any connection to any of the brothers. Their characterization to me was very two-dimensional. Unlike in other stories, I could not imagine myself in this one. I was really just a spectator and not really enjoying the view. I confess there were times when I skipped pages because I was bored.
Three Stepbrothers’ Prize by Nicole Casey will be published on Amazon soon.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jan 16, 2023 | Discounts, Sales, and Giveaways
To welcome the Year of the “Rappit,” your dependable online grocery store is offering a host of exciting deals and offers this Chinese New Year to reward customers for their loyalty to the platform.
Rappit ushers in fortune and luck with a Chinese New Year Sale from January 13 to 22, where you can enjoy discounts of up to 20% OFF on grocery favorites!
On top of that, don’t miss out on the incredible flash sales, with discounts of over 50% OFF on select items: Del Fabric 1L (for only P75 on January 17), Kojiesan Skin Lightening Soap Classic 65g (3 packs) (for only P35 on January 31).
Rappit also has a Piso Sale where you can take home select items for an incredibly low price of P1! This includes Safeguard Soap Ivory White 60g (on January 18), Indomie Mi Goreng Fried Noodles 85g (on January 23), and Tang Orange 20g (on January 25).
For more savings and fortune, you can enjoy the JANMAYER voucher only offered this January: get P200 OFF + FREE DELIVERY, and this offer is yours when you shop with a minimum spend of P3,500.
“We hope these offers will help our customers get savings as they shop for their Chinese New Year celebrations. We are committed to being their go-to grocery sidekick and ensure that they are rewarded for their loyalty to our platform,” said Cindy Toh, CEO of Rappit.
Whether you’re looking to buy gifts that bring good luck such as Tikoy for your friends and loved ones this Chinese New Year or stock up on your daily grocery must-haves, this is the perfect opportunity to save money while you shop, and Rappit is your ultimate sidekick.
Rappit is a collaboration between the Puregold Group and Globe’s 917Ventures. Learn more by visiting https://rappit.ph/.
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 over 35 cities in the Philippines through same-day and scheduled deliveries.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jan 14, 2023 | Book Reviews
His Pet by Bryant reminds me of the early years of the X-Men when humans had difficulty accepting meta-humans, especially when the meta-humans have physical attributes that make it obvious they aren’t normal. Such is the case with Adder, a female with the physical attributes of a snake, hence her name. I suppose this makes Mason akin to Professor X since he appears fully human but actually has strong meta abilities.
When they first met Adder was a minor while Mason was a freshman at University. She attempted to pick his pocket thinking him an easy mark but, of course, got caught. And that is where their unusual friendship began.
His Pet by Bryant is a romance but it is a slow burn. For one thing, we had to wait for Adder to be old enough to even get romantically involved with anyone.
After reading so many books where it seems that the main characters fall into each other’s arms within the first 3 chapters, it is a refreshing change to have characters grow and mature together and not instantly fall in love. We know it will go there, but we don’t know how long it will take and where the journey will take them.
Fyi, it reads like a movie or a tv series, and probably 98% of the book is PG-13. I truly enjoyed this story and I would highly recommend it. Within the pages of this book, you will find action, drama, romance, and attempts to address social issues. If this is up your alley, His Pet by Bryant is available on Goodnovel and on Amazon.
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?
Water is an important element to regulate the body so drinking water should be pure and hygienic. Otherwise, people may suffer from various water-borne diseases.
Bacteria in your drinking water could cause typhoid fever, which would present with the following symptoms: diarrhea, severe vomiting, enlarged spleen, and an inflamed intestine. Typhoid fever could be fatal if not treated.
Viruses in drinking water can cause infectious hepatitis, which causes fever, loss of appetite, severe headache, jaundice, abdominal pain, and an enlarged liver. Hepatitis is rarely fatal, but it could cause permanent liver damage.
Parasitic worms could cause schistosomiasis, resulting in anemia, a skin rash, abdominal pain, chronic fatigue, and chronic general ill health.
Aqua SmartGuard adopts a patented and advanced Firewall UVC technology to guarantee up to 99.99% protection against bacteria, viruses, and cysts such as salmonella, E-coli, and COVID-19.
Three Stepbrothers’ Prize by Nicole Casey did not meet my expectations. The first book in the Love by Numbers 2 series, 
His Pet by Bryant reminds me of the early years of the X-Men when humans had difficulty accepting meta-humans, especially when the meta-humans have physical attributes that make it obvious they aren’t normal. Such is the case with Adder, a female with the physical attributes of a snake, hence her name. I suppose this makes Mason akin to Professor X since he appears fully human but actually has strong meta abilities.
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