Check out @chasingstardust’s review of ONE CRAZY SUMMER. Thanks for writing this, Nik! :)  nikkiandtheimaginarium: Book Three of 2012  Title: One Crazy Summer Author: Ines Bautista Yao “A Recipe for Disaster? Ingredients: 1 college junior, fired from summer internship1 secret crush, the cute and flirty type1 crush’s best bud, with a secret of his own 1.  In a large bowl, mix together college junior and secret crush.2. Gradually add in crush’s best bud.3. Stir until best bud’s secret is revealed.4. Let mixture rest in a sleepy provincial town.5. Bake under the blaxing summer sun until golden brown (be careful, batter might burn).” As I contemplated on how I was to write this book review, I found no other way than to start it with the blurb, found on its book jacket. Basically, the story is in the point of view of Tania, who has dreams of becoming a chef. She interns for her Tita’s restaurant, Happy Belly, but ends up getting fired. In the middle of it all, she begins a likely interest in Rob, Matteo’s best friend who happens to like Tania. Which eventually, she finds out when Rob lets it slip during their time alone in Matteo’s birthday party. Confused with her feelings, not even being able to confide in her best friend, Bobbi, Tania’s saving grace arrives. Since losing her internship and her request to hold cooking classes for kids was turned down, the school’s department secretary appoints Tania and another student as ‘ambassadors’ for a program in Negros Occidental. Upon moving to ‘Farmville’ (as Tania had called it), she is assigned to a small school and is taken under the care of the Dizon family, who, apparently, are Matteo’s relatives when he, surprisingly, arrives one morning. From then on, they begin to plan for the fundraiser event for the school, explore Bacolod and all it has to offer, as well as discovering what they mean to each other. As Tania begins to be more conflicted with her crush for Rob and her budding interest on Matteo, who were both going to be present for the event, she invites Bobbi, as well, for support. As Matteo and Tania were driving home from the school, he reveals his plans of returning to Bacolod once graduation was over. The spur of the moment, thoughtlessly, catches Tania and she replies, ‘I’m going to miss you,’ and kisses Matteo – all this witnessed by both Rob and Bobbi, arriving earlier than scheduled – followed by Matteo’s friends, Gina and Terri. As the event approaches, Tania begins to avoid Matteo and when confronted by him of where their relationship stood, her silence gives him his answer and he walks away. In a desperate plea to save what was left of her and Matteo’s bond, Tania hatches a plan that Bobbi, Gina, Terri and Rob willingly agree upon. On the day of the fundraiser, Tania, along with her backup girls, Gina and Terri, get up on stage, belting out to Queen’s, Bohemian Rhapsody,  their unofficial ‘song’. Rockeoke was a suggestion that Matteo gave when the event was in its planning steps that Tania turned down – to appease him, was her utter embarrassment; in the end, it worked! Matteo was already crazy about her, but never was it  too late for her to realize that she was crazy for him, too. Last year, I remember my friend, Martina telling me that her sister was going to publish a book in 2012; I remember getting excited for her and for it. Little did I realize how much it would affect me; positively, of course. I bought the book last week and read it at exactly 6 p.m., on a lazy Sunday. In a span of 2 hours and 3o minutes, I was crumpled on my sofa, with this book in one hand, while the other flailed over my head, to cover my mouth, alongside gasps, ahhhs and sighs, and to be my aid when I was tickled with kilig! I have never read for my life as I did in that moment – the only times I had to stop were to sip my glass of water, to have dinner and to dash to the bathroom. Other than that, I may have spent the shortest time on a book, but, it made me feel the separation anxiety, as all good books do and it gave me memories, I won’t forget. I know in a book review, there’s supposed to be the pros and cons, but, really, I can’t say anything bad about it. It’s cliched, I guess, but, isn’t that what drives us to read in the first place? To watch these flimsy romance movies and rom-coms? It’s realistic in a sense, relatable in approach because it has every possibility to happen in real life and it may, already, have. (Not, to me, of course.) Also, I like the way Ines writes – the way she brought every character to life, creating different personalities that are unique to each of them and the way she described Bacolod through Tania’s eyes, brought imagery to mine and wishing, I, myself, was there. I, especially, like the way Tania was written, quick witted, independent and sharp, who somehow reminds me of Lizzie Bennett and Ines’ sister, Martina. And also, I speak as a non-foodie, but, totally retract the statement when I say that I felt absolutely starved reading the recipes in the book! I could smell the brownies’ scent wafting from the oven, could almost taste the batter of the Nutella cookies and imagining myself eat the ham and cheese crepe for breakfast! It was heavenly, even if it was only a dream. Yes, it is a must read and it’s been one of the memorable books I’ve read in awhile. Go, grab a copy and desperately fall in love with the characters as I have!

Check out @chasingstardust’s review of ONE CRAZY SUMMER. Thanks for writing this, Nik! :) 

nikkiandtheimaginarium:

Book Three of 2012 

Title: One Crazy Summer

Author: Ines Bautista Yao

“A Recipe for Disaster?

Ingredients:

1 college junior, fired from summer internship1 secret crush, the cute and flirty type1 crush’s best bud, with a secret of his own

1.  In a large bowl, mix together college junior and secret crush.2. Gradually add in crush’s best bud.3. Stir until best bud’s secret is revealed.4. Let mixture rest in a sleepy provincial town.5. Bake under the blaxing summer sun until golden brown (be careful, batter might burn).”

As I contemplated on how I was to write this book review, I found no other way than to start it with the blurb, found on its book jacket. Basically, the story is in the point of view of Tania, who has dreams of becoming a chef. She interns for her Tita’s restaurant, Happy Belly, but ends up getting fired. In the middle of it all, she begins a likely interest in Rob, Matteo’s best friend who happens to like Tania. Which eventually, she finds out when Rob lets it slip during their time alone in Matteo’s birthday party.

Confused with her feelings, not even being able to confide in her best friend, Bobbi, Tania’s saving grace arrives. Since losing her internship and her request to hold cooking classes for kids was turned down, the school’s department secretary appoints Tania and another student as ‘ambassadors’ for a program in Negros Occidental. Upon moving to ‘Farmville’ (as Tania had called it), she is assigned to a small school and is taken under the care of the Dizon family, who, apparently, are Matteo’s relatives when he, surprisingly, arrives one morning. From then on, they begin to plan for the fundraiser event for the school, explore Bacolod and all it has to offer, as well as discovering what they mean to each other.

As Tania begins to be more conflicted with her crush for Rob and her budding interest on Matteo, who were both going to be present for the event, she invites Bobbi, as well, for support. As Matteo and Tania were driving home from the school, he reveals his plans of returning to Bacolod once graduation was over. The spur of the moment, thoughtlessly, catches Tania and she replies, ‘I’m going to miss you,’ and kisses Matteo – all this witnessed by both Rob and Bobbi, arriving earlier than scheduled – followed by Matteo’s friends, Gina and Terri. As the event approaches, Tania begins to avoid Matteo and when confronted by him of where their relationship stood, her silence gives him his answer and he walks away.

In a desperate plea to save what was left of her and Matteo’s bond, Tania hatches a plan that Bobbi, Gina, Terri and Rob willingly agree upon. On the day of the fundraiser, Tania, along with her backup girls, Gina and Terri, get up on stage, belting out to Queen’s, Bohemian Rhapsody,  their unofficial ‘song’. Rockeoke was a suggestion that Matteo gave when the event was in its planning steps that Tania turned down – to appease him, was her utter embarrassment; in the end, it worked! Matteo was already crazy about her, but never was it  too late for her to realize that she was crazy for him, too.

Last year, I remember my friend, Martina telling me that her sister was going to publish a book in 2012; I remember getting excited for her and for it. Little did I realize how much it would affect me; positively, of course.

I bought the book last week and read it at exactly 6 p.m., on a lazy Sunday. In a span of 2 hours and 3o minutes, I was crumpled on my sofa, with this book in one hand, while the other flailed over my head, to cover my mouth, alongside gasps, ahhhs and sighs, and to be my aid when I was tickled with kilig! I have never read for my life as I did in that moment – the only times I had to stop were to sip my glass of water, to have dinner and to dash to the bathroom. Other than that, I may have spent the shortest time on a book, but, it made me feel the separation anxiety, as all good books do and it gave me memories, I won’t forget.

I know in a book review, there’s supposed to be the pros and cons, but, really, I can’t say anything bad about it. It’s cliched, I guess, but, isn’t that what drives us to read in the first place? To watch these flimsy romance movies and rom-coms? It’s realistic in a sense, relatable in approach because it has every possibility to happen in real life and it may, already, have. (Not, to me, of course.) Also, I like the way Ines writes – the way she brought every character to life, creating different personalities that are unique to each of them and the way she described Bacolod through Tania’s eyes, brought imagery to mine and wishing, I, myself, was there. I, especially, like the way Tania was written, quick witted, independent and sharp, who somehow reminds me of Lizzie Bennett and Ines’ sister, Martina.

And also, I speak as a non-foodie, but, totally retract the statement when I say that I felt absolutely starved reading the recipes in the book! I could smell the brownies’ scent wafting from the oven, could almost taste the batter of the Nutella cookies and imagining myself eat the ham and cheese crepe for breakfast! It was heavenly, even if it was only a dream.

Yes, it is a must read and it’s been one of the memorable books I’ve read in awhile. Go, grab a copy and desperately fall in love with the characters as I have!