bethgstories

I didn't plan on reading this book - but after reading Before The Coffee Gets Cold , I figured I need more dose of Japanese literature. I loved Strange Weather In Tokyo just as much, despite the time I took to finish reading it (I really miss the times when I can finish reading a book in one night). It was full of so many things I could relate to, things that I never thought could be beautiful if put together. Surprises, what? One thing I noticed in the two Japanese books I've read is that there were no surprises. No, of course, they weren't mystery books, but if you're expecting an unusual twist to the story, you'd be disappointed. This book is straightforward - you know what's going to happen, and it will happen. The art, however, lies on how the story unfolds, on haikus and little poems you'd stumble upon along the way. And the way it was written is just too beautiful it's almost lyrical. I know this is just a translation, so I could only imagine how ...

One of the many things I've learned from watching too much Kdrama is taking good care of my skin. For a brief period during the lockdown that I stopped my skincare routine, I felt like my skin was building grudges on me, lol! Anyway, I just knew I had to start over so I took refuge in Instagram and online beauty stores for new products to try. In my persistent search for local products that are worthy of my time and money, I stumbled upon Fltr Beauty. Fltr Beauty Brightening Set Fltr is a Filipino brand whose products range from skincare to makeup, including solid scents. What has drawn me to it is the fact that it's locally made, and the packaging is just too simple and minimalist, but elegant. It also doesn't have flashy advertisements and I think that's important - the product has to speak for itself. Later on, I've learned that the products are clean, meaning they only contain safe and non-toxic ingredients which is great for people who want to be cautious about...

After Love Lasts Forever , I wanted another feel-good drama that I could finish watching overnight. It wasn't easy to find one - it just so happened that Lee Jungshin was so cute in his latest vLive video (again, happy birthday Jungshin!) that I decided to look for his dramas. And, surprise, surprise! His 2018 drama, My First Love only has ten episodes and it's all about one of my favorite romance tropes - young love.  It was love at first sight - Kang Shinwoo was sure of it the moment he saw Han Jisoo sleeping on the bus all by herself. He had wanted only her ever since, and that's probably the reason why his heart had never beaten for someone else. Ten years later, they meet again, Jisoo appears to be remorseful in front of her. Too many questions need to be answered. What happened ten years ago, when Jisoo left him and their friends without a trace? Why did she leave without even saying goodbye? If only he could go back in time… And so he did. In that magical lake that ...

Gimme a drama to watch this weekend, I'm so sad, I told Russ last Friday and she recommended Koi wa Tsuzuku yo Doko Made mo (Love Lasts Forever). It's not Kdrama, she said, but it's like Heartstrings . Of course, as she was the first to witness me when I was losing myself to the seemingly arrogant but charming Lee Shin, she perfectly knew what I needed. Love Lasts Forever is a Japanese drama starring Takeru Sato (Rurouni Kenshin) and Mone Kamishiraishi (Your Name). It only has 10.5 episodes and it kept me up all night. Because why would I wait until the next day to finish when it was so good I didn't notice it was already 4:30 am? If Ultimate Crush were in front of me, I could look at him, say hi, and maybe ask him about how he liked the last film he's seen, or bring him some frozen cookies. Mind you, this happens after a few more meetings. But Nanase Sakura is bolder that anyone I knew, and she's one of the bravest women I've ever seen. The first time she s...

Oh yes, it's September and my favorite season of the year is fast approaching (can you hear the bells???) This year's Christmas might be a little different though, as there'd be no simbang gabi , and I doubt if there's ever gonna be puto bumbong and bibingka on the streets. Sure, there's bibingka and puto bumbong on Facebook Marketplace but eating them on the streets at dawn with your friends and the cool breeze reminds you that it's just less than 9 days before Christmas is different. Extra. A little magical. Anyway, we're still three months away though (the pandemic is over by then, who knows), and I should be writing about my bullet journal's September spread. It's not that different from my July spread which was pink and girly, it's just that my August spread has become my least favorite. I mean, it's cute in its own way, I used some green and yellow to experiment but maybe the colors didn't suit me and it gets a little distracting...

If you are given the chance to travel back in time, who are you going to meet? Would you rather go back to the past or see the future? What if there are a lot of conditions? What if there are limitations? Are you still going to do it? I came across this book via the internet, and though I could no longer remember what I was searching for that I came up with this result. I was probably drawn to it because the title has the word "coffee", plus the simplicity of the book cover worked its charm. The fact that it was written by a Japanese author also helped, as I am trying to widen the range of books I'm reading based on region. There's rarely Asian literature on my shelf (except for the books by Filipino authors) so I figured this could be a good addition. The hovering loneliness Cafe Funiculi Funicula is the book's prominent setting where all characters have met and told their respective stories. There's something lonely about the place, being so small that only ...

It's Tuesday morning and I dread logging in for work. I've been working since Sunday night (not sure how I was made to work ON A SUNDAY but apparently I did), and it felt like my private time is violated. As if I could get back the used time in one full blow. Anyway, instead of brooding over the lost time, lemme talk about some of the books in my shelf using the How I Choose My Books tag. I got it from The Bookish Underdog when I was looking for something to write about. Let's begin: 1. Find a book on your shelves or e-reader with a blue cover. What made you want to pick up this book? Far From Xanadu, Julie Anne Peters. I could have picked The Fault in the Stars (behind it) but I figured everyone must have read and heard about it. Plus, this one is already in front. This book is also called Pretend You Love Me (alternate title), and it's about unrequited love of all sorts. I got it in 2007 after reading Peter's 4 other books. Her writing is just so beautiful it...