bethgstories

When Everytime hit the radio in 2003, the tea was, it was Britney’s song to Justin. They had just broken up and this news was all over the world. Somehow, I interpreted the lyrics as Britney saying sorry to Justin because she cheated on him. Soon after, Cry Me A River was released, an alleged response to Britney’s melody of broken heart. At the time, it all fit – the lyrics, the news, the info we all had. Britney cheated on Justin. Britney’s pregnant but she got rid of the baby because her career would be ruined. Now, exactly 20 years later, we learned the other side of the story. I saw …Baby One More Time went to MTV for the first time. I liked Britney Spears . She was cute and an extremely talented dancer. Until she was linked to Nick Carter (oh yes, we’re petty like that as teenagers). As someone who saw the rise of Britney’s career, her book became my time capsule that brought me back to when I was a schoolgirl and all I had to do was finish my homework and gossip about these We

Manananggal. That vile, evil creature in Filipino horror films during their glory days in the 90s. Usually guised as the town’s mysterious pretty woman, the manananggal has always been the monster. She’s the villain that will be burned to death by the morning sun after the top of her lower body part is sprinkled with salt which prevents her upper half from connecting to it. Oh yes, that’s usually how it goes. But what if it is the other way around? What if the manananggal is actually the hero of the story (she could be the victim in her story ’cause it’s her story, right?)? What if someone dreams to be a manananggal and her wish has been granted? What if your girlfriend, your one true love and your heart’s only desire turns out to be this folklore monster? Good thing this group of indie authors actually thought about this other side of the story. Manananggal In The City gives this monster the chance to be the hero for once. There aren’t so many books about this – I only ever read o

Never tell your friends to lower their standards, especially when it comes to relationships. As a friend, you, of all people, should be the one encouraging them to know their worth. You should be the one telling them that they deserve better things, great things. You should be the one supporting them in aiming for that person who would commit to them, won’t hurt them, and would take care of them. If you’ve been on your own for a long time, you’d know what I am talking about. If you used your alone time to improve, take care of, and love yourself, you’d discover what you want from a relationship. And knowing what you want is important. We live in a world where all people have opinions on everything about all life aspects. It is important that your decisions are not easily swayed or influenced by them, people’s thoughts. Remember, your happiness and well-being is at stake. You wouldn’t want to end in a situation that does not genuinely fulfill you, which could lead to unhappiness and reg

It isn’t the first Chinese drama I’ve seen, but definitely the longest to linger in my head. It has been almost two months since I finished all 40 episodes of Fireworks Of My Heart in 5 freaking days, yet I still catch myself playing the damn thing while I work, laughing and getting smitten by my favorite scenes. I’d like to think that it is because it’s a challenge to get loose from the claws of Yang Yang ’s charms. But maybe, just maybe, this drama just loved me back and that is why I can’t get over it. Image Source Song Yan’s (Yang Yang) uniform won me over. Men in uniforms exude authority, responsibility, and protection and these things are all true about him. He is the fire station chief, responsible for bringing out only the best in the firefighters through intense and somewhat ruthless training, placing the safety not only of the entire city but also of his team members in his hands. While all of us would agree that all of these make him one hell of a dream boy, he is still not

Whoever said, “I am not buying anything,” is a traitor to oneself. It’s me. I am the traitor. But maybe I just said that because I had no idea that MIBF 2023 would be lit. I can’t remember which year I started attending the Manila International Book Fair – all I know is that I should be at the fair each year. It is the one time of the year when I get to meet my book-lover friends, fellow authors both old and new, and celebrity authors. It is the only other event where I could possibly maximize a fangirling experience aside from the idols I adore. MIBF 2022 was quite uninteresting (or maybe it was just me), and I kid you not the books I bought from last year were left untouched in my bookshelf. Hence the words, I’m not buying anything. Which proved that not all experiences are the same. Because again, MIBF 2023 was an exhilarating experience. The effects of my C-drama obsession My Korean boys will always have that special place in my heart, but ever since Wei Zhe Ming (Unforgettable Lo