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All's Fair in Blog and War
Five Cuevas @fivetravels
Three guesses to where I'm going next. Starts with an M. Ends with a U. Has a lechon named after it. #travel
Twenty-something travel blogger Five thinks she has hit the jackpot when she gets invited to glittering Macau for an all-expense-paid bloggers tour. Think majestic old churches, sparkling casinos, exhilarating bungee jumps, and the world's most unforgettable egg tarts. The trip is practically perfect, except for one little glitch. She gets assigned to be travel buddies with Jesse, the world's most infuriating photo blogger, and it's definitely war at first sight.
Will Five let Jesse turn her dream vacation into a total nightmare? Or will falling in love be on the itinerary?
Three guesses to where I'm going next. Starts with an M. Ends with a U. Has a lechon named after it. #travel
Twenty-something travel blogger Five thinks she has hit the jackpot when she gets invited to glittering Macau for an all-expense-paid bloggers tour. Think majestic old churches, sparkling casinos, exhilarating bungee jumps, and the world's most unforgettable egg tarts. The trip is practically perfect, except for one little glitch. She gets assigned to be travel buddies with Jesse, the world's most infuriating photo blogger, and it's definitely war at first sight.
Will Five let Jesse turn her dream vacation into a total nightmare? Or will falling in love be on the itinerary?
109 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2013
14 people are currently reading
372 people want to read
About the author
Chrissie Peria
8 books56 followersWhen not obsessing over fictional people doing fictional things, Chrissie obsesses about food: the eating, the cooking, and the procuring of it.
An advertising copywriter in her past life, she now spends most of her time writing, taking photos, cooking, and babysitting a tiny human and a curly-haired dog. She still plays with dolls and she thinks that bacon is the answer.
An advertising copywriter in her past life, she now spends most of her time writing, taking photos, cooking, and babysitting a tiny human and a curly-haired dog. She still plays with dolls and she thinks that bacon is the answer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
September 2, 2013
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
How I adore this novella! When I first saw All's Fair in Blog and War, I was drawn to the cover being reminded of the cover for The Assassin's Curse. Once I read the synopsis, I was hooked and knew this would be great to read. I loved that the main character, Five, writes a travel blog and gets invited on a tour of Macau, and the Twitter and Instagram references were a lot of fun. I knew this was a story definitely for me.
I didn't want to do anything else but soak up Five's story. There is not one thing about this girl I don't love! Some of her observations made me laugh ridiculously loud (good thing I was at home!), and it felt so good to laugh like that. Five's sense of humor is infectious and witty, and I would hang out with this character anytime. She'd make a fabulous travel buddy.
A few of my fave Five quotes:
~ "Can you believe this guy? It's like he's the only one among us who tweets and Instagrams."
~ "She proceeded to check her teeth for lipstick stains before puckering her lips, then winking at the mirror. At herself. Who are these people?"
~ "'They can take my money,'" I whimpered. "'My life is worth so much more.'"
There were also sweet moments as well as the heartbreaking ones. I loved the moments Five and Jesse shared - they were having fun without any pressure, just letting themselves go without any worries. They truly were living in the moment and enjoying this fantastic trip on which they were lucky enough to get invited. The relationship that developed between them was natural and easygoing. Even the heartbreaking moments were ones I couldn't tear myself away from, and I felt everything Five felt. I wanted to be her big sister and give her a hug.
So, All's Fair in Blog and War has a little bit of everything to offer. And not only did I get to read a fantastic and fun story, but I also learned a lot about Macau - a place I haven't heard of or been to before. Once I reached the end of the story, I had such a strong desire to hop on the computer and look up all of the attractions mentioned by the author. I want to see photos and read about Macau's history, and I know you will as well after you finish All's Fair in Blog and War.
How I adore this novella! When I first saw All's Fair in Blog and War, I was drawn to the cover being reminded of the cover for The Assassin's Curse. Once I read the synopsis, I was hooked and knew this would be great to read. I loved that the main character, Five, writes a travel blog and gets invited on a tour of Macau, and the Twitter and Instagram references were a lot of fun. I knew this was a story definitely for me.
I didn't want to do anything else but soak up Five's story. There is not one thing about this girl I don't love! Some of her observations made me laugh ridiculously loud (good thing I was at home!), and it felt so good to laugh like that. Five's sense of humor is infectious and witty, and I would hang out with this character anytime. She'd make a fabulous travel buddy.
A few of my fave Five quotes:
~ "Can you believe this guy? It's like he's the only one among us who tweets and Instagrams."
~ "She proceeded to check her teeth for lipstick stains before puckering her lips, then winking at the mirror. At herself. Who are these people?"
~ "'They can take my money,'" I whimpered. "'My life is worth so much more.'"
There were also sweet moments as well as the heartbreaking ones. I loved the moments Five and Jesse shared - they were having fun without any pressure, just letting themselves go without any worries. They truly were living in the moment and enjoying this fantastic trip on which they were lucky enough to get invited. The relationship that developed between them was natural and easygoing. Even the heartbreaking moments were ones I couldn't tear myself away from, and I felt everything Five felt. I wanted to be her big sister and give her a hug.
So, All's Fair in Blog and War has a little bit of everything to offer. And not only did I get to read a fantastic and fun story, but I also learned a lot about Macau - a place I haven't heard of or been to before. Once I reached the end of the story, I had such a strong desire to hop on the computer and look up all of the attractions mentioned by the author. I want to see photos and read about Macau's history, and I know you will as well after you finish All's Fair in Blog and War.
June 30, 2016
Review to be posted next week! :)
July 7, 2018
“Can you believe this guy? It’s like he’s the only one among us who tweets and Instagrams.”
It was short as this is a novella, all of the little details from the departure of Manila to Macau was kilig my face hurt from smiling. Smiling at them smiling at the Tweet like chapter titles included here too. There were so many scenes that I love (not limited to the sad ones.)
A light read but with a depth into it emphasizing the dynamics of sibling-bonding, friendship made through and love that will make you laugh, cry, send them hugs and fall in love.
April 23, 2017
Wow. wow. Wooowwww. All's Fair in Blog and War was sweet as a cupcake. Chrissie Peria drew me in when I saw this book was about travel bloggers + staying in a hotel/going on vacation together + a cute boy appears. That's my recipe for a good book. And at the end, when I was done, I can now say: this book is wonderful and everyone should read it.
Full review on the blog.
Full review on the blog.
July 29, 2013
Originally posted here.
One of my closest friends from the book club joined the #romanceclass that Filipino author Mina V. Esguerra has organized (and concluded) recently, so I more or less knew a bit of the group's goings-on. When Mina posted the summaries of the finished products of the "graduates" some weeks ago, one particular novella caught my eye: it was about a blogger who goes on an all-expense-paid trip to Macau, with an annoying fellow guy blogger who gets paired up with her as her travel buddy. Now this novella piqued my interest for two reasons: one, my very first trip abroad was in Macau, six years ago: and two, the protagonists are bloggers, something I have been doing for the last 9 years. I eagerly anticipated the release of the book, so when an Instagram photo from Mina herself alerted me of the book’s availability on Amazon, I did not hesitate to download it.
Chrissie Peria’s debut novella, All’s Fair in Love and War , is a very fun and light read. Five Cuevas, the twenty-something travel blogger heroine, is quirky, street-smart and sincere – her character is so likeable, so easy to relate to because any one of us could have gone through what she did, emotionally. On the other hand, Jesse Ruiz, her hunky fellow-blogger-slash-travel-buddy, starts out as the annoying know-it-all a**hole whose gentle, earnest side - surprisingly - shines during the trip itself.
What's in store for Five and Jesse?
There are so many things that I truly loved about the book. I thought the use of #hashtags for the chapter titles was clever and appropriately reflective of today’s internet-reliant generation, much in the same way that Twitter and Instagram were utilized as means of showing how information is now disseminated to the world, how significant social media is today. I loved the smart-alecky dialogue, lending credibility and honesty to the characters’ voices – even mow-del Meghan was able to deliver as support. I loved how uncomplicated the plot is, something I have always appreciated in light reads such as these – it’s like I’m watching my favorite romantic comedy on TV because I had the same warm, fuzzy feeling inside. And most of all, it was fun to read all about Macau – one of my most favorite places in the whole wide world because it is the first foreign place I have ever visited in my life. Look, I wrote this blog entry from my trip years ago!
Reading about Five’s experience felt like I was transported back to Macau: the cobblestoned and tourist-packed Senado Square or Largo de Senado in San Malo, the historic Ruins of St. Paul or the Ruinas de Sao Paolo, the prestigious Macau Tower which houses the highest bungee jump facility in the world, the beautiful and grand The Venetian – Macau, and many, many more. I could almost taste the soft egg tarts, the sweet almond cookies and Phoenix egg rolls – all from Pasteleria Koi Kei, one of the more famous pastelerias around the downtown area. It felt like I was experiencing Macau all over again through Five – minus the hunky guy and mobile internet access, of course, but it’s okay. I always tell friends to visit Macau because it’s the perfect example of a very rich East-meets-West culture, and I will never tire of doing so.
However, while All’s Fair in Blog and War was fun and fluff and happy, I thought it could have used just a bit more of editing. I do not claim to be an expert proof-reader (or an expert anything, really) but I always get bothered by non-hyphenated words that are used as adjectives; punctuation, or the lack of it, can change the thought or meaning of a sentence. An example is this, quoting from the book: “From seeing the old world wonders of the various UNESCO World Heritage sites to being mesmerized by the mind blowing musical productions to losing money in the casinos, we experienced it all.” I’m taking this means that the speaker was mesmerized because his/her mind blew musical productions? I also noted a few typographical errors - nothing that a meticulous and diligent proofreader would be unable to spot right away.
Despite those little technical things, however, it is clear that this romance novella holds a lot of promise for its first-time author. I am sure that Chrissie’s next outing will be as enjoyable as this one. That is definitely something to look forward to. :)
GIVEAWAY!
And because Chrissie is such a generous soul, she has offered to give away digital copies of All’s Fair in Love and War to three (3) lucky readers. This is open to everyone – whether in the Philippines or abroad – all you have to is head over to my blog for the mechanics. Thank you! :D
May 30, 2018
The perfect novella I never knew I needed - short and incredibly sweet! Five and Jesse gave me all the feels, swooning over and over again. And I *love* stories about traveling, so romantic! <3
July 30, 2013
Original Post HERE
When this novella was brought to my attention. I knew that this had a fair shot with me, despite the fact that I am not quite so big on contemporary romance. Two words: Blogging and Travelling. These are two activities that are familiar to me and which I have considerably enjoyed. The former, at a greater extent that the latter because I found myself being more of a lazy-ass of late. Lazy to pack, lazy to book the trip, lazy to haul myself off my really nice chair. But I have found other means (and much cheaper really) of travelling that suits me to a tee. Reading books. Starting with this one. Off to Macau we go! (heigh-ho, heigh-ho, heigh-ho)
First off, Loved the Prologue. It appealed to my love for anything that comes across as mysterious and enigmatic. And in this case, it was a glove. It foreshadows that some sort of heartbreak will be involved the future, and I was curious as to how that will happen. So, I caught the hook, time to be reeled in.
The protagonist, Five Cuevas, is a likeable character. She leans more towards the unassuming female lead type. Although, she does not really stand out, but she is relatable and identifiable, for me, at least, since I have been known as the most OC in my family and my group of friends usually accuse me of being the old lady of the group. Or what is referred to in this novella as the buzzkill. So yeah, I know Five and that made the story much more enjoyable for me.
The setting is also nicely crafted. Honestly, it was like I was in Macau. The scenery and the feel of the place is quite vivid. And the food descriptions border on mouth watering, and I am just reading off my Kindle then. Never had an egg tart, mind you.
The dialogue is brisk and snappy and quite funny in certain parts. The story is undeniably very easy to get into. I was quite anticipating the Valentine Scrooge, to come out with his trope-radar, ping-pinging all over. I don't mind tropes really, because what would I read then? They just have to be done to my taste. And not like say, extremely long or constant descriptions of body parts, or overwrought touchy feelys. But there was none of that here. It was light and sweet. I call it a minimalist romance, which is my kind of romance. There is that general atmosphere of will they or will they not, that kept me reading straight. It is suffice to say that I finished this in one sitting because I really wanted to know right then, what happens to them.
I know that I truly enjoyed this story, because I can pick out certain scenes or details that I liked. Instead of just a blur of smooze, and mush. From the top of my head, the "DIE" scene is pretty cool, I want that waterproof ink thingy; the pistachio ice cream scene was kind of cute; the glove scene was very kilig-inducing.
It would have been nice though if, as the story progresses, I could have gotten a little more about who Jesse is, aside from being the charming big brother type. And Five too. While her character was explored more than Jesse, and I already liked her from the get go, I still wished for more meat and insight into who they are, to make them more rounded.
Overall, I can say I had a great time reading this novella. I highly recommend this for anyone's travel read, or a weekend read, or a beach read, or a comfy couch read, or a patio read, (if you have a patio). It's lovely, light, and egg-tarty sweet story, with just the right amount of crispness for texture. :D
When this novella was brought to my attention. I knew that this had a fair shot with me, despite the fact that I am not quite so big on contemporary romance. Two words: Blogging and Travelling. These are two activities that are familiar to me and which I have considerably enjoyed. The former, at a greater extent that the latter because I found myself being more of a lazy-ass of late. Lazy to pack, lazy to book the trip, lazy to haul myself off my really nice chair. But I have found other means (and much cheaper really) of travelling that suits me to a tee. Reading books. Starting with this one. Off to Macau we go! (heigh-ho, heigh-ho, heigh-ho)
First off, Loved the Prologue. It appealed to my love for anything that comes across as mysterious and enigmatic. And in this case, it was a glove. It foreshadows that some sort of heartbreak will be involved the future, and I was curious as to how that will happen. So, I caught the hook, time to be reeled in.
The protagonist, Five Cuevas, is a likeable character. She leans more towards the unassuming female lead type. Although, she does not really stand out, but she is relatable and identifiable, for me, at least, since I have been known as the most OC in my family and my group of friends usually accuse me of being the old lady of the group. Or what is referred to in this novella as the buzzkill. So yeah, I know Five and that made the story much more enjoyable for me.
The setting is also nicely crafted. Honestly, it was like I was in Macau. The scenery and the feel of the place is quite vivid. And the food descriptions border on mouth watering, and I am just reading off my Kindle then. Never had an egg tart, mind you.
The dialogue is brisk and snappy and quite funny in certain parts. The story is undeniably very easy to get into. I was quite anticipating the Valentine Scrooge, to come out with his trope-radar, ping-pinging all over. I don't mind tropes really, because what would I read then? They just have to be done to my taste. And not like say, extremely long or constant descriptions of body parts, or overwrought touchy feelys. But there was none of that here. It was light and sweet. I call it a minimalist romance, which is my kind of romance. There is that general atmosphere of will they or will they not, that kept me reading straight. It is suffice to say that I finished this in one sitting because I really wanted to know right then, what happens to them.
I know that I truly enjoyed this story, because I can pick out certain scenes or details that I liked. Instead of just a blur of smooze, and mush. From the top of my head, the "DIE" scene is pretty cool, I want that waterproof ink thingy; the pistachio ice cream scene was kind of cute; the glove scene was very kilig-inducing.
It would have been nice though if, as the story progresses, I could have gotten a little more about who Jesse is, aside from being the charming big brother type. And Five too. While her character was explored more than Jesse, and I already liked her from the get go, I still wished for more meat and insight into who they are, to make them more rounded.
Overall, I can say I had a great time reading this novella. I highly recommend this for anyone's travel read, or a weekend read, or a beach read, or a comfy couch read, or a patio read, (if you have a patio). It's lovely, light, and egg-tarty sweet story, with just the right amount of crispness for texture. :D
July 1, 2013
Original post from One More Page
I've been in a reading rut in the past month because I was too busy doing something else, and that "something else" is writing my novella. I took my own sweet time reading our book club's book of the month because I couldn't focus on it, and I didn't have any desire to read anything else that isn't contemporary romance because it was all my mind can handle that time. When one of our classmates in #romanceclass released her book into the wild last week, I automatically bought it and loaded it into my Kindle. For one, it's contemporary romance, which is just what I need; it's Filipino; and finally, it's a classmate's work, so I should support! (Plus, look at that gorgeous cover!) I finished reading this in a day, and when I was done, I found myself thinking, "What reading rut?"
In Chrissie Peria's All's Fair in Blog and War , we meet Five Cuevas, a virtual assistant by night and travel blogger the rest of the time, reading an email from the Macau Tourism Board inviting her for an all-expense paid trip to Macau. It was something I would joyfully jump into, and Five does the same thing. It was exciting, until she meets Jesse Ruiz, the photoblogger who gets in her way and on her nerves. She's determined not to let him ruin her trip, but it's proving just a bit hard when she was partnered with him for the rest of the trip.
Okay, this is fun. So much fun. I love books with blogging, regardless of whatever kind of blogging that is. I love Five's voice, and her passion for traveling and writing about it. I love the entire set-up and how she and Jesse met, and how their relationship grew in the story. It was a short trip, but it was believable, and reading the story made me want to go to Macau, or at least, find myself some egg tarts! There were so many lines in the book that made me smile, and it's no surprise that I breezed through it because I just wanted to keep on reading to know what happens to them in the end.
Granted, the story could be longer, and there could have been more tension, but for a quick and light read, All's Fair in Blog and War really works. It's the kind you'd want to read on a trip, or the kind you'd recommend to a friend who's going on a trip (I did that), or the kind you'd recommend to a friend who's looking for a light read (I also did this). I was happy with the ending, and how they got to the ending, especially for a social media/blogging junkie like me. :P If you're a blogger, a traveler or a reader (or, maybe even all) who is looking for a light and sweet contemporary romance fix, then All's Fair in Blog and War is a book for you. :)
I've been in a reading rut in the past month because I was too busy doing something else, and that "something else" is writing my novella. I took my own sweet time reading our book club's book of the month because I couldn't focus on it, and I didn't have any desire to read anything else that isn't contemporary romance because it was all my mind can handle that time. When one of our classmates in #romanceclass released her book into the wild last week, I automatically bought it and loaded it into my Kindle. For one, it's contemporary romance, which is just what I need; it's Filipino; and finally, it's a classmate's work, so I should support! (Plus, look at that gorgeous cover!) I finished reading this in a day, and when I was done, I found myself thinking, "What reading rut?"
In Chrissie Peria's All's Fair in Blog and War , we meet Five Cuevas, a virtual assistant by night and travel blogger the rest of the time, reading an email from the Macau Tourism Board inviting her for an all-expense paid trip to Macau. It was something I would joyfully jump into, and Five does the same thing. It was exciting, until she meets Jesse Ruiz, the photoblogger who gets in her way and on her nerves. She's determined not to let him ruin her trip, but it's proving just a bit hard when she was partnered with him for the rest of the trip.
Okay, this is fun. So much fun. I love books with blogging, regardless of whatever kind of blogging that is. I love Five's voice, and her passion for traveling and writing about it. I love the entire set-up and how she and Jesse met, and how their relationship grew in the story. It was a short trip, but it was believable, and reading the story made me want to go to Macau, or at least, find myself some egg tarts! There were so many lines in the book that made me smile, and it's no surprise that I breezed through it because I just wanted to keep on reading to know what happens to them in the end.
Granted, the story could be longer, and there could have been more tension, but for a quick and light read, All's Fair in Blog and War really works. It's the kind you'd want to read on a trip, or the kind you'd recommend to a friend who's going on a trip (I did that), or the kind you'd recommend to a friend who's looking for a light read (I also did this). I was happy with the ending, and how they got to the ending, especially for a social media/blogging junkie like me. :P If you're a blogger, a traveler or a reader (or, maybe even all) who is looking for a light and sweet contemporary romance fix, then All's Fair in Blog and War is a book for you. :)
March 1, 2016
Please note that I gave this novella 3.5 stars. However, Goodreads does not allow for half stars so I rounded up to 4 stars here.
I bought this sometime last year and just finally read it this weekend because March is going to be Blue cleans up and reads every book that is on her Kindle. Or at least. reads a good amount. FYI, I have a ridiculous amount of books to get through that are on my Kindle.
This book centers around a blogger nicknamed Five getting an all expenses trip paid to go to Macau with three other bloggers. Since this was a novella there was not a lot of time set aside to set up Five's background or really her family. We get some tidbits here and there, but unfortunately we didn't get a good grasp of things going on in her family or work situation.
I applaud Peria for having a Filipino heroine and having a love interest who was not a white male was great. But really the chemistry between Five and her love interest was just meh. I was not here for that. Probably because it started off as typical, guy acts like a jerk, apologizes for being a jerk, and girl starts to develop feelings for the guy and wonders if he is "the one."
The other side characters in this book were just paper thin though. The other two bloggers were just background noise, though the female blogger irked the crap out of me with her hoping to hook up with one of the guys and getting in Five's business. She reminds me of a woman I met on a weekend getaway with friends who kept insisting a guy was interested in me and seemed upset that I was like okay, that's nice, please stop talking to me.
What was great was the writing related to Macau. I have never been and this novella gave me a taste for what I could see and experience if I ever go to this country. I wanted more details that included all of the sites and food you can eat. What was also really cool is at the end of this novella, Peria provides links to Five's instagram along with her love interest, so I got a little kick at looking at pics that her character took in Macau.
The ending was very happily ever after, I wish that it could have been longer, or there would be a full length novel showcasing Five traveling.
I bought this sometime last year and just finally read it this weekend because March is going to be Blue cleans up and reads every book that is on her Kindle. Or at least. reads a good amount. FYI, I have a ridiculous amount of books to get through that are on my Kindle.
This book centers around a blogger nicknamed Five getting an all expenses trip paid to go to Macau with three other bloggers. Since this was a novella there was not a lot of time set aside to set up Five's background or really her family. We get some tidbits here and there, but unfortunately we didn't get a good grasp of things going on in her family or work situation.
I applaud Peria for having a Filipino heroine and having a love interest who was not a white male was great. But really the chemistry between Five and her love interest was just meh. I was not here for that. Probably because it started off as typical, guy acts like a jerk, apologizes for being a jerk, and girl starts to develop feelings for the guy and wonders if he is "the one."
The other side characters in this book were just paper thin though. The other two bloggers were just background noise, though the female blogger irked the crap out of me with her hoping to hook up with one of the guys and getting in Five's business. She reminds me of a woman I met on a weekend getaway with friends who kept insisting a guy was interested in me and seemed upset that I was like okay, that's nice, please stop talking to me.
What was great was the writing related to Macau. I have never been and this novella gave me a taste for what I could see and experience if I ever go to this country. I wanted more details that included all of the sites and food you can eat. What was also really cool is at the end of this novella, Peria provides links to Five's instagram along with her love interest, so I got a little kick at looking at pics that her character took in Macau.
The ending was very happily ever after, I wish that it could have been longer, or there would be a full length novel showcasing Five traveling.
January 2, 2015
My saving grace because The New York Trilogy made me feel like I have no more brains left. (Jessie aka Jhimboy, sigh.)
***UPDATE***
Also posted in It's A Wonderful Bookworld.
Lovely cover, ain't it? More so if you get the paper copy. Hee. But this novella is more than just a pretty cover.
I admit that the only thing that made me want to read Chrissie Peria's debut novella, All's Fair In Blog And War, was because the main character is a blogger -- a hobby that I also enjoy doing for a few years now (three years, to be precise) even though what I blog about is different from Five's. Another theme of the story is traveling, but I had been not so thrilled of reading about Macau. Although I also enjoy traveling, the places I badly want to go to are in the Philippines (still, if I'm given the chance to travel abroad for free like Five, who am I to refuse?) That said, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is fun, light, and gave me the right feels I wanted after reading two mind-bending books successively.
Although most of the scenes in the book aren't new already (i.e. the elevator scene, the wiping of food crumbs scene, the hotel room scare scene) there are still several things that made me love the book: I loved the hashtags as chapter titles. I also loved the references to Twitter and Instagram -- social networking sites that I confess I am (a little bit) addicted to. I also like Five. It was so easy to get into Five's character. She is smart, and also mildly sarcastic, at least when it comes to her personal thoughts. And then, of course, there's Jessie, aka Jhimboy. I am allowed to swoon over bookish characters, right?
And then there were the egg tarts. Honestly, I haven't tried any egg tart before but I surely would one of these days. In the same way that I'm going to add Macau in my bucket list for travels now, go to all the places that Five and Jessie went to, and also bungee jump. No, scratch that. Oh wait, I actually wrote that? Crap.
Another thing that made this book such a hit with me was the last few chapters (i.e. post Macau chapters). They brought back very awkward and embarrassing moments -- at least, I can say that now -- although at the time I thought it was the end of the world for me. Unrequited love, anyone? Haha! :P
Finally, another thing I liked about All's Fair In Blog And War is that it did not dwell too much on the characters' appearances. I didn't get to read about Jessie's hair or Five's hips or Jessie's abs (although little bit of this would be okay too :P). Despite the lack of attention to the looks, I still enjoyed the kilig moments, because they were given in just the right doses and in perfect timing. Not too hurried, not too prolonged. Perfectly swoon-worthy for some one who is so easy to please such as me.
I thought I'd complain again of an abrupt ending. But this one ended neatly. I loved it. Pass me that egg tart, please?
***UPDATE***
Also posted in It's A Wonderful Bookworld.
Lovely cover, ain't it? More so if you get the paper copy. Hee. But this novella is more than just a pretty cover.
I admit that the only thing that made me want to read Chrissie Peria's debut novella, All's Fair In Blog And War, was because the main character is a blogger -- a hobby that I also enjoy doing for a few years now (three years, to be precise) even though what I blog about is different from Five's. Another theme of the story is traveling, but I had been not so thrilled of reading about Macau. Although I also enjoy traveling, the places I badly want to go to are in the Philippines (still, if I'm given the chance to travel abroad for free like Five, who am I to refuse?) That said, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is fun, light, and gave me the right feels I wanted after reading two mind-bending books successively.
Although most of the scenes in the book aren't new already (i.e. the elevator scene, the wiping of food crumbs scene, the hotel room scare scene) there are still several things that made me love the book: I loved the hashtags as chapter titles. I also loved the references to Twitter and Instagram -- social networking sites that I confess I am (a little bit) addicted to. I also like Five. It was so easy to get into Five's character. She is smart, and also mildly sarcastic, at least when it comes to her personal thoughts. And then, of course, there's Jessie, aka Jhimboy. I am allowed to swoon over bookish characters, right?
And then there were the egg tarts. Honestly, I haven't tried any egg tart before but I surely would one of these days. In the same way that I'm going to add Macau in my bucket list for travels now, go to all the places that Five and Jessie went to, and also bungee jump. No, scratch that. Oh wait, I actually wrote that? Crap.
Another thing that made this book such a hit with me was the last few chapters (i.e. post Macau chapters). They brought back very awkward and embarrassing moments -- at least, I can say that now -- although at the time I thought it was the end of the world for me. Unrequited love, anyone? Haha! :P
Finally, another thing I liked about All's Fair In Blog And War is that it did not dwell too much on the characters' appearances. I didn't get to read about Jessie's hair or Five's hips or Jessie's abs (although little bit of this would be okay too :P). Despite the lack of attention to the looks, I still enjoyed the kilig moments, because they were given in just the right doses and in perfect timing. Not too hurried, not too prolonged. Perfectly swoon-worthy for some one who is so easy to please such as me.
I thought I'd complain again of an abrupt ending. But this one ended neatly. I loved it. Pass me that egg tart, please?
February 2, 2015
*Also posted at Oops! I Read A Book Again*
Thank you to Chrissie for gifting me a signed copy! Having received a copy from the author did not affect my views of the novel.
FYI, All's Fair in Blog and War won in the 2014 Filipino Readers' Choice Awards as Best Romance in English. If that isn't reason enough for you to read this book, then let me list the reasons why you should.
1. Characters. Five is so fun to read! I mean, with a cute and quirky nickname such as Five and the even cuter and quirkier story behind it, I knew I'll love Five. She's a bit shy and quiet but when a person tramples on her (AKA closes the elevator door when she yelled to hold it for her), she doesn't back down and she'll assert herself. She's afraid of heights but she challenges herself to bungee jump in Macau. Five is SO my kind of person that it was such a joy to read this story from her perspective.
Jesse as the love interest was sweet and the perfect counterpart to Five's bit of shyness. He's a go-getter and Five even finds him arrogant and infuriating at the start. I don't want to expound on Jesse because seriously, the fun is in getting to know him alongside Five.
Our secondary characters also add spice and even more fun to the reading experience and you'll love getting to know them too.
2. Travel! If you love traveling or fancy yourself going to Macau, you'll love this read. I went to Macau a few years back and it was enjoyable to relive all the tourist spots with all our characters. If you haven't, I'm sure AFIBAW will make you want to jump and get your ass to Macau.
3. Food! Chrissie Peria is a foodie and she actually keeps a food blog and it shows because while AFIBAW's food descriptions are so mouthwatering. You'll get the travel itch AND all the cravings when you read AFIBAW.
4. Romance. I mean, PLEASE. Five hated Jesse at first then they got to know each other in Macau. COME ON. Love/hate romance + travel romance = THANK YOU, CHRISSIE. Then that ending? I need a Jesse, okay?
5. THAT COVER. You have to own the paperback of this, guys. (You can contact Chrissie Peria for Philippine residents!) THE PRETTY WILL BLIND YOU. Well, not really but you understand it, right? It's neat and gorgeous and perfect for the story. Love love this cover. And the title.
Clocking in only 108 pages (in a small paperback too), All's Fair in Blog and War is such a fun, sweet and breezy read. If you're looking for something short yet ultimately rewarding to pass the time and make you squeak with all the giddy feels. I highly recommend All's Fair in Blog and War to travel and romance buffs alike! (And travel romance heehee)
Thank you to Chrissie for gifting me a signed copy! Having received a copy from the author did not affect my views of the novel.
FYI, All's Fair in Blog and War won in the 2014 Filipino Readers' Choice Awards as Best Romance in English. If that isn't reason enough for you to read this book, then let me list the reasons why you should.
1. Characters. Five is so fun to read! I mean, with a cute and quirky nickname such as Five and the even cuter and quirkier story behind it, I knew I'll love Five. She's a bit shy and quiet but when a person tramples on her (AKA closes the elevator door when she yelled to hold it for her), she doesn't back down and she'll assert herself. She's afraid of heights but she challenges herself to bungee jump in Macau. Five is SO my kind of person that it was such a joy to read this story from her perspective.
Jesse as the love interest was sweet and the perfect counterpart to Five's bit of shyness. He's a go-getter and Five even finds him arrogant and infuriating at the start. I don't want to expound on Jesse because seriously, the fun is in getting to know him alongside Five.
Our secondary characters also add spice and even more fun to the reading experience and you'll love getting to know them too.
2. Travel! If you love traveling or fancy yourself going to Macau, you'll love this read. I went to Macau a few years back and it was enjoyable to relive all the tourist spots with all our characters. If you haven't, I'm sure AFIBAW will make you want to jump and get your ass to Macau.
3. Food! Chrissie Peria is a foodie and she actually keeps a food blog and it shows because while AFIBAW's food descriptions are so mouthwatering. You'll get the travel itch AND all the cravings when you read AFIBAW.
4. Romance. I mean, PLEASE. Five hated Jesse at first then they got to know each other in Macau. COME ON. Love/hate romance + travel romance = THANK YOU, CHRISSIE. Then that ending? I need a Jesse, okay?
5. THAT COVER. You have to own the paperback of this, guys. (You can contact Chrissie Peria for Philippine residents!) THE PRETTY WILL BLIND YOU. Well, not really but you understand it, right? It's neat and gorgeous and perfect for the story. Love love this cover. And the title.
Clocking in only 108 pages (in a small paperback too), All's Fair in Blog and War is such a fun, sweet and breezy read. If you're looking for something short yet ultimately rewarding to pass the time and make you squeak with all the giddy feels. I highly recommend All's Fair in Blog and War to travel and romance buffs alike! (And travel romance heehee)
November 15, 2017
All's Fair in Blog and War was an enjoyable 107-paged light and sweet read.
Before I proceed in divulging my thoughts about All's Fair in Blog and War, I would just like to share with you on how I was able to acquire a copy of it. It came to me as a sweet surprise, actually. Yesterday I received a direct message on Twitter from Ana Tejano (Author of Fall like Rain, which I currently reviewed and featured here on my blog) saying that I won from her giveaway. Apparently my book review for Fall like Rain was the 50th review posted on Goodreads and she has this on-going secret giveaway in which to reward the ones who posted the 49th and 50th review. What were the chances of me getting this lucky? Probably this one time! She asked me to pick any book from #romanceclass as a prize and I got way too flustered. There are a lot of books that I've been eyeing from #romanceclass (others are already sitting on my Kindle waiting to be read) and so I asked Ana if she has any suggestion. Then she asked what I'm up for reading and in which I told her that I feel like reading a book under the friends to lovers or love and hate relationship trope.
That's when this violet-covered book popped into my mind! I told Ana that I've chosen All's Fair in Blog and War by Chrissie Peria (since I've been wanting to read it) and she proceeded to gift it to me on Kindle. So before yesterday, I wouldn't have thought of being able to breeze through this book today. Yes, I breezed through it!
Thank you again, Ana for being my Kindle fairy!
All's Fair in Blog and War follows the story of travel blogger, Five Cuevas, who got invited (along with few selected bloggers) by the Macau Tourism Board for a familiarization trip to the said place. The trip aims to introduce the bloggers and have them enjoy Macau's different offerings in terms of culture, cuisine, entertainment and attractions. It's going to be an all-paid expense trip - from the accommodations, airfare, meal and so on. They are going to enjoy the place without spending a dime. Lucky them! Well, except for the pasalubongs. In turn they have to feature their experiences in Macau on their respective blogs which is basically still a win on their side considering the traffic that they could get out of it.
Seems like everything is going smoothly for Five, huh? Well, not for long. When the day of the blogger's orientation came, luck was certainly not on her side. A string of unfortunate events happened and caused for her to be late. But what made her fume was the unexpected and rude encounter that she had with a guy who chose to close the elevator doors on her face.
Fate is truly playing with her.
When she entered the venue for their orientation, she was surprised to see that the same guy from the elevator is in attendance. Jesse, also a travel blogger and soon to be her buddy in Macau. Oh good, that just made Five even more excited about their trip. Not.
I've been attracted to the cover for All's Fair in Blog and War ever since I first saw it. Just look at the color, how neat and pretty the title is placed. Although it doesn't boast a travel blogger feel, it definitely got the romance thing down pat. Do take note of all the things that you see on the cover because it plays a big part on Five and Jesse's story. *winks*
Five Cuevas is an identifiable character. She's more on the quiet and shy type. But a certain assertiveness comes to play whenever it is needed. Or whenever she knows that she's in the right. She takes charge and fights for her principles. She's slightly OC but definitely benefits her as a travel blogger since she makes well-thought of plans for her trips. She's also a street-smart. Despite being called buzzkill, Five is a fun and cool gal. She knows how to have fun in her own way. Though, we also see her breaking out of her comfort-zone and trying new things out. With the help of Jesse. But one thing that's noticeable about her in the beginning of the story is how fast her prejudice can build up. I know it wasn't the best first meeting that she had with Jesse but reading her thoughts and how things are escalating quickly in her mind thrown me off. Five's animosity towards Jesse is amusing.
Here comes Jesse to prove her wrong.
In Five's mind, Jesse's the rude elevator guy but just you wait for the reason behind this scene. It's cute and funny. A quick run through about Jesse: he's an art director for an elite ad agency, photographer and travel blogger. In spite of being quite loaded in his career aspect, Jesse was nothing but a regular, dorky and perfect gentleman towards Five and the crew. He's the opposite of Five, a go-getter and risk-taker. I love how he accommodated and encouraged Five in doing something out of the ordinary. Just from that you know that he perfectly complements Five's strengths and weaknesses and vice versa.
Okay, let's talk about the romance. Peria totally brought her A-game in this book. Five's animosity fueled sparks to fly between her and Jesse. I love the tension, slow-burn romance and sweet moments that they have shared. You can feel the air shifting between them. I always look forward to witnessing this particular aspect in romance books. Five and Jesse's moments wherein they explore Macau were so chill and sweet. One of the perks in reading a novella is you can easily remember the scenes that transpired in the story. Like the elevator encounter, kilig-worthy gloves scene, when they visited The Ruins of St. Paul and more. But look forward the most to Jesse's grand gesture towards the end. Damn, boy!
Where can I find my own Jesse?
With travel blogging involved in the plot, I was highly curious as to how it will affect on how this story will be told. My expectations was also building up. So kudos to Chrissie Peria for successfully writing a story that managed to transport me all the way from the Philippines to Macau! I haven't been there but through her descriptive and in detail writing, it felt like I was touring the place alongside Five and Jesse. It was so easy to imagine the streets, attractions that they visited and food that they munched on (that had me salivating, so much). I know I want more of Five and Jesse, let their characters be fleshed out and experience more epic things together. But within 107 pages, Peria was able to let me experience Macau, feel the romance and get her key points across.
All's Fair in Blog and War brings prejudices in the forefront of its story. On how it can affect our thinking and relationship with the people around us. There's nothing wrong with having first impressions because that's normal. But what's wrong is having those clouding our minds and not being able to get to know the person more because of it. Also a big check mark on how it highlighted conquering our fears or the things that we hide ourselves from.
If you want a romance novella that you can breeze through, I highly suggest that you pick this one up. It's only $0.99 on Kindle! <3
Before I proceed in divulging my thoughts about All's Fair in Blog and War, I would just like to share with you on how I was able to acquire a copy of it. It came to me as a sweet surprise, actually. Yesterday I received a direct message on Twitter from Ana Tejano (Author of Fall like Rain, which I currently reviewed and featured here on my blog) saying that I won from her giveaway. Apparently my book review for Fall like Rain was the 50th review posted on Goodreads and she has this on-going secret giveaway in which to reward the ones who posted the 49th and 50th review. What were the chances of me getting this lucky? Probably this one time! She asked me to pick any book from #romanceclass as a prize and I got way too flustered. There are a lot of books that I've been eyeing from #romanceclass (others are already sitting on my Kindle waiting to be read) and so I asked Ana if she has any suggestion. Then she asked what I'm up for reading and in which I told her that I feel like reading a book under the friends to lovers or love and hate relationship trope.
That's when this violet-covered book popped into my mind! I told Ana that I've chosen All's Fair in Blog and War by Chrissie Peria (since I've been wanting to read it) and she proceeded to gift it to me on Kindle. So before yesterday, I wouldn't have thought of being able to breeze through this book today. Yes, I breezed through it!
Thank you again, Ana for being my Kindle fairy!
All's Fair in Blog and War follows the story of travel blogger, Five Cuevas, who got invited (along with few selected bloggers) by the Macau Tourism Board for a familiarization trip to the said place. The trip aims to introduce the bloggers and have them enjoy Macau's different offerings in terms of culture, cuisine, entertainment and attractions. It's going to be an all-paid expense trip - from the accommodations, airfare, meal and so on. They are going to enjoy the place without spending a dime. Lucky them! Well, except for the pasalubongs. In turn they have to feature their experiences in Macau on their respective blogs which is basically still a win on their side considering the traffic that they could get out of it.
Seems like everything is going smoothly for Five, huh? Well, not for long. When the day of the blogger's orientation came, luck was certainly not on her side. A string of unfortunate events happened and caused for her to be late. But what made her fume was the unexpected and rude encounter that she had with a guy who chose to close the elevator doors on her face.
Fate is truly playing with her.
When she entered the venue for their orientation, she was surprised to see that the same guy from the elevator is in attendance. Jesse, also a travel blogger and soon to be her buddy in Macau. Oh good, that just made Five even more excited about their trip. Not.
I've been attracted to the cover for All's Fair in Blog and War ever since I first saw it. Just look at the color, how neat and pretty the title is placed. Although it doesn't boast a travel blogger feel, it definitely got the romance thing down pat. Do take note of all the things that you see on the cover because it plays a big part on Five and Jesse's story. *winks*
Five Cuevas is an identifiable character. She's more on the quiet and shy type. But a certain assertiveness comes to play whenever it is needed. Or whenever she knows that she's in the right. She takes charge and fights for her principles. She's slightly OC but definitely benefits her as a travel blogger since she makes well-thought of plans for her trips. She's also a street-smart. Despite being called buzzkill, Five is a fun and cool gal. She knows how to have fun in her own way. Though, we also see her breaking out of her comfort-zone and trying new things out. With the help of Jesse. But one thing that's noticeable about her in the beginning of the story is how fast her prejudice can build up. I know it wasn't the best first meeting that she had with Jesse but reading her thoughts and how things are escalating quickly in her mind thrown me off. Five's animosity towards Jesse is amusing.
Here comes Jesse to prove her wrong.
In Five's mind, Jesse's the rude elevator guy but just you wait for the reason behind this scene. It's cute and funny. A quick run through about Jesse: he's an art director for an elite ad agency, photographer and travel blogger. In spite of being quite loaded in his career aspect, Jesse was nothing but a regular, dorky and perfect gentleman towards Five and the crew. He's the opposite of Five, a go-getter and risk-taker. I love how he accommodated and encouraged Five in doing something out of the ordinary. Just from that you know that he perfectly complements Five's strengths and weaknesses and vice versa.
Okay, let's talk about the romance. Peria totally brought her A-game in this book. Five's animosity fueled sparks to fly between her and Jesse. I love the tension, slow-burn romance and sweet moments that they have shared. You can feel the air shifting between them. I always look forward to witnessing this particular aspect in romance books. Five and Jesse's moments wherein they explore Macau were so chill and sweet. One of the perks in reading a novella is you can easily remember the scenes that transpired in the story. Like the elevator encounter, kilig-worthy gloves scene, when they visited The Ruins of St. Paul and more. But look forward the most to Jesse's grand gesture towards the end. Damn, boy!
Where can I find my own Jesse?
With travel blogging involved in the plot, I was highly curious as to how it will affect on how this story will be told. My expectations was also building up. So kudos to Chrissie Peria for successfully writing a story that managed to transport me all the way from the Philippines to Macau! I haven't been there but through her descriptive and in detail writing, it felt like I was touring the place alongside Five and Jesse. It was so easy to imagine the streets, attractions that they visited and food that they munched on (that had me salivating, so much). I know I want more of Five and Jesse, let their characters be fleshed out and experience more epic things together. But within 107 pages, Peria was able to let me experience Macau, feel the romance and get her key points across.
All's Fair in Blog and War brings prejudices in the forefront of its story. On how it can affect our thinking and relationship with the people around us. There's nothing wrong with having first impressions because that's normal. But what's wrong is having those clouding our minds and not being able to get to know the person more because of it. Also a big check mark on how it highlighted conquering our fears or the things that we hide ourselves from.
If you want a romance novella that you can breeze through, I highly suggest that you pick this one up. It's only $0.99 on Kindle! <3
March 25, 2015
One of my favourite things about being a book blogger is that I get to read alot of Advanced Review Copies and be in contact with awesome authors all around the world. Which is what lead me to pick up and buy Chrissie Peria's book "All's Fair in Blog and War". Turns out that in this book we meet Five , who is a travel blogger and she has been given a once in a lifetime opportunity for an all-expenses paid trip to Macau to write and blog about the travelling experience. She can't wait and jumps at the opportunity, on the introduction course she meets Jesse - who seems like a stuck up rich snob and seems that he looks down on bloggers as attention whores.Out of this trip comes a winning prize for the best after blog experience and Five has her eye on the prize. As the trip goes along though we see passion and chemistry fly between Five and Jesse, but what will happen when one of the other more flirtatious females on the blog tour experience has her eyes set on Jesse. Will Five believe that all they had was a fleeting moment or can Jesse prove to her that he really does love her ? Will she take his word on it or will he use the world of social media and twitter to create a grand gesture proving his love for Five ?
Find out in this quick and fun read that all those involved in the blogging and travel writing world should read and remember readers "All's Fair in Blog and War".
Find out in this quick and fun read that all those involved in the blogging and travel writing world should read and remember readers "All's Fair in Blog and War".
September 26, 2014
I read this back in January this year, all in one sitting but I forgot to post a review on Goodreads. I re-read this last night and on the plane this morning because I'm going to Macau tomorrow and I wanted to be haunted by Five and Jesse.
The story had not lost its magic. I still want to be friends with Five and join her on her travels. (I actually have a friend who reminds me of Five! That's you Ysabs!) I still want to meet someone like Jesse when I travel. I still want to go to all the places they visited, eat all the food they ate. Except the bungee jumping. I can never do that. Ha.
I still went kilig over the eating and bungee jumping and Ruins of St Paul trekking. I still wanted to restart my blog and write about my travel experiences so far (none of them romantic though). I still laughed, almost cried, and sighed when the story finally ended.
The fact that it was written by a former elementary schoolmate of mine that I reconnected with through Facebook made it much sweeter. Good job Chrissie! Can't wait to read more of your work!
The story had not lost its magic. I still want to be friends with Five and join her on her travels. (I actually have a friend who reminds me of Five! That's you Ysabs!) I still want to meet someone like Jesse when I travel. I still want to go to all the places they visited, eat all the food they ate. Except the bungee jumping. I can never do that. Ha.
I still went kilig over the eating and bungee jumping and Ruins of St Paul trekking. I still wanted to restart my blog and write about my travel experiences so far (none of them romantic though). I still laughed, almost cried, and sighed when the story finally ended.
The fact that it was written by a former elementary schoolmate of mine that I reconnected with through Facebook made it much sweeter. Good job Chrissie! Can't wait to read more of your work!
January 27, 2018
Read it while waiting at the airport and on my flight back to Manila from Palawan. The way Chrissie writes will make you crave for egg tarts and long to stroll the streets of Macau. It made me wanna buy a ticket to Macau right after I landed in Manila 😂 Just wish I’ll have a Jesse with me 😉❤️
August 27, 2021
“All’s Fair in Blog and War” by Chrissie Peria puts together travel bloggers Five and Jesse on a sponsored promotional tour of Macau. After getting off on the wrong foot, Five discovers that Jesse is not the inconsiderate asshole she thought him to be, and they share a short but fun adventure that turns into a budding romance.
This is Chrissie Peria’s first novella, written for #romanceclass in 2013. Though it could have used more editing (especially the inconsistent tenses), I enjoyed Five and Jesse’s interactions. Five was immature at times, but Jesse was a sweetheart. Also, I want to recreate his bacon pancake. (Bacon and cheese sandwiched between pancakes, then topped with maple syrup? Count me in!)
I found this book while browsing Scribd and the blurb interested me, as I’ve been suffering from wanderlust especially lately, more than 500 days into the pandemic-caused lockdown. And that cover looks beautiful! I went on a self-guided day tour of Macau in 2010 and again in 2017, and it was great to revisit some of its famous sites in this book. I know that I only scratched the surface of what Macau had to offer, as well as what Chrissie Peria has to offer, and I look forward to reading her other book, “The Kitchen When It Sizzles”.
3.5 of 5 stars
This is Chrissie Peria’s first novella, written for #romanceclass in 2013. Though it could have used more editing (especially the inconsistent tenses), I enjoyed Five and Jesse’s interactions. Five was immature at times, but Jesse was a sweetheart. Also, I want to recreate his bacon pancake. (Bacon and cheese sandwiched between pancakes, then topped with maple syrup? Count me in!)
I found this book while browsing Scribd and the blurb interested me, as I’ve been suffering from wanderlust especially lately, more than 500 days into the pandemic-caused lockdown. And that cover looks beautiful! I went on a self-guided day tour of Macau in 2010 and again in 2017, and it was great to revisit some of its famous sites in this book. I know that I only scratched the surface of what Macau had to offer, as well as what Chrissie Peria has to offer, and I look forward to reading her other book, “The Kitchen When It Sizzles”.
3.5 of 5 stars
January 4, 2018
3.5 stars
This was such a sweet story with travel, Pride and Prejudice references, and a hate-to-love relationship that was so ridiculously addictive, I ended up reading it in one sitting! It’s a quick and fun read if you are looking for a good romance. My only problem was that the ending felt a bit rushed and some of the side characters fell extremely flat.
Full review to come!
This was such a sweet story with travel, Pride and Prejudice references, and a hate-to-love relationship that was so ridiculously addictive, I ended up reading it in one sitting! It’s a quick and fun read if you are looking for a good romance. My only problem was that the ending felt a bit rushed and some of the side characters fell extremely flat.
Full review to come!
March 14, 2019
*3,7 stars*
October 14, 2020
Read this for Walang Tulugan in September and really enjoyed it that i breezed through it in less than two hours
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2024
CUTE AND QUICK READ
Very cute and quick read. As a blogger myself it was very relatable. Loved the nickname, Five. Was cleverly written.
Very cute and quick read. As a blogger myself it was very relatable. Loved the nickname, Five. Was cleverly written.
July 12, 2013
Originally posted here.
I heard about All’s Fair in Blog and War as soon as it came out. While I’ve never met Chrissie Peria in person, we share some common friends (she’s good friends with my flatmates as well as fellow Filipino book blogger Chris of Ficsation). Plus, she wrote her novella for Mina V. Esguerra’s romance class so Mina is another person who is actively promoting this title. I was planning to read All’s Fair in Blog and War sooner or later because I was curious about the premise and I think the cover is pretty cute. I just decided to bump it up the TBR pile because of all the recommendations floating around.
It’s always fun to read about bloggers even if they don’t blog about books. The last novella that I read that had a blogger main character was All’s Fair in Love and Chocolate by Laura Florand (funny that the two titles are so similar). I really enjoyed the blogging aspect of Five’s life because I could relate to it – how her blog shapes her vacation plans and how it’s more than just a hobby for her. That’s how I feel about my blog as well, a niche blog can take over your life like that. She’s a lot luckier than me though because look at how she won a contest to visit Macau to blog about it! Would love to have a similar huge blog-related experience. I was also interested in reading more about the tourist attractions in Macau because I’ve never been there. From what I heard from friends, I always thought there wouldn’t be a lot to do in Macau if you’re not into gambling but looks like I made the wrong assumption because Jesse and Five found more than enough things to occupy their time. As a foodie, I also enjoyed hearing details about what kind of dishes and snacks are available in Macau. This novella made me want to have an egg tart! Good thing they’re pretty common here in Singapore. One other thing that Five and I had in common was this:
That little snippet was while she was waiting at the airport. I always bring a book (or my Kindle) with me whenever I travel so I can't even count the number of times I've read books in airports. And Pride and Prejudice is also my favorite Austen. *P&P high five* While I think that All’s Fair in Blog and War is a light and fun read, I also felt like it would have been better if it was a little longer. I'm not sure if word count was a factor that had to be considered for the romance class which produced this novella, but I would have liked to see more character development, more tension or kilig (swoon-worthy) moments between the two main characters. Other than that, I found this an enjoyable read. Recommended for contemporary romance readers who would like to try Filipino fiction. This is the kind of book that you can finish in one sitting, maybe while waiting to check in or board or even during a flight. For a more interactive experience, readers can follow the characters on Instagram: fivetravels, and Twitter: @5travels and @wanderingcamera.
What a coincidence, I received a postcard from Macau today!
I heard about All’s Fair in Blog and War as soon as it came out. While I’ve never met Chrissie Peria in person, we share some common friends (she’s good friends with my flatmates as well as fellow Filipino book blogger Chris of Ficsation). Plus, she wrote her novella for Mina V. Esguerra’s romance class so Mina is another person who is actively promoting this title. I was planning to read All’s Fair in Blog and War sooner or later because I was curious about the premise and I think the cover is pretty cute. I just decided to bump it up the TBR pile because of all the recommendations floating around.
It’s always fun to read about bloggers even if they don’t blog about books. The last novella that I read that had a blogger main character was All’s Fair in Love and Chocolate by Laura Florand (funny that the two titles are so similar). I really enjoyed the blogging aspect of Five’s life because I could relate to it – how her blog shapes her vacation plans and how it’s more than just a hobby for her. That’s how I feel about my blog as well, a niche blog can take over your life like that. She’s a lot luckier than me though because look at how she won a contest to visit Macau to blog about it! Would love to have a similar huge blog-related experience. I was also interested in reading more about the tourist attractions in Macau because I’ve never been there. From what I heard from friends, I always thought there wouldn’t be a lot to do in Macau if you’re not into gambling but looks like I made the wrong assumption because Jesse and Five found more than enough things to occupy their time. As a foodie, I also enjoyed hearing details about what kind of dishes and snacks are available in Macau. This novella made me want to have an egg tart! Good thing they’re pretty common here in Singapore. One other thing that Five and I had in common was this:
I knew I was early, so I found a comfortable spot and pulled out a well-worn copy of Pride and Prejudice. I always revert to Austen when I'm in between books. P&P has always been my favorite, so it was the book I decided to pack for this trip.
That little snippet was while she was waiting at the airport. I always bring a book (or my Kindle) with me whenever I travel so I can't even count the number of times I've read books in airports. And Pride and Prejudice is also my favorite Austen. *P&P high five* While I think that All’s Fair in Blog and War is a light and fun read, I also felt like it would have been better if it was a little longer. I'm not sure if word count was a factor that had to be considered for the romance class which produced this novella, but I would have liked to see more character development, more tension or kilig (swoon-worthy) moments between the two main characters. Other than that, I found this an enjoyable read. Recommended for contemporary romance readers who would like to try Filipino fiction. This is the kind of book that you can finish in one sitting, maybe while waiting to check in or board or even during a flight. For a more interactive experience, readers can follow the characters on Instagram: fivetravels, and Twitter: @5travels and @wanderingcamera.
What a coincidence, I received a postcard from Macau today!
September 7, 2013
Review posted at Amaterasu Reads
It was the chance of a lifetime. When Five got an invite to travel for free and explore Macau in exchange for writing a blog post about the experience, she was beyond excited. A seasoned traveler, Five wouldn't pass up such an opportunity. The trip was supposed to be enjoyable, except for the arrogant jerk who rubbed Five the wrong way from the moment they first saw each other. And as it turns out, they were to be travel buddies. Will her trip to Macau be as enjoyable as she hoped? What adventure will she be in and will she ever change her opinion of her jerk of a travel buddy?
I was barely 5% in the novel but I knew I was gonna love it. Five is such a fun character to read of! Even her name makes one very curious of her. I like getting inside her very organized, very workaholic head. And I couldn't blame her for thinking ill of Jesse because the guy had it coming. I didn't think I'd like Jesse because his attitude rubbed me the wrong way as well, but who knew he can be such a charming person underneath?
It all started from a misunderstanding. They were enemies who became friends, who bonded over things they didn't expect to have in common. I love the romance build-up between Five and Jesse. The moments they shared together were nothing overly dramatic or grand, but you feel the transformation with every scene. That budding feeling of something good between a guy and a girl, uncertain, questionable. That moment when you realize that maybe, it's love. And ultimately, the moment when you realize that maybe it's not. That you're the only one feeling that way. Five's pain at thinking it was nothing but a ploy to be a better blogger twisted my insides. It was such a bittersweet experience for her, and I could very well relate through all the motions she went through to face what happened. I liked Jesse for being man enough to say sorry, for bridging that gap to end the misunderstanding. They seriously both need to work on communicating with each other better.
I have never been to Macau before, but this story just makes me want to pack my bags and take a flight straight to Macau and start exploring. I miss the thrill of going through a journey to a new place outside of my own country. I wanted to explore all the places Five and Jesse explored, taste the food they ate, conquer my fear of heights and do bungee jumping and just capture the beauty of a foreign place with so much to offer.
Novellas like this one are hard to come by, because despite being short and sweet, it gives you complete satisfaction, that feeling of completeness, that even though it is short, you know that the story has been written thoroughly and very well, that that shortness is enough for a reader to fully enjoy the story and that not a lot of words are needed to create such a sweet love story. All's Fair in Blog and War is such a cute, endearing romance that will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside when you finish reading. I loved every moment of it!
It was the chance of a lifetime. When Five got an invite to travel for free and explore Macau in exchange for writing a blog post about the experience, she was beyond excited. A seasoned traveler, Five wouldn't pass up such an opportunity. The trip was supposed to be enjoyable, except for the arrogant jerk who rubbed Five the wrong way from the moment they first saw each other. And as it turns out, they were to be travel buddies. Will her trip to Macau be as enjoyable as she hoped? What adventure will she be in and will she ever change her opinion of her jerk of a travel buddy?
I was barely 5% in the novel but I knew I was gonna love it. Five is such a fun character to read of! Even her name makes one very curious of her. I like getting inside her very organized, very workaholic head. And I couldn't blame her for thinking ill of Jesse because the guy had it coming. I didn't think I'd like Jesse because his attitude rubbed me the wrong way as well, but who knew he can be such a charming person underneath?
It all started from a misunderstanding. They were enemies who became friends, who bonded over things they didn't expect to have in common. I love the romance build-up between Five and Jesse. The moments they shared together were nothing overly dramatic or grand, but you feel the transformation with every scene. That budding feeling of something good between a guy and a girl, uncertain, questionable. That moment when you realize that maybe, it's love. And ultimately, the moment when you realize that maybe it's not. That you're the only one feeling that way. Five's pain at thinking it was nothing but a ploy to be a better blogger twisted my insides. It was such a bittersweet experience for her, and I could very well relate through all the motions she went through to face what happened. I liked Jesse for being man enough to say sorry, for bridging that gap to end the misunderstanding. They seriously both need to work on communicating with each other better.
I have never been to Macau before, but this story just makes me want to pack my bags and take a flight straight to Macau and start exploring. I miss the thrill of going through a journey to a new place outside of my own country. I wanted to explore all the places Five and Jesse explored, taste the food they ate, conquer my fear of heights and do bungee jumping and just capture the beauty of a foreign place with so much to offer.
Novellas like this one are hard to come by, because despite being short and sweet, it gives you complete satisfaction, that feeling of completeness, that even though it is short, you know that the story has been written thoroughly and very well, that that shortness is enough for a reader to fully enjoy the story and that not a lot of words are needed to create such a sweet love story. All's Fair in Blog and War is such a cute, endearing romance that will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside when you finish reading. I loved every moment of it!
June 28, 2015
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
This post first appeared on: Thoughts and Pens
All’s Fair in Blog and War is one cliché story I’ve come to adore. Except for blogging and a travel to Macau, there’s nothing really new here and had the author failed to execute the whole thing properly, my eyes would have been pointing at different directions from numerous eyerolls. But Chrissie Peria managed to weave something special out of an overused story.
All’s Fair in Blog and War has all the things I needed after reading a depressing monster of a book. It’s fluffy, humorous and it’s about blogging. The story started when virtual assistant and blogging hobbyist, Five, received an e-mail from the Macau Tourism Board offering her an all-expense paid familiarization trip to Macau just so she could blog about the country afterwards. While Five was so happy of being given the opportunity of a lifetime, everything was suddenly ruined when she met Jesse, a self-assured photographer/blogger who will also be joining the Macau trip.
Five and Jesse’s love story started in an antagonistic banter then leveled up into friendship until the inevitable happened. Though their romance was kind of instalovey since it developed for only 2-3 days, it didn’t feel that way because the story was told like a lot of days has already passed. And you’d only figure things out when you actually stop reading and do the math. Everything in the story was nicely established from the blogging aspect to the tour in Macau. How I wish I had the money to go there immediately. Chrissie Peria did a very good job with the blogging part of the story even going as far as entitling each chapter with Twitter hashtags. She really portrayed a realistic blogger in Five.
Speaking of Five, I like her as a character. She’s funny and not afraid to speak her mind. Even Jesse was adorable. I, however, have some issues with them. They still need more development in order for me to really love them. It’s like I’m just scratching the surface of their personalities. I don’t even know whether Five has insecurities or whether she experienced love before Jesse came along. Or I don’t even understand why Jesse was such an a– during their first meeting and then immediately transformed to a very down-to-earth man.
The tension near the end could also use an overhaul. It was too petty that it was unbelievable. The resolution also felt rushed and was too easy. I was like, “Is that it? I thought it’s going to be a very intriguing agenda!
But anyway, regardless of the flaws I’ve spotted here and there, All’s Fair in Blog and War is still a worthy read. If you’re looking for an instant boost of happiness or you’re a social media whore or a mad wanderer, then it’s the perfect book for you. It’s short, funny and will give you that awesome feeling of wanderlust.
Note: Seriously, never mind what I said. Just read this and drool over the foods Five and Jesse ate during their Macau trip. I wanna eat dinner again.
This post first appeared on: Thoughts and Pens
All’s Fair in Blog and War is one cliché story I’ve come to adore. Except for blogging and a travel to Macau, there’s nothing really new here and had the author failed to execute the whole thing properly, my eyes would have been pointing at different directions from numerous eyerolls. But Chrissie Peria managed to weave something special out of an overused story.
All’s Fair in Blog and War has all the things I needed after reading a depressing monster of a book. It’s fluffy, humorous and it’s about blogging. The story started when virtual assistant and blogging hobbyist, Five, received an e-mail from the Macau Tourism Board offering her an all-expense paid familiarization trip to Macau just so she could blog about the country afterwards. While Five was so happy of being given the opportunity of a lifetime, everything was suddenly ruined when she met Jesse, a self-assured photographer/blogger who will also be joining the Macau trip.
Five and Jesse’s love story started in an antagonistic banter then leveled up into friendship until the inevitable happened. Though their romance was kind of instalovey since it developed for only 2-3 days, it didn’t feel that way because the story was told like a lot of days has already passed. And you’d only figure things out when you actually stop reading and do the math. Everything in the story was nicely established from the blogging aspect to the tour in Macau. How I wish I had the money to go there immediately. Chrissie Peria did a very good job with the blogging part of the story even going as far as entitling each chapter with Twitter hashtags. She really portrayed a realistic blogger in Five.
Speaking of Five, I like her as a character. She’s funny and not afraid to speak her mind. Even Jesse was adorable. I, however, have some issues with them. They still need more development in order for me to really love them. It’s like I’m just scratching the surface of their personalities. I don’t even know whether Five has insecurities or whether she experienced love before Jesse came along. Or I don’t even understand why Jesse was such an a– during their first meeting and then immediately transformed to a very down-to-earth man.
The tension near the end could also use an overhaul. It was too petty that it was unbelievable. The resolution also felt rushed and was too easy. I was like, “Is that it? I thought it’s going to be a very intriguing agenda!
But anyway, regardless of the flaws I’ve spotted here and there, All’s Fair in Blog and War is still a worthy read. If you’re looking for an instant boost of happiness or you’re a social media whore or a mad wanderer, then it’s the perfect book for you. It’s short, funny and will give you that awesome feeling of wanderlust.
Note: Seriously, never mind what I said. Just read this and drool over the foods Five and Jesse ate during their Macau trip. I wanna eat dinner again.
August 6, 2013
*Review originally posted on my blog*
For one, isn’t the book cover eye-catching? It surely catches my attention – the colors used complement one another and the font just fits the story’s mood and genre. Evidently enough, the background scene depicts a tourist spot in Macau and more importantly, the story mainly involves two persons. How they will affect the flow of the story is up to the readers to find out.
One of the perks of having a focused blog is getting free stuffs! Bloggers who focus on fashion could receive fashion-related products and items or be invited to fashion shows or events; food bloggers are invited to dine for free by the restaurant in exchange for featuring their food and beverages being offered on their blogs; book bloggers could receive ARCs from publishers or authors; and in this case, in Five’s case, her travel blog has given her the privilege to be invited by a travel agency to go on an all-expense-paid trip to Macau.
Travel and photography enthusiasts will definitely enjoy this book. Chrissie Peria narrates the story well as she successfully demonstrates how travel bloggers work and what photographers generally look for when taking pictures of landscapes. I also love how Chrissie Peria emphasizes the brands of cameras used by Jesse and Five. It’s quite funny that I have actually understood the competition between the two brands as it was discussed one time by our cousin who dreams of becoming a professional photographer someday.
Chrissie Peria has surely proven to be knowledgeable in the subject of the story. Macau is featured with all those places, restaurants, and food portrayed in the book. I have been to Macau only once and if I’m not mistaken, we only visited the infamous Venetian. After reading this, I wish to visit the place again in the near future – tour the other places and eat the highly-recommended signature food of Macau mentioned in the story. Moreover, readers would certainly get a glimpse of Macau’s cultural and historical background. However, I have expected more descriptions and details from the narration.
And of course, the story wouldn’t be complete without the characters. I am highly entertained with Jesse and Five’s growing friendship. As I read further through the story, I am more invested in their relationship. Their character representation is realistic and relatable to the readers. I just wish their characterization is explored more, especially Jesse’s. I would want to know his thoughts and feelings throughout their trip.
Overall, if you want something light, short, and fun to read, this is for you. Without a doubt, I enjoyed the book from beginning until the end. In fact, when I don’t have my iPad with me at work, I find myself wondering what will happen next. This would surely not be my last Chrissie Peria work to read.
For one, isn’t the book cover eye-catching? It surely catches my attention – the colors used complement one another and the font just fits the story’s mood and genre. Evidently enough, the background scene depicts a tourist spot in Macau and more importantly, the story mainly involves two persons. How they will affect the flow of the story is up to the readers to find out.
One of the perks of having a focused blog is getting free stuffs! Bloggers who focus on fashion could receive fashion-related products and items or be invited to fashion shows or events; food bloggers are invited to dine for free by the restaurant in exchange for featuring their food and beverages being offered on their blogs; book bloggers could receive ARCs from publishers or authors; and in this case, in Five’s case, her travel blog has given her the privilege to be invited by a travel agency to go on an all-expense-paid trip to Macau.
Travel and photography enthusiasts will definitely enjoy this book. Chrissie Peria narrates the story well as she successfully demonstrates how travel bloggers work and what photographers generally look for when taking pictures of landscapes. I also love how Chrissie Peria emphasizes the brands of cameras used by Jesse and Five. It’s quite funny that I have actually understood the competition between the two brands as it was discussed one time by our cousin who dreams of becoming a professional photographer someday.
Chrissie Peria has surely proven to be knowledgeable in the subject of the story. Macau is featured with all those places, restaurants, and food portrayed in the book. I have been to Macau only once and if I’m not mistaken, we only visited the infamous Venetian. After reading this, I wish to visit the place again in the near future – tour the other places and eat the highly-recommended signature food of Macau mentioned in the story. Moreover, readers would certainly get a glimpse of Macau’s cultural and historical background. However, I have expected more descriptions and details from the narration.
And of course, the story wouldn’t be complete without the characters. I am highly entertained with Jesse and Five’s growing friendship. As I read further through the story, I am more invested in their relationship. Their character representation is realistic and relatable to the readers. I just wish their characterization is explored more, especially Jesse’s. I would want to know his thoughts and feelings throughout their trip.
Overall, if you want something light, short, and fun to read, this is for you. Without a doubt, I enjoyed the book from beginning until the end. In fact, when I don’t have my iPad with me at work, I find myself wondering what will happen next. This would surely not be my last Chrissie Peria work to read.
September 1, 2013
Drop by my tour stop on theAll's Fair in Blog and War + Well Played Blog Tour and enter the giveaway to lots of cool stuff!
Sometimes you don't need a lot of pages to come up with a well-rounded and enjoyable story. All's Fair in Blog and War shows exactly that.
I was surprised by how easy it was to love this book despite it being a novella. It's not that I don't normally enjoy novellas but often times I find them lacking in some areas. That wasn't the case here, not at all. What I liked the most about this book was the pacing. The story covered Five's 3-day tour in Macau along with her fellow travel bloggers. From the places they visited to the romance between Five and Jesse, there was indeed a lot of ground to cover. The cool thing about it is everything fit perfectly. Five is a travel blogger so naturally plenty of tourist spots were featured. I liked how the author described every destination and even delicacy vividly. I've been to Macau and reading descriptions of the same places I went to made me feel like I was there again. It made me crave for bakkwa real bad and I hate the author for that (okay not really). Peria's fluid writing captured the beauty of Macau. It'll make you fall in love with it and make you want to take a trip there if you haven't yet.
The romance between Five and Jesse was subtle yet sweet - definitely kilig. I liked how Peria made a balance between the travel and the love story. Five hated Jesse at first and it was within reason. He seemed condescending and full of himself. As the story moved forward however we see a softer, fun loving side to Jesse. One that's undeniably charming - and boy did he charm Five's pants off. Not... literally. But she was very smitten even before she realized it. I think that's the main reason why I was very kilig with their romance - they had moments that didn't go all the way but you'd still feel the vibes. I was a bit shocked though when towards the end Five said that she fell in love with Jesse over the weekend. Insta love's a big no-no to me but at least it didn't become such a huge deal here. Five just happened to mention it and I was glad for it.
All's Fair in Blog and War is a great debut for Chrissie Peria. It's short read that won't leave you hanging... except maybe for more Five and Jesse because they're super cute. The great thing is you can follow their Twitter and Instagram accounts online. Yes! They have social media accounts! I will link them up below. Be sure to check them out as well as their story in this fun novella that will without a doubt put a smile on your face.
(I received a copy for review. This did not influence me in any way.)
Sometimes you don't need a lot of pages to come up with a well-rounded and enjoyable story. All's Fair in Blog and War shows exactly that.
I was surprised by how easy it was to love this book despite it being a novella. It's not that I don't normally enjoy novellas but often times I find them lacking in some areas. That wasn't the case here, not at all. What I liked the most about this book was the pacing. The story covered Five's 3-day tour in Macau along with her fellow travel bloggers. From the places they visited to the romance between Five and Jesse, there was indeed a lot of ground to cover. The cool thing about it is everything fit perfectly. Five is a travel blogger so naturally plenty of tourist spots were featured. I liked how the author described every destination and even delicacy vividly. I've been to Macau and reading descriptions of the same places I went to made me feel like I was there again. It made me crave for bakkwa real bad and I hate the author for that (okay not really). Peria's fluid writing captured the beauty of Macau. It'll make you fall in love with it and make you want to take a trip there if you haven't yet.
The romance between Five and Jesse was subtle yet sweet - definitely kilig. I liked how Peria made a balance between the travel and the love story. Five hated Jesse at first and it was within reason. He seemed condescending and full of himself. As the story moved forward however we see a softer, fun loving side to Jesse. One that's undeniably charming - and boy did he charm Five's pants off. Not... literally. But she was very smitten even before she realized it. I think that's the main reason why I was very kilig with their romance - they had moments that didn't go all the way but you'd still feel the vibes. I was a bit shocked though when towards the end Five said that she fell in love with Jesse over the weekend. Insta love's a big no-no to me but at least it didn't become such a huge deal here. Five just happened to mention it and I was glad for it.
All's Fair in Blog and War is a great debut for Chrissie Peria. It's short read that won't leave you hanging... except maybe for more Five and Jesse because they're super cute. The great thing is you can follow their Twitter and Instagram accounts online. Yes! They have social media accounts! I will link them up below. Be sure to check them out as well as their story in this fun novella that will without a doubt put a smile on your face.
(I received a copy for review. This did not influence me in any way.)
January 22, 2021
2020 re-read
"Just because I thought I was dealing well, didn't really mean that I was healing. It was like duct taping something broken instead of actually fixing it."
⠀
I was so sure that 2020 is the year I'd be able to visit another country but here we are. So instead, took a side trip to Macau to revisit Five & Jesse's story for the last week of May #RCReadathon2020⠀
⠀
AFIBAW is one of the first #romanceclass books that I've read and after all these years - it's still as warm as I remember. It still made me want to be brave and adventurous.⠀
⠀
With exciting travel iteneraries, tasty food walks, worth-it photography struggles, and a fulfilling HEA? What else is there to ask for? Bonus points for tinges of Pride & Prejudice 💕⠀
⠀
Only downside is that it made me crave for Lord Stow's Egg Tarts at 5 AM ugh NEED⠀
⠀
NOTE: Did you know that the characters have their OWN socials? Say hi to them on IG @fivetravels and on Twitter @5travels @wanderingcamera ✨ I stan interactivity!⠀
---------------------------
Read full review HERE! :)
After reading the blurb, I thought I would like this one. Guess I was wrong. I didn't like it. I LOVED IT! Travelling and blogging in a book? Now that's hitting, not two but three birds in one stone! As a leisure blogger, travel junkie, and book lover, All's Fair in Blog and War is just perf :D It's as perf as the cover!
The characters were an odd bunch with their own quirks especially the bloggers. There's Simon, the quiet geek; Meghan (AKA Megh), the hot girl with a model-esque fugure; Jesse, the seemingly infuriating photo blogger with a sweet side; and our protagonist Ma. Mercedes (Sorry, I just have to! lol) or simply Five, who is just plain awesome.
Everything was just really beautiful. That's the best word I can think of to describe the book. From its very visual representation of the setting to its lovable characters and nicely executed plot (plus points for the touch of humor! The "bathroom scene" was the best!)
Okay, I'm reserving this space for my fangirling because JESSE RUIZ, people! He actually made the 2nd spot for my favorite summer read guy (First is Frank Porter of Since You've Been Gone) I couldn't fully elaborate without spoiling you guys but I just need to say that the "big, grand, swoon-worthy, aww-mazing" twitter thing gesture was really really REALLY epic and well, again, beautiful :">
"Just because I thought I was dealing well, didn't really mean that I was healing. It was like duct taping something broken instead of actually fixing it."
⠀
I was so sure that 2020 is the year I'd be able to visit another country but here we are. So instead, took a side trip to Macau to revisit Five & Jesse's story for the last week of May #RCReadathon2020⠀
⠀
AFIBAW is one of the first #romanceclass books that I've read and after all these years - it's still as warm as I remember. It still made me want to be brave and adventurous.⠀
⠀
With exciting travel iteneraries, tasty food walks, worth-it photography struggles, and a fulfilling HEA? What else is there to ask for? Bonus points for tinges of Pride & Prejudice 💕⠀
⠀
Only downside is that it made me crave for Lord Stow's Egg Tarts at 5 AM ugh NEED⠀
⠀
NOTE: Did you know that the characters have their OWN socials? Say hi to them on IG @fivetravels and on Twitter @5travels @wanderingcamera ✨ I stan interactivity!⠀
---------------------------
Read full review HERE! :)
After reading the blurb, I thought I would like this one. Guess I was wrong. I didn't like it. I LOVED IT! Travelling and blogging in a book? Now that's hitting, not two but three birds in one stone! As a leisure blogger, travel junkie, and book lover, All's Fair in Blog and War is just perf :D It's as perf as the cover!
The characters were an odd bunch with their own quirks especially the bloggers. There's Simon, the quiet geek; Meghan (AKA Megh), the hot girl with a model-esque fugure; Jesse, the seemingly infuriating photo blogger with a sweet side; and our protagonist Ma. Mercedes (Sorry, I just have to! lol) or simply Five, who is just plain awesome.
Everything was just really beautiful. That's the best word I can think of to describe the book. From its very visual representation of the setting to its lovable characters and nicely executed plot (plus points for the touch of humor! The "bathroom scene" was the best!)
Okay, I'm reserving this space for my fangirling because JESSE RUIZ, people! He actually made the 2nd spot for my favorite summer read guy (First is Frank Porter of Since You've Been Gone) I couldn't fully elaborate without spoiling you guys but I just need to say that the "big, grand, swoon-worthy, aww-mazing" twitter thing gesture was really really REALLY epic and well, again, beautiful :">
January 8, 2015
Original review at http://pakwanstripes.wordpress.com/
Five Cuevas is travel blogger given the chance to go to Macau for a familiarization trip courtesy of the Macau Tourism Board. She’s going along with a three other bloggers, Simon, Meghan (yerp, with an H) and Jessie. With the internet as the medium and the beautiful backdrop of Macau, Five learns more about herself, love and of course, Macau.
Since I started this blog, I have been meaning to include contemporary Flipino Romance novels and I was pretty happy this book came along my way. Chrissie Peria writes a light story about travel, blogging and romance. Having met my husband online, I had a great time reading this. She writes Five Cuerva’s voice in that funny-snarky-she-thinks-too-much way that I like. Girls can have a lot of opinion and sometimes, I hear Five’s voice talking in my head. I couldn’t resist reading some of the lines out loud by myself because her comments were so darn funny to deliver, I just had to hear it out loud!
Its also enjoyable how much of the Philippine’s local colour comes out through Five and Jessie’s conversations, considering they’re in Macau and not in the Philippines. I mean, egg tarts from the local panaderia? I used to buy those when I was a kid! And what about Meghan’s name having that extra “H”? It’s a Filipino thing where we sometimes add an “H” to our children’s name.
Of course Macau’s own color steps out too, like the various places the characters visited for their blog features and the food they wanted to try out. I loved the details Peria adds and how she makes Five a very good traveler by doing her research about the place she’s going. Makes me want to maybe visit Macau too.
As the story unfolds we get to see it interlaced with the medium our characters chose to communicate. I’m not a fan of hashtagging, but it adds charm to a book about bloggers when the chapters are are in the form of hastags. Five and Jessie even have their own live twitter account.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. Although Jessie didn’t deliver alot of those knee-weaking one liners male romance protagonists novels deliver, I loved the little things he did for Five. Despite putting his foot where his mouth was at the early part of the book, he’s a great guy and I was very glad he’s not really the arrogant jerk Five thought he was. And why is Five called Five? That’s one answer you have to read through to find out.
As the first novella of Chrissie Peria, this is an excellent read. A dash of humor, a pinch of snark and a cup full of romance makes for a very good recipe for an afternoon reading. I’m truly looking forward to more from her.
Five Cuevas is travel blogger given the chance to go to Macau for a familiarization trip courtesy of the Macau Tourism Board. She’s going along with a three other bloggers, Simon, Meghan (yerp, with an H) and Jessie. With the internet as the medium and the beautiful backdrop of Macau, Five learns more about herself, love and of course, Macau.
Since I started this blog, I have been meaning to include contemporary Flipino Romance novels and I was pretty happy this book came along my way. Chrissie Peria writes a light story about travel, blogging and romance. Having met my husband online, I had a great time reading this. She writes Five Cuerva’s voice in that funny-snarky-she-thinks-too-much way that I like. Girls can have a lot of opinion and sometimes, I hear Five’s voice talking in my head. I couldn’t resist reading some of the lines out loud by myself because her comments were so darn funny to deliver, I just had to hear it out loud!
Its also enjoyable how much of the Philippine’s local colour comes out through Five and Jessie’s conversations, considering they’re in Macau and not in the Philippines. I mean, egg tarts from the local panaderia? I used to buy those when I was a kid! And what about Meghan’s name having that extra “H”? It’s a Filipino thing where we sometimes add an “H” to our children’s name.
Of course Macau’s own color steps out too, like the various places the characters visited for their blog features and the food they wanted to try out. I loved the details Peria adds and how she makes Five a very good traveler by doing her research about the place she’s going. Makes me want to maybe visit Macau too.
As the story unfolds we get to see it interlaced with the medium our characters chose to communicate. I’m not a fan of hashtagging, but it adds charm to a book about bloggers when the chapters are are in the form of hastags. Five and Jessie even have their own live twitter account.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. Although Jessie didn’t deliver alot of those knee-weaking one liners male romance protagonists novels deliver, I loved the little things he did for Five. Despite putting his foot where his mouth was at the early part of the book, he’s a great guy and I was very glad he’s not really the arrogant jerk Five thought he was. And why is Five called Five? That’s one answer you have to read through to find out.
As the first novella of Chrissie Peria, this is an excellent read. A dash of humor, a pinch of snark and a cup full of romance makes for a very good recipe for an afternoon reading. I’m truly looking forward to more from her.
June 30, 2016
First of all I want to thank the blog tour organizers for giving me a chance to join here. I joined because I always wanted to review this book. I was also searching for it in the local bookstores but I can't find any. In short, I always wanted to read this and when I found out about this tour, I didn't hesitate to join. I am so in love with the cover of the book, not just because it is purple but also catchy. More reasons to love this book when you read it! For me, it awakened my hidden desire to blog about something else.
So, for my review...
LOVELY! The flow of the story is not too fast and not too slow either. The readers will love it instantly because.. hello?! This is Macau, a reader surely wants to know things about that place and mentally traveling. Also, I love how two strangers, not just simple strangers but, the type of people who's annoying to a person, fell in love with each other, strangers to friends to lovers. It is really a cute combination in this type of book.
This book is also about facing your fears and discovering yourself which I find wonderful. I want it to think as that because Five here is the type of person who's stuck in to what she is now, not the person who is willing to risk something for her own happiness. Of course blogging makes you happy but there should be something more than that. So during Macau days, Five discovered that there's something worth it, she faced her fears. She discovered herself falling in love to someone who she thought was an arrogant man. Jesse, is the type of man who can make every one feel loved. He's sweet and nice man and he look after his siblings. He's hard working type and loves blogging and adventures.
The ending... can there be more? LOL. It has a happy ending but I wish.. there's more! An after story maybe? of course it should be about Jesse and Five...
Such a lovely book to read and I do hope I could find a copy somewhere!
So, for my review...
LOVELY! The flow of the story is not too fast and not too slow either. The readers will love it instantly because.. hello?! This is Macau, a reader surely wants to know things about that place and mentally traveling. Also, I love how two strangers, not just simple strangers but, the type of people who's annoying to a person, fell in love with each other, strangers to friends to lovers. It is really a cute combination in this type of book.
This book is also about facing your fears and discovering yourself which I find wonderful. I want it to think as that because Five here is the type of person who's stuck in to what she is now, not the person who is willing to risk something for her own happiness. Of course blogging makes you happy but there should be something more than that. So during Macau days, Five discovered that there's something worth it, she faced her fears. She discovered herself falling in love to someone who she thought was an arrogant man. Jesse, is the type of man who can make every one feel loved. He's sweet and nice man and he look after his siblings. He's hard working type and loves blogging and adventures.
The ending... can there be more? LOL. It has a happy ending but I wish.. there's more! An after story maybe? of course it should be about Jesse and Five...
Such a lovely book to read and I do hope I could find a copy somewhere!
January 11, 2016
All’s Fair in Blog & War is a quick and light read for those who are looking for kilig in bite-sized (egg tart!) doses. Its easy-flowing narrative and cute character interactions make for an enjoyable read that makes you want to experience Macau just as Five and Jesse did.
What Drew Me In
THE COVER (Design & illustration by Clarissa Ines)! I mean, would you look at that beauty? Quick backstory: I saw this book listed along with other #romanceclass books in their catalogue back in March last year and had been meaning to buy it but kept on forgetting. I became acquainted with author Chrissie Peria when we became bundlemates for #StrangeLit and I asked her to reserve a print copy of this book for me in time for FilReaderCon–and that’s where I finally got one!
What Made Me Stay
The egg tarts. S’kidding. I was in it for the romance, of course, and Peria served them in tiny doses, from the characters’ meet cute, banter, and eventual falling in love. The kilig in this story is just like the egg tarts Five and Jesse had enjoyed during their Macau trip–sweet but delicate in a way that makes you want more.
Oh, and did I tell you how wonderful the Macau trip parts were written? It’s one of my favorite things about this book, the feeling that I’m there with Five, experiencing Macau and everything it had to offer, long strolls and food trips alike.
[ Full review on Tara Tries To Write. ]
What Drew Me In
THE COVER (Design & illustration by Clarissa Ines)! I mean, would you look at that beauty? Quick backstory: I saw this book listed along with other #romanceclass books in their catalogue back in March last year and had been meaning to buy it but kept on forgetting. I became acquainted with author Chrissie Peria when we became bundlemates for #StrangeLit and I asked her to reserve a print copy of this book for me in time for FilReaderCon–and that’s where I finally got one!
What Made Me Stay
The egg tarts. S’kidding. I was in it for the romance, of course, and Peria served them in tiny doses, from the characters’ meet cute, banter, and eventual falling in love. The kilig in this story is just like the egg tarts Five and Jesse had enjoyed during their Macau trip–sweet but delicate in a way that makes you want more.
Oh, and did I tell you how wonderful the Macau trip parts were written? It’s one of my favorite things about this book, the feeling that I’m there with Five, experiencing Macau and everything it had to offer, long strolls and food trips alike.
[ Full review on Tara Tries To Write. ]
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