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How to Tame Your Tikbalang Without Even Trying
What happens when a Babaylan finds herself a Tikbalang to tame?
Tala Bienvenido can’t help but be curious about a strange book in the attic of her clan’s ancestral home, and she finds herself thrust into a world filled with ancient lore when she takes the old tome.
Buhawi Batumbakal was caught and he knew it. Yet all that was clear to him was that he needed to find a way to make that Babaylan his forever, elemental disturbances and threats to his life (and hers) notwithstanding.
In Philippine lore and mythology, the Tikbalang is a monster hybrid of horse and warrior that is feared throughout the archipelago.
Just as fearsome are the priestesses of the pre-colonial animist The Babaylanes. A Babaylan, it is said, can heal the sick and injured, commune with the gods and goddesses, speak and do battle with otherworldly creatures like the Tikbalang and, yes, strike her foes down with lightning called from the heavens.
So, what does happen when this Babaylan meets that Tikbalang?
* This work of fiction contains graphic depictions of sexual acts that some readers may deem offensive. It is not for the faint of heart or for anyone younger than 18.
Tala Bienvenido can’t help but be curious about a strange book in the attic of her clan’s ancestral home, and she finds herself thrust into a world filled with ancient lore when she takes the old tome.
Buhawi Batumbakal was caught and he knew it. Yet all that was clear to him was that he needed to find a way to make that Babaylan his forever, elemental disturbances and threats to his life (and hers) notwithstanding.
In Philippine lore and mythology, the Tikbalang is a monster hybrid of horse and warrior that is feared throughout the archipelago.
Just as fearsome are the priestesses of the pre-colonial animist The Babaylanes. A Babaylan, it is said, can heal the sick and injured, commune with the gods and goddesses, speak and do battle with otherworldly creatures like the Tikbalang and, yes, strike her foes down with lightning called from the heavens.
So, what does happen when this Babaylan meets that Tikbalang?
* This work of fiction contains graphic depictions of sexual acts that some readers may deem offensive. It is not for the faint of heart or for anyone younger than 18.
168 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 26, 2015
3 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Alma Anonas-Carpio
3 books23 followersWhen I am not writing the kind of stories I want to read, or the poetry that just won't quit, I am a freelance journalist, writer, member of the Manila Critics Circle and one of the judges for the Philippines' National Book Awards.
I worked as an Associate Editor of the Philippines Graphic magazine, where I also handled stories on technology, science, health issues and worked as the Literary Editor, to boot.
When I'm not writing or chasing some news story or the other down, I cook. My first book, in fact, is a cookbook. That, and I'm still waiting for the Mother Ship. :)
Oh, and my short urban fantasy fiction collection, "Maligno Unbound," is up on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075RB8WYM/...
If you want to read what I post to Medium, go here: https://almaanonascarpio.medium.com/
How to Tame Your Tikbalang Without Even Trying will be published in the Philippines by 8Letters Bookstore & Publishing. You may pre-order your copy of my erotic novel here: https://www.8lettersbooks.com/shop/ho...
I worked as an Associate Editor of the Philippines Graphic magazine, where I also handled stories on technology, science, health issues and worked as the Literary Editor, to boot.
When I'm not writing or chasing some news story or the other down, I cook. My first book, in fact, is a cookbook. That, and I'm still waiting for the Mother Ship. :)
Oh, and my short urban fantasy fiction collection, "Maligno Unbound," is up on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075RB8WYM/...
If you want to read what I post to Medium, go here: https://almaanonascarpio.medium.com/
How to Tame Your Tikbalang Without Even Trying will be published in the Philippines by 8Letters Bookstore & Publishing. You may pre-order your copy of my erotic novel here: https://www.8lettersbooks.com/shop/ho...
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 25, 2016
Long have I lamented the absence of good romantica in the Philippines; while I’ve been seeing more steamy reads in English in the past year or two, these mostly merit threes or at most barely fours on the steam factor, and the general trend still seems to favor twos and ones (and nones!). Enter Alma Anonas-Carpio and her book How to Tame Your Tikbalang Without Really Trying. I saw a post about the book on my Facebook feed, courtesy of author Marian Tee, and bought it because I liked the title and the idea of it. Because of past experience with local reads, my hopes weren’t raised too high in terms of the steam factor, but darned if this didn’t bring on the heat from my toes upward, until it blew the top of my head off!
I’m going to be honest. This book is why you shouldn’t judge books by their covers, because in my opinion, the cover really puts the “meh” in “mediocre,” at best. At worst, it looks like a manual on dealing with gender-bias in the workplace. In fact, I’d go as far as to change my “meh” to “bleh.” I seriously never would’ve come across this book and thought, “There’s something that looks like there’s dynamite in every chapter.” But trust me, there is.
Tala is a babaylan, pretty much a Filipino witchy woman (although elevated to goddess status in this book), but in order to come into her full power and claim her heritage, she must complete the ritual of taming a tikbalang, a wild horse spirit with the head of a horse and the body of a man (think horsey Minotaur or reverse centaur). But the tikbalang in question, Buhawi, prince of his people, has no intention of being tamed and thinks to turn the tables on the babaylan who stirs his loins by taming her instead.
The process of taming requires exactly as much sexual interplay between the sensuous, earthy babaylan and the bad boy tikbalang as you might expect, and then some. And each scene is laid bare for readers to enjoy, ideally in private, and no judgments if you read this book one-handed! This book has lots of dirty talk, and lots and lots of sex and foreplay.
But before you dismiss this as mindless porn, note that there actually is a plot here, and the characters are more than just stooges with enough chemistry to blow up a city block. Their goals, beliefs, and personalities are well fleshed out, and their journey to love and magical victory over evil is equally well charted. Plain and simple, I think I would have enjoyed this book had there been no sex at all. But with the sex? The author might as well have sprayed half the pages with napalm.
So if you’re a fan of steamy reads and Philippine folklore (or if you’re even just curious about it), please, please pick up a copy of and read Alma Anonas-Carpio’s How to Tame Your Tikbalang Without Really Trying! You’ll be an instant fan, like I was.
And if the author happens to read this at all, I’ll do an Oliver Twist and beg, “Please, ma’am, I want some more!”
I’m going to be honest. This book is why you shouldn’t judge books by their covers, because in my opinion, the cover really puts the “meh” in “mediocre,” at best. At worst, it looks like a manual on dealing with gender-bias in the workplace. In fact, I’d go as far as to change my “meh” to “bleh.” I seriously never would’ve come across this book and thought, “There’s something that looks like there’s dynamite in every chapter.” But trust me, there is.
Tala is a babaylan, pretty much a Filipino witchy woman (although elevated to goddess status in this book), but in order to come into her full power and claim her heritage, she must complete the ritual of taming a tikbalang, a wild horse spirit with the head of a horse and the body of a man (think horsey Minotaur or reverse centaur). But the tikbalang in question, Buhawi, prince of his people, has no intention of being tamed and thinks to turn the tables on the babaylan who stirs his loins by taming her instead.
The process of taming requires exactly as much sexual interplay between the sensuous, earthy babaylan and the bad boy tikbalang as you might expect, and then some. And each scene is laid bare for readers to enjoy, ideally in private, and no judgments if you read this book one-handed! This book has lots of dirty talk, and lots and lots of sex and foreplay.
But before you dismiss this as mindless porn, note that there actually is a plot here, and the characters are more than just stooges with enough chemistry to blow up a city block. Their goals, beliefs, and personalities are well fleshed out, and their journey to love and magical victory over evil is equally well charted. Plain and simple, I think I would have enjoyed this book had there been no sex at all. But with the sex? The author might as well have sprayed half the pages with napalm.
So if you’re a fan of steamy reads and Philippine folklore (or if you’re even just curious about it), please, please pick up a copy of and read Alma Anonas-Carpio’s How to Tame Your Tikbalang Without Really Trying! You’ll be an instant fan, like I was.
And if the author happens to read this at all, I’ll do an Oliver Twist and beg, “Please, ma’am, I want some more!”
April 9, 2019
Saw this title mentioned on one of the instagram stories I've been following. It was kind of hard to obtain a copy of this since it's only available online. Either on Amazon (both soft/hard copy) or the web (literotica; search for SkinandSin, iirc). I also noticed that some of the best Philippine Mythology books are only sold thru Amazon and I'm still wondering whyyy.
Anyway, let's get back to the book. This got me hooked and awake since it's very graphic on almost all the love scenes, haha! But what I really love about the book, is the mystical creatures of the Philippines. It somehow ignited an interest towards our very own mythology. Now, I want to know more about other creatures as well and the other back stories of Bulan & Ulap, Kidlat, and Beatriz and Bulalakaw. Though I just noticed that it kind of lack some action scenes, but still, it's wonderfully written.
I really like how Ms. Alma used some native languages and included a glossary and explanations of the terminology she used on the book.
In conclusion, I'm looking forward reading the other books by Ms. Alma about our very own Philippine Mythology.
Anyway, let's get back to the book. This got me hooked and awake since it's very graphic on almost all the love scenes, haha! But what I really love about the book, is the mystical creatures of the Philippines. It somehow ignited an interest towards our very own mythology. Now, I want to know more about other creatures as well and the other back stories of Bulan & Ulap, Kidlat, and Beatriz and Bulalakaw. Though I just noticed that it kind of lack some action scenes, but still, it's wonderfully written.
I really like how Ms. Alma used some native languages and included a glossary and explanations of the terminology she used on the book.
In conclusion, I'm looking forward reading the other books by Ms. Alma about our very own Philippine Mythology.
September 21, 2019
Omg I loved this story! I wish I had a Tikbalang of my own. This story is sexy, captivating and filled with twists. I can't wait until the sequel is out. This love story builds so unusually and yet it's still satisfying. And don't get me started on all the kinky fuckery! Whew, this story is HOT!
January 29, 2018
I started the new year with a bang by picking this up during the holiday break. And Oh. My. God. It was everything my friends said it would be: filthy, subversive, erotic, fun, decadent and gloriously Filipino. Alma Anonas Carpio skilfully blends our collective maligno/enkanto stories so well her urban fantasy is at once intimately familiar but also lends itself to amazing world-building. And the sex? Hoo boy. That it's hot goes without saying. That it's written in a way that reclaims sexual Filipino words long deemed too crass for the written word? Even better.
June 21, 2020
How to Tame Your Tikbalang Without Even Trying is a supernatural erotic romance novel about a young priestess coming into her power and binding a mythological male beast to herself. It involves some amounts of political movements amongst gods and supernatural worlds, thrones and those vying for them, but more than that it’s a whole lot of sex. It’s a cheesy romance romp, about the back and forth between the two lead characters as they compete against each other for who will end up on top (figuratively as well as literally)
Read the full review on my blog: https://rosesbooks.home.blog/2020/06/...
Read the full review on my blog: https://rosesbooks.home.blog/2020/06/...
June 27, 2018
This is such a good, fresh take on the aswang. I am totally in love with this book. I've been interested in stories about Philippine Aswang since I was a kid and this captured it pretty well. I'm looking forward to your next book, ms. Alma! Can't wait to read more about the tikbalang and their other practices or beliefs.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews