Hot Ticket by Olivia Cunning

Hot Ticket is the third book from Olivia Cunning’s Sinner on Tour series and this book features Jason “Jace” Seymour or Little Man for Eric Anderson–now Sticks. I seriously love this book, this is the second favorite of mine the first is Backstage Pass Brian and Myrna’s story. (Which I haven’t done a review yet. But I’ll get there.)

Jace Seymour is a bleached blonde guy with dark haired beard with a cute face making him not look like a metal band bassist. This guy has an unusual sexual fetish(?) because he likes the kinky stuffs as from the previous two books described him. From Brian’s book, I was already curious as to what will Jace Seymour’s story would be like.

Turns out, it was pretty intense.

With the darkest past that would probably trump three to five guys with a dark past, Your heart would probably give up for this little guy. (and no, I’m not making Donald Trump puns. That’s just coincidental, sorry to disappoint.) On Aggie’s part, I commend her for her bravery and courage and patience and… loyalty to Jace. She acknowledges everything Jace gave her. Even to the minute details, until she knew how he ticks, how he thinks, how he evades, everything. Their story is the most unconventional and yet you can really feel their feelings for each other.

Spoiler:

My heart broke for Jace when he cried at the end part where the Sinner’s tour bus met an accident when they were in Canada. </3

Ratings:

5 Marvelous Rainbow Ratings!!

I’m addicted to Sinners and Olivia Cunning’s work, I hope I could still read One Night with Sole Regret though and the Exodus End series. Because guys, if you want to read something along the lines with Metal Bands and Music, her books are the go-to reads.

Hope you enjoy!

-Rayne

Arashi Auction

Written: February 3, 2016

 

You guys know my penchant about this Japanese boyband “Arashi”, right? I’ve mentioned them in some of my posts and I can tell you again and again, how my love for that group is never going to die.

 

Especially one guy in particular.

 

Now, What is Rayne talking about being Arashi in an Auction? Well to start off, the boys aren’t being auctioned. Calm your horses. What I’m trying to say is that the things Arashi released from 199-2014 (singles, albums, compilation albums, maybe even a photobook and some special edition stuffs) Every single one signed by all of the members and being auctioned. The starting bid was PHP 300 (approx. $6.70)

 

The one who attended the auction was my brother along with his friends. It was just pure coincidence that he has to experience this auction thing and come across an auction with Arashi fan goods that can literally take a fan into fandom haven. when that person gets his/her hands on that goods.

 

He told me that the bidders started at only two people bidding on it. Then there came in the third bidder at PHP 1,500 (approx. $33.40) the fourth bidder came in at PHP 2,500 (approx. $55.56). Then all of the sudden, another one came in and bidding a surprising PHP 50,000 (Approx. $1,100).

 

By that time, my brother and his friend was laughing because of the absurdity that a person would place such a big money to something as, I would say petty, as that. The closing bid for all of those Arashi goodies was a whopping PHP 90,000 (approx. $2,000)

 

Goodness gracious! I would totally like to smack my brother for actually laughing as something like that. I mean, that bundle was never used! It was meant to be a collector’s item. I told him, “If I were only rich, I would’ve bid a million pesos (probably $22,200) so that no one would’ve bid for that other than me.” But alas! I am just an average girl.

 

Until now, I can’t even wrap my head around it because for one, I surely didn’t expect for that news to be delivered to me in a pretty uneventful and stressful day at school. The only thing that was interesting that happened was that my class every Wednesday night (from 6PM to 9PM) would cease to exist. Because after our reporting, there would be no more classes from that subject and the only way that we are going to have access on our final grades is if we got on-board on our vessel internship and the tour to Cebu and Bohol.

 

*sigh…

 

I wish I am already a successful person and well-off, (not rich nor stinking rich) Just a person with enough money to fund her wants. And when that time comes, I will meet Arashi, personally. If I have to be in the audience of one of their variety shows or be in the one of a thousand people at their concerts, then so  be it. I’d also like it if I be able to make myself known or for them to know that I exist. Especially with a certain member. He-he XD

 

Well, this definitely put me in a better mood and I badly needed that to make me get through my stressful schedule.

 

School knows how to fush up your head.

 

`til next time!

-Rayne

Book Madness: The 36th Manila International Book Fair

Last September 16-20 was the 36th  Manila International Book Fair held in SMX Convention Center along with Best of Anime 2015. The book fair, was five days long with all the book stores that can be found nationwide.

I went to visit the Book Fair last Saturday (September 19, 2015) because of the book signing with Christine Brae, Tarryn Fisher, and Colleen Hoover. I am very much lost when I went there, I don’t know what to do, I don’t know who to talk to. Basically, going to a war with no weapons. I was unprepared.

Until the book signing time came, I saw her, I saw Tarryn Fisher and Colleen Hoover, the people behind Never Never. I bought Colleen Hoover’s book but the slots were all taken. I feel sad, but seeing her smile and interact with a lot of readers, I am quite happy.

An opportunity opens up in my direction when one of the people who managed to snag a signing slot only has one book to get signed. I asked him if it was okay to get my book signed along with his. He said it was okay and he has a gift to give to Colleen Hoover and it was a beautiful drawing of her holding a November 9 ARC.

I have never saw myself as an opportunist but that’s what I did. From being alone coming in that event to see/have a glimpse of the person whose books I become to love, to coming home with new friends, and having an encounter I never thought happening.

That day also, I came across Joe Inoue, a Japanese Idol that’s known for his input in the Japanese anime songs. It was a day of unexpected moments and I love every minute of it.

Sunday, September 20, 2015. It was the last day of the event. I came to the venue with my best friend because of the Cocktail party of Precious Pages Corp., Preciously Precious. Where we get to meet the person who wrote those romance novels that we love to buy and read.

The place was packed we got a lot of freebies while we were inside the venue. A free makeover, free lunch, free snacks, we get to interact with a lot of writers, we get to enjoy games that the Emcees prepared. All in all it was a great experience.

There are only some things I have missed when I was there in the venue. One, meeting Kiera Cass the author of The Selection Series. Two, meeting my wattpad buddies on the mezzanine floor of the Convention Center. And Lastly, buying one book that could’ve completed the book series that I have been completing since I started collecting pocketbooks.

Last year was the start when I attended this book fair event, and now it will definitely be a yearly occurence like a birthday.

I hope to see everyone I saw this year in the next year’s Manila International Book Fair. I wouldn’t mind seeing new faces either. I’d be thrilled. 🙂

-Rain

Haunted by songs

The title is creepy, right? But this is only because I heard another song that made me go “Weird Memory” again.

I’ll make this short, I’ve been hearing Arashi’s song for the past years but not continuously like I was when I was a new fan of them, but from 2010 until present I am not that updated with Arashi, I’ve voiced out this concern for a few times already, but once you heard the song sometimes you undergo a what we call a “Last Song Syndrome” or LSS, I am that most of the time, so there are times that I play a certain song until it is embedded on my head and I can blurt out the lyrics unconsciously, know when the song pauses, down to every beat.

So, while I was listening to the “Boku no miteiru fukei” Album of Arashi and Ohno Satoshi’s song “Shizukana yoru ni” played, I was transported back to my memory and I was going to start freaking out again if I didn’t catch myself. Seriously, what is with this kind of memory? You’re relaxing one minute to their songs, the other you are freaking out because you heard a song that you’ve heard from before. Is this representing something?

There, that is the reason why I’ve entitled this post as that. It kind of feels like I am haunted by my own memories, but it’s not like I forgot Arashi altogether. I will never forget them, since 2008 until whenever, they’ll be forever be with me. Screw people who wants people to change because they don’t like how they live their lives.

I hope there’s no more surprising songs that will trigger my brain to freak out again, can’t afford freaking out again, there’s nothing in my head but that song if that happens..

-Rain

Fangirl Problems

If you think being a fangirl is easy, think again. It looks like an easy thing because of what you see as the product in those concerts, news, but that’s not the real struggle. Real struggles of a fangirl happens before the event, before they are seen by thousands–if not millions–of fans around the world.

Being a fan of Arashi for a long time, it’s been a frustrating treat for me. Why is that? Because Arashi lives a country away from me, because they speak in a language that I am not that very familiar, and being one of the “poor” fans, I simply watch their concerts, live appearances on TV, their game show, and a whole a lot more in either YouTube or somewhere else, with English subtitles so that I could understand what they are talking about.

Other frustrating things that comes to mind is that your bias is someone else’s bias! Since they are known in other parts of the world, of course other fan will likely to grab, let’s say for example, Matsumoto Jun other than you. It’s frustrating like that.

I’ll confess something too, I think I’m in love with the group’s rapper Sakurai Sho. But of course, another person will say that too. It’s a never ending competition, the only winner will be the person Sakurai Sho himself chose. Which will be heartbreaking for us who likes Sho. He’ll be ending the bachelorhood and we will only look at him from the stage and not think about his marital status anymore because he is off the shelf.

You might think, Sho Sakurai is years older than me. Yes, he is. Actually he is 14 years older than me. Sad right? If I could wait any longer for his kid to grow then I’ll settle for that but I must be years older than him too. Sometime you want to scream that this world is very unfair. Because it is unfair 😦

(What’s with the name change? Sho is a given name, Sakurai is the family name/last name. Japanese, Chinese and Korean’s use the family name first before the given name. I am only aware of those three countries I am not sure for the other countries)

Sho is a hilarious guy, he writes good rap songs/lyrics (and when you talk about rap, Sho is the guy that you need to hear rap. No one else. Other than him, it’s just crap. No offense people, it’s just my opinion. If you beg to differ and want to start a war with me? Leave my blog please.) He’s a very good MC, newscaster, actor. He’s honest in those things that he cannot do and he doesn’t take offense when people laughed about his weakness. In other words, Sho Sakurai is an amazing guy, and he is the kind of guy that I like to have in my life.

For some reasons, He’s the guy or his traits are the things that I look up to guys, but am disappointed when I don’t see those traits to the person that I like. I am aware that there people are not the same, they don’t carry the same DNA as the other person. But I can’t help looking those traits. It’s like Sho Sakurai standards are high. Physical appearance wise, I like looking at the guy’s eyes and I am fond of those small somewhat chinky eyes. Not really like those almost close eyes, well, Sho’s eyes somewhat close to that. I like that a guy’s taller than me, knows how to dance, can slightly sing, doesn’t need to be so good. Fashion wise, … Uhm, that’s optional. I’m not really a fashionista so being able to coordinate the guy’s clothes is enough.

Am I sounding like an obsessive stalker? If I do, please tell me. I don’t want to look ugly, I still want to keep my baby faced look. (Though the amount of time that I allot for sleeping is really not enough, I can still keep my look for a little while before it goes ;))

He’s my ideal man, the perfect guy for me. He does have flaws and that’s what makes him human/ordinary to me.

Sho Sakurai of my life come out wherever you are hiding! I need you! T_T

There are a lot of Fangirl problems but falling for your bias is the top fangirl problems, fangirls face. I am in the statistics *sobs*

Sho Sakurai is just dreamy… and I could go on and on talking about him, but that’s not in the schedule. he-he..

I do wish that me and Sho or the Arashi to meet one day. Like coincidental or something… *squeals* There goes my imagination again hahaha! Well, time to face the music 😉

-Rain

Weird Memory

Arashi, my favorite Japanese boy band. They’ve been in the industry for 15 years already [ 16th year anniversary on September 15th, 2015] I’m not as updated as I was when I became their fan in 2008, but I managed to memorize all of the songs they’ve released in their singles, from 1999 up until present I think. haha

Now, the thing that I find weird is having to listen to a song that either, I just heard/watched performed or I saw an earlier video and heard the song before. The only thing that is bothering me now is how the hell have I known the song like I’ve played it over a hundred times and managed to memorized the lyrics. (Song in question can be heard here. it is the second song played) It’s what’s bothering me for three days now and counting because I can’t solve this mystery. I know for a fact that this is the first time that I watched the video (first time was last Sunday) and since then, I haven’t been able to think straight because I kept on thinking about where I first heard the song. That’s it bothering me to this extent.

I’ve been searching a lot of videos since that time that I’ve heard the song to see if there will be something that would spark my memory that, “Ah, this was the video where I first heard this song.” but nothing, and it is making me confused and frustrated.

I hate feeling frustrated and feeling that I lost some important memory or part of something. It bothers me a lot. I’ve been a fan of Arashi for 7 years now, and having that feeling of not knowing that song is really frustrating, especially if other people knows which song was it, what the lyrics are and what it really meant. If I am rich, I would have bought Arashi’s Concert DVDs, Albums, Singles and a lot of things. But since resources are limited, I’ll be content on watching videos on YouTube (subbed or un-subbed)

Sigh, when the time comes that I can finally fly out of the country, the first country that I would be visiting would be Japan and  the thing that I would do is attend Arashi’s concert. To hell with language barrier, I’d attend at least one or two concerts that they will hold.

I’m not that fluent in Japanese/nihonggo but I am going to attend it no matter what.If they think about doing another Asian tour concert and Philippines is in the list, I’d definitely come and buy a ticket that would give me a great view of the five of them. Especially, Sakurai Sho.

Sakurai Sho (the guy wearing a dark/navy blue suit in the picture above) is the unofficial/considered Leader of the group. He is the group’s rapper and he managed to graduate Keio University while having his career as an Idol. He writes his own rap lyrics, and if it isn’t obvious enough, He is my favorite member of Arashi.

I hope I remember when and where I first heard that song (The title of that mysterious song is “Always”) so that my brain can stop thinking so deep about that.

Arashians, tasukete kudasai!

-Rain