Exported this review from Goodreads to my blog because it caught the author's attention.

"Hi! Thank you po sa mga reviews niyo tungkol sa book ko. Haha :) thanks din kay sir KD at kay Biena. At least, ngayon alam ko na yung mga reaksyon ng ibang tao sa libro ko. Haha. Perstaymer kasi ako. Pero sa susunod kong libro, sana mejo ok na yung reviewa niyo haha at sana magustuhan niyo na :) "Para sa Broken Hearted" naman yung susunod na libro ko. Naks! May susunod agad :) pasensiya na rin sa mga "mas better" at "nakacivilian" like words sa book ko, ganun po kasi ako magsalita. Para natural. :) mas better diba? Haha."

- Marcelo Santos III

Para sa Hopeless Romantic by Marcelo Santos III
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Don't judge. I'm a Marcelo Santos virgin.

I think the storyline is quite okay. I just kind of hate it sometimes, because you can feel that the author is kind of trying to be funny, whilst attempting to state something profound. Channeling Bob Ong, eh? Hmmm. Meh. At some point, I think the author is actually aiming for a Ricky Lee. I just don't know. Maybe, it's just me.

I won't say I didn't like it, over all, I think, Marcelo captures the heart of his audience and his stories are really targeted to his readers and this novel is his answer to the 'strike while the iron is hot' cliche. My very close friend Boado would like this, love this book even. (I recommended it to him and he just bought a copy, one book down, Marcelo!) I just know it.

Unfortunately and sadly, I don't belong to the teenage circle clamoring for this kind of storytelling anymore, let's just say, I already grew up and matured. (Caveat, this doesn't mean, I'm calling Marcelo's fans young and immature.) For an instance, I don't use very cute and colloquial student terms like: nakacivilian and magvandal anymore.


P.S.

Here are some lines that sort of ticked me off:

"Hindi ako nanonood ng telenovela, yung nanay ko at mga kapatid ko yun. No choice lang ako."

-- Really now, Marcelo, really now, why'd you have to quip such thing? I have nothing against people not watching telenovelas, albeit, I think it's kind of strange and poseurish not to watch even one, I actually am acquainted with someone who doesn't really pay much attention to these things, it's just that... hmm, how can I put this? Okay, let's be honest, this line is kind of pretentious, there, I said it.

"Hindi mo deserve ang tulad ko."

-- Okay lang ang Taglish, I actually like Taglish. But, the truth is... ang FAIL lang nito.


"Nakamoved on"

"Napublished"

"Mas better"


-- I'm not a grammar nazi (I'm no expert, hey), but I think this is grammatically incorrect. Grammarians, where art thou?


At ang daming typos. Grr. Joke lang, di ako galit. :D

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Labels: Bibliophilia, book, book review, book worm, bookworm, filipiniana, hopeless romantic, marcelo, marcelo santos, para sa hopeless, para sa hopeless romantic, pshr

I have a penchant for romance. My movie collection ranges from Sharon and Gabby movies to contemporary chick flicks to classic love stories like Casa Blanca and Roman Holiday. I devour Meg Cabot novels, religiously read Jane Austen's classic every October and unfailingly adore love teams.


All of us romantics, have been programmed to believe, yearn and wait for 'the one' because the boy and the girl who met and fell in love always end up together... (not just forever, but at least they do. Blame those MALE romance novelists, yes, I'm talking to you Nicholas Sparks, and yes, you David Nicholls... and maybe Emerick Domingo and Dennis Garcia in the near future, I really hope not!)

But as I said earlier... the story must defend itself. The writers should make us BELIEVE.

Labels: boy meets girl, conflict, david nicholls, fall in love, gabby, hopeless romantic, love, movie, nicholas sparks, one true pair, one true pairing, romance, romantic, sharon, sweet kiss, third wheel