Wattpad Must-Read Stories by Filipino Authors

21. Beyond Fate and the Stars (Self-Published) by kathbute

Book Blurb:

A compilation of short stories written by the Kathbute writers under the theme of Chinese Zodiac and different emotions...

Travel to the farthest shores of your imagination, traipse to the outer space, ride a tikbalang, follow your dreams, embrace change, go down the rabbit hole, stay at home and discover its secrets, or find a new home, a new friend, a love waiting to bloom.

This is beyond fate, beyond those distant stars... and it starts at the first turn of a page.

Disclaimer:  

The version posted here on Wattpad is unedited.  I'm reviewing the edited one.

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Hi everyone!  Missed me? Whew!  Ang tagal ko nang hindi na-update ang list na ito and I'm so honored to come back with this awesome offering.  Tada and behold -- Beyond Fate and the Stars.

Nah. I'm not high right now.  Ganito lang talaga ako kapag na-e-excite.  Nagiging OA.   Besides, I miss doing these things -- reading awesomeness and spazzing about them.

So, this 'review' or 'feedback' or whatever you want to call these write-ups I do, is a promise to one of the Kathbute writers, lunatrix.  Yeah, yeah, yeah.  I know nagsasawa na kayo sa kakaplug ko sa pangalan niya dito.  Siguro, ang ilan sa inyo ay iniisip na ako at siya ay iisa na.  You know, pina-plug ko ang sarili ko.    Wow, man, you have a more creative mind than I do.  Magsulat ka na din kaya? Tsk, tsk, tsk.  Wish ko lang na ako at siya ay iisa.  I wouldn't mind to have her mind (pun intended).

So, going back.  This review is part of a promise I gave her when I finally received the physical book.  Yeah.  I got one.  Sa 20 copies na pinagawa nila, sa akin ang isa.  Mamatay ka po sa inggit.  The book is so beautiful.  Cutiepie pa ang bookmark na kasama.  May autograph at message pa na made especially for me.

And naliligaw na naman ako ng landas.  So, going back ulit. The specific deal was, in exchange for the book, I have to give an honest to goodness feedback about it.  Nah.  I'm lying.  Ano 'to?  Goodreads? A book for a review? Wala kaming ganoong deal.  Sadyang may kabutihang loob lang talaga si lunatrix na naaalala niya ako despite sa kanyang successful debut as an author.  OMG.  Sabog na nga talaga siguro ako.  Kung ano-ano na ang pinagsasabi ko dito.  Hahahaha.  

Ito na.  Serious mode na talaga ito.  The feedback was requested.  Kung gusto ko lang naman daw.  And hindi naman necessariliy na dito dapat sa list of must-read ko.  Kahit PM okay na.  Pero, maliban sa gusto ko naman talaga magbigay ng feedback, gusto ko din ito ilagay dito sa "must-read" list because it deserves to be here kahit na sabihing hindi lahat ng kuwentong nakapaloob dito sa anthology ay nagustuhan ko.  Hey.  She told me to be honest and honest I'll be.

Those short stories dito na hindi ko nagustuhan, it wasn't because they were badly written.  Polido naman ang pagkakagamit ng lengguwahe.  The plot is tight.  Tama naman ang timplada ng lahat ng rekados.  It's just that, for me, I felt like they didn't belong with the rest.  They didn't fit sa theme na ine-expect ko for this anthology.  Alam mo 'yong parang pumasok ka sa isang Indian-themed buffet tapos may siomai na pagkasarap-sarap doon pero hindi mo kakainin kasi nga Indian-themed buffet dapat at iyon ang binayaran mo. So more of personal preference ang dahilan kung bakit hindi ko sila nagustuhan.  And that, I think, is the only weakness of this anthology.   The wide genre of the stories defeated the purpose of having a theme.  Sayang sana ang mga kuwentong hindi ko nagustuhan.  Kung sa ibang anthology sila naisama, they could have worked really well for me.