Hello, friends! It's August which means it is Buwan ng Wika, the month of languages, in the Philippines! This also means that Wikathon is back! If you
remember around this time last year, Wikathon was a month-long readathon all throughout August which celebrated Filipino authors and the 120+ languages in the Philippines, hosted by Filipino book enthusiasts Gerald, Kate, Alex, Kat and
Julienne.
This year, Wikathon is back with whole new prompts and even recommendations, hosted by
Kate @ Your Tita Kate. The
readathon starts from August 1 to August 31. There is also
a Discord server
that participants can join for reading sprints, giveaways and more.
I cannot wait to see what everyone reads for this years wikathon! I'm a huge
mood reader and don't tend to stick to tbrs well, so for some prompts I
included more than one book bc yours truly is a Libra rising who cannot decide
on anything to save her life lol. Come celebrate Filipino authors and stories
all month long (and year-round) with us!
The Prompts
My TBR
Bagong Salta
Read a book by a Filipino author you've never read before.
This actually released yesterday (right in time for the wikathon!) and is a
featured title on We Need Diverse Books, and I am so excited to read it!
The story follows a 16-year-old Filipino American who's been uprooted from his
San Diego, California home to a rural town seemingly in the middle of nowhere.
Angelo leaves behind his girlfriend and the biggest skateboarding competition
in the west coast, as he navigates life in an all-white town and school, being
bullied and called a "brown boy" by schoolmates, thus becoming an outcast.
However, he discovers he's not alone. He finds solace in a group of misfits
whom are outcasts as well and in that group he finds a found family of sorts.
It seems like this would resonate with me, as a Filipino American who, too,
had been uprooted from a diverse metropolitan area (the Bay Area in CA) to a
mostly-white town up north and had been bullied for my slanted eyes, brown
skin and was called a "greasy haired monkey" too many times than I'd like to
remember. Something us Filipino diaspora can relate to and I hope this story
has an uplifting message that will resonate in Filipino kids and teens.
Desentralisasyon
Read a book by a Filipino who is not Tagalog. (i.e. Bisaya [Cebuanos
represent!], Ilocano, Kampampangan, Waray, Pangasinan, Hiligaynon, etc.)
Igorotdo is a fiction novel written by Igorot (Indigenous Filipino) author
about Indigenous Igorot roots and peoples. It's apparently
the first fiction novel written by an Igorot person.
It follows Alex who had immigrated to the U.S. as a child with his
family, but assimilation into American society has led to a disconnect from
his Igorot ancestry. Like many immigrants/diaspora, his true ethnic identity
took a backseat due to moving from home and assimilation.
Alex grew up to achieve the "American Dream" of running a successful business,
owning a house, living the lavish lifestyle and such. But despite achieving it
all, he felt a void that ate away at him until an event sent him on a
collision course with his heritage. He encounters Igorot peoples, reconnecting with his lineage, bringing about new meaning for him, and discovers an enlightened
warrior within himself.
Having grown up learning of Indigenous Filipinos, including the Igorots,
from my lola and titas who taught me and my cousins to never forget about, not
only our Filipino heritage but also the native Filipinos in the Philippines,
I'm excited to read more about them. A cousin of mine in the Philippines sent
me a copy a few years ago and it's time to finally read it.
I know, I know. Some of you will come for me for not having read the sequel to
The Wolf of Oren-Yaro yet, but I will get to it! Even if the bitch queen
Talyien herself holds a kampilan to my throat.
The conclusion to the series, The Dragon of Jin-Seyeng,
released this year and Talyien would probably step on me slay
me. And it would be very well deserved.
Copies of both The Ikessar Falcon and Dragon of Jin-Seyeng have been sitting in my Kobo e-reader waiting to be read, so this month is the month.
Baylan
Read a book by a Filipino author featuring the supernatural.
The sequel in the Bakunawa Rising series that's all about pre-colonial Filipino
mythology of the moon eating serpent, the Bakunawa, and a village chief's
daughter who led a rebellion against the gods to save the earth and is on a
mission to usurp the moon goddess Bulan's powers to rescue her mom and defeat
the Bakunawa. I'm excited to see how it all goes down! Hopefully it doesn't end on
a cliffhanger because the third book isn't out yet, and very little is known about the third book or its release date.
Another sequel I need to get to - this being in the Empire of the Lotus
series. Following the events of Crimson Mage, the soldiers of the shadow army
are looming closer and the ancient diety has the Lotus empress under his
control. It's up to the mages to put an end to Keshmeru's destruction. It'll
be difficult to do as mages had been either locked up or their powers outlawed, so
we shall see how the group of elite mages pulls it off.
Yes, yet another sequel (stop looking at me like that). The Trese komik series
is a revered Filipino komik that now has an adaptation on Netflix of the same
name (give us more episodes/seasons, Netflix!), and it's filled with
mythological (or is it?) creatures from the stories and nightmares of our
childhoods. If you like scary, if you like mythological creatures, if you like
murder mysteries, this is for you.
Other prompts this fits under: Kayod
Tadhana
Read a romance novel by a Filipino author where both the main character and
love interest(s) are Filipino.
The Tropetastic Kindness Bundle, edited by Angel C. Aquino, Ana Tejano, Angeli E. Dumatol, Bianca Mori, C.P.
Santi, Carla de Guzman, Mina V. Esguerra, Celestine Trinidad, Chris Mariano,
Dawn Lanuza, Georgette S. Gonazales, Ines Bautista-Yao, Jay E. Tria, Katt
Bariones, Suzette de Borja
This anthology is filled with our favorite romance tropes set in Philippines,
all written by Filipino romance authors. The authors of this anthology wrote
it for a cause, all proceeds going to charity, and made it available for a
limited amount of time back in April, and I am so excited to finally get to
reading it.
This is the 2nd edition of de Guzman's If the Dress Fits that released earlier
this year (the author is even on the book cover! How cool is that!?). It
follows Martha an accountant and proud owner of a cute puppy with a knack for
fashion and a glorious wardrobe to show for it. She's a dress size 24 who owns
her outfits with finesse and style. Her cousin announces her engagement which
means the whole family will be at the upcoming wedding. Martha has it all.
Except a boyfriend. Luckily she has the goofy and dependable Max to be her
fake boyfriend for the festivities. But what happens when it doesn't
feel so fake anymore?
Olivia seems to have it all: good looks, a nice condo, a job that pays well, even men
lining up to date her... except she doesn't have the ability to cook. Enter Nate, a hotshot
chef who fills in to be Olivia's cooking instructor and soon they're heating up
the kitchen in more ways than just cooking. Can they withstand the heat, or
will they have to get out of the kitchen when the sizzle fizzles out?
Ilustrado
Read a book by a Filipino author featuring academics focus or academia
setting.
I don't know if Ang Larong Nagwakas Sa Atin counts for this prompt but it
does take place at an academy with a heavy focus on chess tournaments where the winner of the final game earns a scholarship and gets appointed the
class chess player of the year. There's also a minor focus on the school newspaper and one of the main characters is an honor student.
It's written in Filipino, the title translating to "The Game That Ends
With Us" as the final chess game depends on the four years of friendship
between main characters Dennis and Esther.
I'm not into chess sadly, but this story tells of how Dennis and Esther's
friendship formed and blossomed, and I am so here for that as well as the characters passions.
Katipunan
Read a book by a Filipino author featuring a secret society.
The third and final installment in the Gilded Wolves trilogy, which releases
on September 21. I might not have liked the Silvered Serpents as much as I did the
first book, The Gilded Wolves, but I'm excited to get back into this world and
see how it all ends.
I received an e-arc just a few days ago and I'm both excited and a bit nervous to get into it.
Spoilers for Where Dreams Descend!!!
The conclusion in the Kingdom of Cards duology is going to be wild, following
the events of
Where Dreams Descend that left us on a CLIFFHANGER!!! Following
the events of
that ending, the big magic competition had come to a
disastrous end leaving Kallia in the hands of a dangerous magician and Demarco
falling from grace. What the hell are this group of magicians supposed to do
now!?
Just remembering that ending again kills me, I have to pick up the WNB
e-arc asap.
Does this book count under this particular prompt? Idk it's a grey area, but
I'm reading it this month come hell or high water.
Balangiga
Read a book by a Filipino author featuring imperialism.
High Society by Paolo Chikiamco, Hannah Buena
High Society is a standalone steampunk Filipino Komik in the Wooden War series that takes
place in an alternative history set in 1764 Manila, Philippines with magic, automata and clockwork
machines abound. With the Spaniard forces and the
British invading, Filipinos has an ally/secret weapon to help them succeed
against the enemy forces.
This will be a reread. Rereads totally count.
Historical fiction set around World War II era as U.S. and Japanese forces
battle to possess the Philippines, the story follows a family as they hide
with their neighbors in a cramped cellar where they tell each other stories
and folktales. Stories of love, survival, folktales, family, history,
centuries of Spanish colonization, catholic churches, and Filipino cultures were shared with each other.
The story also tells a tale of three brave Filipino teenagers and guerilla
fighters as they battle against Japanese forces above ground. It was inspired
by the authors fathers firsthand accounts in that period.
CW/TW: war themes, imperialism, colonization, violence
Kayod
Read a book by a Filipino author with an emphasis on the main characters
careers, livelihoods, trade, etc.
The main character Clara Parez was an orphan who was raised by nuns and is now a
reporter on the small island. Working at the daily paper, she grows tired of
menial tasks and when a tiny street erupts in flames after a demonstration
that left an unarmed man killed by a soldier, Clara seizes the opportunity to
investigate and cover the story.
During the investigation, Clara discovers another tragedy that is personal to
her involving her unknown past, including family secrets. Clara's missing
history unfolds the more she searches for the truth about her mysterious past. It sounds so intriguing.
Tula
Read a book by a Filipino author in verse or poetry.
Dawn Lanuza's third poetry collection which released earlier this year
explores longing, loneliness, home, bullying and mental illness. It also
touches on themes such as body image, sexism and even death, addressing topics
that are not talked about enough. It's such a good harrowing and powerful
collection, which is why I'll be rereading it for this wikathon.
CW/TW: death, bullying, misogyny/sexism, suicide, self-harm, injury
A poetry collection by queer Filipino-Canadian explores love and loss in many
forms. This is another reread and honestly timely, so it's going on this
wikathon's tbr.
And there you have it! My tentative TBR for Wikathon 2!
What are you planning to read during wikathon?
In addition to supporting Filipino authors and creators, be sure to also support Filipinos in Philippines by helping them to #junkterrorlaw
and uphold human rights there with
JUNK TERROR LAW NOW! and this carrd
PARA SA PINAS!, end the Jeepney phaseouts for safer public transports with
PARA SA PINAS!, save Lumad schools from attacks with
PARA SA PINAS!, and donate to COVID relief efforts/Filipino farmers affected by the
pandemic/typhoon reliefs with
PARA SA PINAS!
Philippine halalans are coming up in 2022 and there are resources provided to help oust the Dueterte regime, which you can help here:
PARA SA PINAS!
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