A book fair is not a book fair if not for its sale and discounts.

The Manila International Book Fair is a chance for all the bookworms all over the country to gather with a mission and everyone's mission is to find their next great reads. I was skeptical when I first heard the book fair, I told my self that I will not miss this year's book fair. I had been very busy at school so I figured this book fair is a great way for me to unwind.

My mind is set, I'm going to go there and buy me some books. A friend told me that at the last day of the book fair, they give crazy discounts so my plan was to go there on the last day, which is on September 15. But yesterday, luck being with me, our professor didn't came to school. I was pissed at first I mean I woke up early just to get to school on time so I ended up riding a bus going to LRT/Beundia and the rest you can figure out. 

I have been reading books since I was a highschool student, it was my only form of entertainment. But living in a province where malls are 4 hours drive away I had to use ebooks. Ebooks are fine, they're easy to use, portable, and it's free! The downside is they are not forever. You can store ebooks on your phone or in your computer but we all know files on electronic devices don't last long, they can be deleted accidentally or virus can get to your files, either way, they are not ideal for forever. 

I still remember the first book that I got, it's a paperback of The Heroes Of Olympus. It's a spin off to the hit series Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan. I can't believe how happy I am that day. It was a gift, well half gift actually since I paid half of the price. Hard copies are so much better, I used to say back then. Because it's true! Reading from a real book, turning pages to and fro, and putting it on a bookshelf at your bedroom is something. It's like books are my prized possession. 

Going back to the book fair, it was Saturday when I went there. And to prove how excited I am, I went in to the wrong building. The book fair was being held at the SMX Convention at the SM Mall of Asia. And where did I go? I went to the MOA Arena by accident. I was in a hurry so my mind didn't got the chance to process my surroundings. The only thing that my mind is telling me "books!". I realized I was on the wrong side and not in the right place when I see people buying tickets, I think it was for the UAAP. I don't know, have I been living under a rock? No! I just don't know what's going on at the MOA Arena that day.

It was a long walk since the SMX Convention is at the other side of the mall. But I didn't cared. 

I was swept by a wave of people in a pool of books upon entering the convention center. Before going on a book fair, you should always ready yourself with a good pair of walking shoes since you'll be circling the whole place for books, a huge amount of money, and a list of things/books that you are going to buy.

My list includes:

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Trash by Andy Mulligan

Baby Jesus Pawnshop by Lucia Orth

Manila Noir by Jessica Hagedorn

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

Mistress by James Patterson

The Ocean at the end of the of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

and some classics;

Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham

IQ84 by Haruki Murakami

I know that my list is long. And I know I can't buy them all since I'm low on budget but I just want to have options. The very first book that I went looking for was the Baby Jesus Pawn Shop, I want to know how controversial the book is but unfortunately I didn't find one. I went to the National Book Store and Fullybooked booth back and forth, I searched every shelves yet to no success. Good thing Manila Noir is easy to find. I found it at the Anvil Publishing booth thanks to a friend. Godd thing about book fair is that you'll get wide choices of books plus a discount! I got Manila Noir on a 20% off. How cool is that?

The next thing I got is The Time Traveler's Wife, It's not on my list since I already read that on ebook but the price tempted me. 99php only! The line at the cashier was super long and slow so you need to have a lot of patience. 

I didn't got the time to browse for other books because I need to be at Laguna that day. So I have to make sure that my 4 hour drive don't get compromised. What amazed me that day was the number of "OMG's" and "awe's" I heard that day. I remember this girl, I was looking at the fiction section at Fullybooked when she yelped OMG! when she found a book that she likes. It's amazing how books can do that to people. And what amazes me more is the amount of people who treats books more than just a book. You'll get what I mean if you value books like you value your love ones. I was hoping to meet a fellow bookworm of the same interest that day, but since I was in a hurry I didn't the chance to socialize. Haha! Oh also, there is a book signing at the book fair. From famous local writers. Like Ramon Bautista and the likes. I wish the book fair extends for a week, that'll be great!

my MIBF book haul!