My 2022 Reading List: Every Moment Was You

During our last coffee bonding session last December, my friend Beth G. asked for the gifts that I, and my other friend, Kim would like for Christmas. At that moment, Beth had mentioned that the book Every Moment Was You would be available in the Philippines. Blame it on being a bibliophile, and a Kdrama fan, I did not hesitate anymore and told her that the said book is what's on my wishlist.

Written by Tae-wan Ha, Every Moment Was You contains essays and poems on the subject of love and its seasons. The prose and essays were divided based on different stages, from the process of waiting and looking for it, finding love, falling out, and moving forward. Originally penned in Korean, it was translated to English by Ma. Kristina Carla Rico and Kyung Min-bae.

photo from Twitter

If you are a fan of Korean dramas, the book surely is a familiar sight as it appeared on some episodes of the rom-com drama What's Wrong With Secretary Kim? And since Beth considers me as someone with the (career) resemblance to Park Min Young's character as Kim Mi-so, I believe that this book is an essential item in my reading list. 

While this was something Beth originally planned to hand me for Christmas, I had to wait for a month to get hold of this book. This was after the COVID restrictions were heightened due to the rise of infections after the holidays, which made us decide to postpone the meetup temporarily. But it was still worth the wait. I received the gift when we met for coffee during Chinese New Year, February 1. While it may be long-overdue for Christmas, the book is still appropriate just in time for Valentine's Day.



When I asked Beth for her feedback about the book (having read it first), she said it was like reading unsent letters and speaking to your TOTGA (the one that got away) given that its theme is about love and its stages. But as I immersed into its pages, more than just the imaginary conversations with a lover, and reminiscing about one's own romantic relationships, this literary work provided comforting words for those who are dealing with your their personal circumstances. Reading some of the essays and poems, there are pieces that spoke words of advice. It's as if I am speaking to a friend and asking her two cents worth, and nuggets of wisdom as I try to navigate through a different point of my life, if not questioning a lot of things and decisions related to it.

More than just the eye-candy pastel book cover, I would recommend this if you are looking for a relaxing book to read as part of your nighttime ritual.

Every Moment Was You is published in the Philippines by Adarna House, Inc. and is available on Lazada and Shopee.

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