Book Review: For One More Day by Mitch Albom

I think the weather's way of telling me to rest my body and my mind is to cut off electricity. No TV. No radio. No internet. No phone signal. Nothing. For the first time in a very long time I didn't feel upset or furious with the fact that the power was out so very early in the morning and that I can't check my mails and Facebook. I actually felt fine with it. I took it maybe as the electric company's precautionary measures what with the new typhoon that's here in the country.

So anyhoo, I was able to just sit down and read (or re-read for that matter) a very good book... Mitch Albom's For One More Day.

I have one thing to say about this book and the author. Amazing. It's amazing how Mitch Albom never fails to make me cry with his novels. It's amazing how he write such novels in a way that's easy to understand, with simple words, yet can touch your inner emotions. It's amazing how his story-telling feels like you are actually there... a character in the story.

The first time I read this book, I was deeply touched but I guess I didn't quite felt the emotion yet. Today, however, when I read it again in one sitting I cried. Not just teary-eyed but literally cried, tears-falling-down-my-cheeks-throat-hurts kind of cry. I felt like I somehow connected with the character. Different circumstances but same thoughts and emotions.

I don't know how to give a synopsis for this novel without spoiling it for those who haven't read it yet. All I can say is that this book is about how it feels to lose a parent, all your loved ones and the unconditional love of a mother to her child.

I will be back for some of my favorite excerpts/quotes from the book. Take some time to read it, totally worth it.

Book Review: Can You Keep A Secret?

I think this is the first ever "book review" that I will be posting here in my blog. I don't know why this is so since I read so many novels already from Chinua Achebe to Paulo Coelho to John Grisham to Mitch Albom to Dan Brown to even local authors like Bob Ong. Maybe this is because I grew up reading books. A lot of them in fact. Disney fairy tales, Sweet Valley Kids, Twins, JR High, SVU and even their Diaries, Berenstein Bears and well, other children books.

However, I wouldn't enumerate them all here and do critique on every books I have read. Today, I will be focusing on Sophie Kinsella's Can You Keep A Secret? novel. Remember when I told you how I got sick during the days I was M.I.A? This is how I survived and spent those days: either walking to the beach (yes, just WALKING), listening to music and/or reading this book.

I bought this book last year, early last year if I'm not mistaken, but since then it's been stuck in my bedroom bookshelf still in its cover and I haven't touched it since then. I'm not sure why. Anyway, when I started feeling sick last week I decided to curl up in my bed after taking in some meds and started reading. Funny. Reading the first page already me smile and it already got my attention. I kept reading and reading and flipping through the pages that I didn't notice I was done with it already. I was laughing most parts of the book. This is the second book I have read from Sophie Kinsella (the first one was The Undomestic Goddess) but as far as I could remember, her way of writing in Can You Keep A Secret? was really appropriate for the type of book that it is. Funny. Hilarious. Sweet. This book is one of those feel good ones, the kind that is not "hard" to read, the kind that's easy, funny and suits a nice lazy afternoon at home.

new book cover

I have the old pink one.

Can You Keep A Secret? is about Emma Corrigan. A junior marketing assistant at Panther Corporation. She was on her flight back home beside a total stranger--a male stranger, when they experienced a turbulence and thinking that they are going to die, she spilled every secret she has! Every little thing. When they landed safely, the only consolation prize she thought she had was at least the guy she blurted all her secrets to was a total stranger. No chances they'll meet again. Until Emma came face to face with their company's CEO, Jack Harper, the guy who knows every detail about her!

This book is like the chick-flick in movies. Romantic comedy or something like that. I recommend this to anyone who is into having a good read and a good laugh.

For an excerpt click HERE.

photo c/o: http://www.randomhouse.com