Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

Disclaimer: this is one of those books, shy/low self-esteem girl gets a chance with beautiful basketball boy who is a total jerk and a douche-bag, got her heart broken only to realize in the end that true love was there all along

But...

the approach of Mr. Handler to the story was fantastic amazing!

The whole book is the lengthy letter of Min (Minerva Green) to her ex-boyfriend Ed Slaterton. In the book, she narrates to her ex everything that transpired between them since the first time they ever got to know each other or talked. Each chapter represents a travesty (trivia: travesty and whatnot are words much used in the book), an item in the box of things she's giving back to Ed. Each thing has a story. It all sums up to the end where they broke-up.

Kudos to Ms. Kalman for making the book visually engaging.

This book is heavy! Each page is thick and glossy. It's colorful inside too.

 The way Min was confessing to Ed was with much pain and a bit longing, a bit wistful if you would allow. There are moments where you thought or wished that they'd get back together in the end when you got to reading the first few chapters. But when you get to the end, you'll just want to thank the author for breaking them up and titling the book "why we broke up".

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

This book was recommended to me by a friend/used-to-be-classmate/fellow book-lover whose name is Rose. I just finished reading the book 2 nights ago and watched the movie yesterday. The movie was great! But that is clearly not what I should be reviewing, it's meant for a whole another blog, maybe?

Moving on.

Once again, it patterned with what I'm going through.

The story is about Eddie, and as the book will mention, it starts from the end.

Eddie is an old man who is a maintenance guy at Ruby Pier(a carnival park).

He dies by saving a little girl at Ruby Pier.

Then he meets five people who will explain to him the things about his life that he never knew, never understood or never had the courage to know about. He will meet the Blue Man, his Captain, Ruby, Marguerite and Tala. (For further information about who these people are in Eddie's life, I recommend that you just read the book, c'mon! For life experience.)

He will learn that nothing is truly random and everything is meant to happen. That we become part of everything and everything is a part of us. No matter how we think we don't relate to anything or anyone, there's always something that links or will link things. That forgiveness is necessary. That life is not permanent but love never dies. That strangers are family you have yet to know.

Pretty much, this book is somewhat food for the soul. It makes you think deeply, will give you much thought to ponder about. My book reviews are not actually the typical kind that will tell you the whole story summary but will give a picture on how I felt reading it, and I felt great! Rejuvenated, really.

This book is my own personal retreat. I hope you find yourself in Eddie. I did. It's human contact to a fictional character, but that contact will change you forever.