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A quick review of the top 10 books I’ve digested or still digesting this year. (10 being the best for me)

1. Alamat ng Gubat - Bob Ong

If you’ve read ABNKKBSNPLaKo and Ang Paboritong Aklat ni Hudas by the same author, you’ll most likely love his humor and satire. The book warned though that you’ll learn totally nothing by reading it so just go and indulge at his allegories of the Philippines’ social and economic frustrations.

2. Deception Point - Dan Brown

I loved the setting and the familiar fast-paced thrill. The twists seemed predictable for the avid Dan Brown reader but still a good ride.

3. Digital Fortress - Dan Brown

If anyone has read DVC, A&D and Deception point, you know who’s gonna be the main villain even before they say their first dialogue. Lots of trivia so it’s still good.

4. Twisted Flicks and Twisted 7 - Jessica Zafra

No explanations needed. She hates a lot of things but the angst sells.

5. Twisted 6 - Jessica Zafra

This is where she started with the global domination thing by our Filipina maids. One has to wonder why she has so many problems with everything around her. Nevertheless, people love her.

6. Shopaholic Series - Sophie Kinsella
Confessions of a Shopaholic
Shopaholic Takes Manhattan
Shopaholic Ties the Knot
Shopaholic and Sister

With the advent of chic-lit invading the bookstores, it’s always good to start with probably the most popular hit of the genre. I gave this set to Princess Leah so although I’ve only read part of the first book, Kinsella’s humor is addictive. It’s a good refreshing read and hits perfectly the over-spending habits of women. Ok, men included. Also on my wishlist: Can You Keep a Secret and Undomestic Goddess – also by Sophie Kinsella

7. The Messianic Legacy - Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln

The sequel to the critically acclaimed 1984 classic Holy Blood, Holy Grail (the template from which The Da Vinci Code was written). It’s a tough read because it’s a thick documentary. It felt like watching National Geographic only without the visuals. Loved it. I Suggest reading Holy Blood Holy Grail first. It’s easier that way. Paging Bernadette Flores, isauli mo na yung Messianic Legacy ko!

8. Angels and Demons - Dan Brown

Dan Brown’s pre-DVC novel. Story wise, this has more action and carnage so it’s should be great if they are to make this into a movie. As usual, jam-packed with trivia about paganism and the history of Christianity. I kept attempting to create my own ambigrams but it proved to be tough.

9. Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling

Tragic but exciting. I still love Order of the Phoenix though. Rowling still hasn’t lost her charm, correction, magic in conjuring tales. Wonderful, wonderful wicked read. The best book of the year.

10. The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffeneger

Like Rowling, Audrey Niffeneger hit jackpot with this first novel. Lasted 6 months on the NY Times Best-seller list and still is a hard-to-find gem. “Ang lupit”, “Ang bigat” and “Grabe yun” were the words I got from friends who I forced to read the book (hehe).

From an Amazon.com review: “This has got to be the most haunting book written ever. Its spell lingers over long after you’ve finished reading it.” I found that very true. It’s not a sci-fi book or a thriller. It’s actually a love story. A story about how love prevails over time.

Trivia: Brad Pitt and Jeniffer Aniston bought the rights to produce the movie because they loved the book so much. They split up before they could star on it.


My Wishlist (for the coming year):

1. Can You Keep a SecretUndomestic Goddessboth by Sophie Kinsella
2. Shanghai Baby
3. Memoirs of a Geisha
4. The BrokerJohn Grisham

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