CRC Design Studio

Currently reading this book about the life and death of an English industrialist at the turn of the century. There's a lot of mystery and intrigue as the protagonist delves into the world of finance and politics. It's one of those rare books where the rich person is not the bad guy, although you are expecting him to be. Anyways, I recommend it.

This is a children's novel and I recommend it for ages 9-12. I enjoyed reading it as it has Zafón's all-consuming storytelling power. The story takes place in an obscure seaside village where a curse of an evil man lives on. A brother and sister who are forced to move to the small village with their family, due to a war, befriend a local boy and slowly learn about the strange events that have occured over the past decade or so. I don't want to say anymore because I'm afraid I'll give away too much of the story. This is a fantastic read on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

I read Je Voudrais Que Quelqu'un M'Attende Quelque Part (the French version) when I was living in Paris several years back. I loved it. I remember I couldn't put the book down until I had read every story. I read the English version recently and thought it was just as good. They're simple yet poignant stories about the ordinary events anyone of us can encounter throughout our lives. A great book if you want to sit back and reflect on what it means to "keep on keepin' on."

Okay, so I need junk books like I need junk food. And like junk food, I usually hide away in the dark and binge -- binge-read. This one is not that bad. The thing with Danielle Steele or Mary Higgins Clark, or any of these grocery aisle authors is that you can read it to zone out. It's a better alternative than T.V. or celebrity news on the internet. Matters of the Heart is actually quite good because you care about the main character; an intriguing professional photographer who has recently struggled losing the love of her life not by death or infidelity but due to a disease. The villain, a psychologically unhealthy Irish author, an over-the-top character, but fascinating gives the story an edge. Anyways, I say read it if you want to just veg out on the weekend.