Carla Dunareanu loves surreal worlds and fantasies

Carla Dunareanu first came to our awareness as the girlfriend of pop balladeer Christian Bautista who worked with Carla in the TV series The Kitchen Musical filmed entirely in Singapore. She was enticed to visit the Philippines and found herself working as a DJ on Magic 89.9 (9 to 12 a.m., Monday to Thursday) and is also about to be introduced in the movie The Bride & the Lover from Regal Films. The talented Carla is learning Tagalog and hopes to make the Philippines her permanent home.

Top 10 favorite books of Carla Dunareanu

1. P.S I Love You by Cecelia Ahern

“I love Cecelia’s style of writing. She is able to take a perfectly normal situation and storyline and add fictional elements. I love many of her books as she uses the same style of writing but this was the first book of hers I read and it always has sentimental value.”

2. A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron

“Beautifully written literature from the eyes of a dog and a first person or dog’s  perspective. Very touching.”

3. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

“An amazing tale of how a dog sees every stage of a man’s life. emotionally challenging but impossible to out down till the last page is read. Absolutely tear invoking.”

4. Crazy Love by Francis Chan

“This was the most recent Christian book I finished that shook me in all the right ways. A real in-depth look at the kind of relationship we should be seeking with God. It’s a great read for anyone looking to revive their Christian lives.”

5. Wide Awake by Erwin McManus

“Erwin speaks so eloquently on the lives we should be living instead of leading a goalless mundane routine. It’s a wake-up call for many who need the push and motivation to live the life of your dreams.”

6. The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman

“The first installment of the trilogy by Philip Pullman. This book had me hooked on his writing. He is able to depict an incredibly surreal world with talking animals yet make it accessible enough for old and young readers.”

7. The Golden Compass: The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman

“The second installation. This one grips you as you really start to form a sympathy and connection for the protagonist, Lyra who is merely a child. One cannot help but root for her as she defies rules and boundaries to seek the truth.”

8. The Golden Compass: The Amber Spyglass by Phillip Pullman

“Closing the trilogy, this book had more climatic scenes than the first two combined. A far darker book than the first two, this one delves into death literally. A nice contrast to the first two books.” 

9. Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian by Eoin Colfer 

“I began reading Artemis Fowl when I was a teenager. After reading more than five  books from the series, the final installment was only released this year. The Last Guardian finally sums up everything that happens in the entire series and answers most of the questions readers over the years have been pondering. Don’t be missled, there are still many exciting twists and turns.”

10. Thanks For The Memories by Cecelia Ahern 

“This was the latest book of Cecelia that I read. It had a very touching story of how your future, who is represented by a person, comes to visit you. it makes you realise That your decisions now have an adverse affect on your future even if you’re not making any decisions.”

* * *

The Reading Club recommends you visit your favorite National Book Store branch and pick a book that you would normally not read. Surprise yourself!

Your comments and suggestions are appreciated at gr.rodis@yahoo.com.