Book Review: The Breakup Diaries by Maya O. Calica

The Breakup Diaries by Maya O. Calica
Publisher: Summit
Copy: Paperback (First Edition)

The Anatomy of a Breakup...

Twenty-three-year-old self-proclaimed nice Girl Monica Tanseco is finding out the hard way that in order to survive a breakup, you have to grow up - fast. Sure, breaking up is hard to do, but who knew it involved:

- Denial, followed by desperate bid to get back together involving promises to do everything to make him happy

- Sever loss of sleep, appetite and self-esteem

- Acute paralysis - or maybe death - of good judgment

- Compulsive tendencies to document every event, feeling and fantasy in a manner of reporter trying to make sense of things

- More compulsive tendencies to over-examine relationship carcass and over-analyze cause of death as couple

- Getting a life

When her perfect boyfriend - college hoop star certified hottie and young hotshot eagle Itos Ongpauco - decided to call it quits, Monica, barista by day and dreamer by night, found herseld stepping out from behind the coffee counter and out of her comfort zone - into the mad world of magazine publishing.

While starting out at the bottom of the food chain as the overworked, unpaid intern at "M" magazine can obliterate any trace of self-esteem, anything - including bitchy bosses, temperamental photographers, rather dull but oh-so-hot male models - is a welcome balm to her pains. Never mind that her freebie-obsessed boss treats her like an on-call, 24-hour proxy service. Never mind, that, sometimes, when she's had too much alcohol, male models become irresistible. Never mind that, despite having just had her heart broken, the possibility of love presents itself again.

Bought this one 10 years ago and absent-mindedly forgot that I haven't finished it. Thanks to 7-Eleven's rack, I saw this book's 10th year edition and that instantly reminded me that I actually have this at home. A friend of mine even told me, I hoard books too much and treat them like wine, but srsly, I wanted to retort that I now plan to read all my 'owned and unread' books right away, if only time will permit me to. Oh well, I just wish it won't take 10 years before I read all those books I hoarded.

Okay, now unto my real review. I have mixed feelings about this book. That is all. Perhaps, now at 23, same age as the protagonist, I find her a little bit immature for our age, child-like and very guarded. But that didn't stop me from reading it, it was actually well-written, you'll just find Tagalog words in it and that might annoy you (Phoebe, don't tell me I didn't warn you haha) but by large, this book is something I'd recommend to girls who devour Chick Lits as all the aspects of everything Chick Lit is in it, but yes, it's also too good to be true. I just find it annoying that it ended that way, I almost felt the writer and publishers took away almost three chapters and jumped to the conclusion right away. 

This is a break-up diary, but if you'll ask me if I'll recommend this to girls nursing a broken heart, I think, I won't, I'm kind of sure about that. Nothing in this book will help you kiss your ex goodbye permanently except the last chapters of the book, it will just make you feel more miserable, with the realization that some people are lucky enough to find a new job, make out with hot guys and make their dreams come true because they are heart broken. Life is not as blissful as that. Never. 

Oh well. I'm glad I didn't read this when I was 13, else I'd be programmed to believe that breakups will bring out the best in you, because coming from personal experiences, it won't... but you know, maybe, just maybe it will, but most of the time, it isn't as pleasant like that.

Rating: ★★★☆☆