the notebook by nicholas sparks

Title: The Notebook
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Pages: 224
Rating: 3.5/5
Source: Borrowed

Summary (Shelfari):

Set amid the austere beauty of coastal North Carolina in 1946, The Notebook begins with the story of Noah Calhoun, a rural Southerner returned home from World War II. Noah, thirty-one, is restoring a plantation home to its former glory, and he is haunted by images of the beautiful girl he met fourteen years earlier, a girl he loved like no other. Unable to find her, yet unwilling to forget the summer they spent together, Noah is content to live with only memories, until she unexpectedly returns to his town to see him once again. Allie Nelson, twenty-nine, is now engaged to another man, but realizes that the original passion she felt for Noah has not dimmed with the passage of time. Still, the obstacles that once ended their previous relationship remain, and the gulf between their worlds is too vast to ignore. With her impending marriage only weeks away, Allie is forced to confront her hopes and dreams for the future, a future that only she can shape.

My Thought:

I just can't ignore that I like the book even though it's quite predictable and yes, cheesy. It has a very simple plot line which we can easily find it in most romance novels. However, what I like most is character's passion of devoting his love to someone he loves dearly. Noah and Allie are great character, their relation holds the chemistry and I'm easily connected to them. I've read the book after I watched the movie, and normally, I always love books better than movies. However, this one doesn't work that way. The movie was absolutely growing on me and everything was portrayed better compared to the book. I was hoping the book would be that great like the movie. Although, there's some moments that are very thoughtful and quite sad which both of the book and movie share together. Whenever I think of Noah and Allie, I think of how tight their chemistry bonds, even it reached the worst part when Allie was diagnosed with Alzheimer. It's heart-torturing and feel so sad to know that Noah never give up to read her a story of them. I can't imagine how that feel. Overall, it was good story. But, just a little warning, it is better if you read the book first then watch the movie. Or maybe, only watch the movie. So far, I think everyone have watched the movie!

message in a bottle by nicholas sparks

Title: Message in A Bottle
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Pages: 368
Rating: 4/5
Source: Borrowed from Syiamala

Summary (Goodreads):

Message in a Bottle launches a remarkable woman on a mysterious voyage of self-discovery and renewal when she finds a deeply-felt love letter hidden in a bottle, a letter that reawakens her belief that star-crossed lovers will find each other across time and space. Thrown to the waves and to fate, the bottle could have ended up anywhere. But it found its way to Theresa Osborne, divorced and the mother of a twelve-year-old son. The letter inside is signed "Garrett", and is an expression of his love for a woman he has lost. Challenged by the mystery, Theresa searches for Garrett, and takes the reader along on a hunt about love.

My Say:

Another remarkable story from Nicholas Sparks. I wont drag too long to tell you how story goes because if you are familiar with his writing style the I guess you already now what to expect from him. Even though with the same style of writing and expectations, I love it as much as I hate the ending. Sigh. Although I really think that it is actually the best to the readers to know that every how hard the outcome ends, it means for a new great beginning. So that we learn how to overcome such a hard situation or experience in real life.

However, the plot line of the story is another gem. I felt very intrigued with the messages in bottles. It's a mystery and I wonder if I ever have the courage to solve the mystery as well as become a part of it. It's very sensational story, heart-gripping and of course a tearjerker. I wish it will end differently but it is almost impossible in any of Sparks' books. Nevertheless, I will never get tired of his books and I've read another book of his too in a week!

the last song by nicholas sparks

Title: The Last Song
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Pages: 413
Rating: 4/5
Source: Borrowed

Summary (Goodreads):

Seventeen year-old Veronica “Ronnie” Miller’s life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wilmington, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alienated from her parents, especially her father… until her mother decides it would be in everyone’s best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie’s father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church. The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story about love in its myriad forms – first love, the love between parents and children – that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that deeply felt relationships can break our hearts… and heal them.

My Say:

Okay, a confession: I watch the movie first and I wish I hadn't. Well, blame Miley Cirus for that. I have nothing against her, really.

First of all, Ronnie is believable in the book but not that fake in the movie (Is it too harsh?). I can't blame her, maybe she needs a lot of more practice to be natural. I hate to confess, I hate her fake laugh in the movie. It sounds fake to me. Maybe it's real to you, but I just can't accept it. But otherwise, the movie is great. Every other character done their parts very well. I enjoyed it and I cried at the end of the movie but not as much as I cried when I read the book. That's it.

It's may be a same old same old writing style and everything seems to be predictable in any Nicholas Sparks books. Even though I know how it might turns out; crying, feeling sad, and fully enjoyed the love scenes in it, it never bores me and I have to say I pick it up to read at the right time. I don't want to be biased and dislike it because he serves the same thing over and over again. So, being rational I am, I love the book. Everything is so great and so well developed. There's joy, hate, cries, love and life, scrambled together which it never tires me at all.

Yes, it's predictable but every time I read any of his books, I learn about appreciating people, love and life. It works wonders and somehow it creates a great feeling after I finished reading his books. It sticks around longer in heart and I can still recall any of his books and feel the same way even though just to remember about it. For me, it's a must read.

a bend in the road by nicholas sparks

Title: A Bend in the Road
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Pages: 352
Rating: 4.5/5

Summary (Barnes&Noble):

The nearly thwarted but eventually triumphant romance of deputy sheriff Miles Ryan and second-grade teacher Sarah Andrews goes down as easily as marshmallow fluff and offers about as much real nourishment. Miles's high school sweetheart, Missy, was killed in an unsolved hit and run accident, leaving him to raise their son, Jonah, in New Bern, N.C. Sarah's politically ambitious husband, Michael, dumped her when her ovaries proved inactive, and she fled to New Bern to teach, and love, other people's kids. Miles and Sarah meet at a parent-teacher conference, and the sparks fly. But there's a fly in the ointment as well; an italicized voice threaded among the happy chapters alerts us that Missy's death was caused by someone whose identity, if revealed, could destroy Miles and Sarah's new-found joy. As tough truth shadows their landscape, Miles and Sarah find depths within themselves, and their rekindled light illumines all. New Bern becomes a city of the reborn. Charlie Curtis, Miles's stickler boss, learns to bend; Missy's aimless killer morphs into a healer; and Jonah once again knows a mother's love.

My Opinion:

There's two side of the story. One is from a narrator and another is the story itself. I was intrigued the whole time I was reading the book. You see, I was wondering who is that narrator. Because the narrator is somewhat in grief and guilty. I've been guessing it's Sarah herself at the first glance. But I thought wrong which made the story even more exciting and mysterious.

Like Sparks' other books, I enjoyed this book too. I was easily hooked up and absorbed with the story as it made me can't wait to finish it but feel sad when it nearly comes to the end. The conflict of Miles to face his wife's death after two whole years still distraught him and he nearly lost himself when he wanted revenge against someone who is innocent (although the accused was a total jerk).

The story started with an introduction of Miles, Jonah and Sarah. As he met Sarah, he thought he could forget and start a new life once again with his son. The same feeling happened to Sarah too. Divorced by an unrealistic reason, I felt so sorry for her. Though Sarah was hurt by her previous divorce, she sees Miles as someone she could trust. Miles and Sarah's attraction to each other is both gradual and realistic as they begin to emerge from their old fears and broken hearts. I love all the moments when they were together and indulged in every bits of it. Sounds pretty romantic. =)

However, the new relation they working on wavered. In a heart wrenching and clever twist of fate, circumstances intervene and threaten to destroy this couple's new found happiness. Emotions ride high as the reader is kept guessing until the last page is finished as to whether love can really overcome all. I hardly believe or guess what will Miles will do in the end. And I ensure you, it ended with a sweet happy ending. The story is a fine addition with memorable characters facing real life problems. Readers will be reluctant to part with Miles and Sarah as their story comes to a gripping conclusion. As they said, LOVE CONQUERS ALL. So true.

The story really swept me away. Maybe it will do the same to you too *wink*

the friday 56 #7

Tonya @ Story Time With Tonya and Friends hosted this fun weekly meme, which is you have to;
* Grab a book, closest.
* Turn to page 56, ind the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Story Time With Tonya and Friends.

A Bend in The Road by Nicholas Sparks

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Just thinking," he murmured.

"Good things, I hoped."

"Only the best." He pulled her close. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

dear john by nicholas sparks

The Summary (Goodreads):

An angry rebel, John dropped out of school and enlisted in the Army, not knowing what else to do with his life--until he meets the girl of his dreams, Savannah. Their mutual attraction quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah waiting for John to finish his tour of duty, and John wanting to settle down with the woman who captured his heart. But 9/11 changes everything. John feels it is his duty to re-enlist. And sadly, the long separation finds Savannah falling in love with someone else. "Dear John," the letter read...and with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives were changed forever. Returning home, John must come to grips with the fact that Savannah, now married, is still his true love--and face the hardest decision of his life.

My Thought of The Book:

Okay, the first chapter of the book already stated that John and Savannah are not together in the end. But it doesn't stop me to finish the book till the end as I like Nicholas Sparks on his previous books I've had read. It intrigued me more than ever of what was actually happened to their relationship.

I know this doesn't end with happy ending but the story was entirely amazed me although I already knew what the finishing line. Nicholas Sparks never fail to amuse me and Dear John is another heartbreaking and pulled my heartstrings.

I love the fact that the love story between John and Savannah are sweet and true; in the beginning, or at least to John in the end. John sacrificed a lot for Savannah and I think it's not that Savannah meant to break her promise to wait for John, but fate plays it's own part. September 11 is a big thing and changes a lot of other person's life too. And that changes everything between john and Savannah.

I cried, but not because of John and Savannah. I particularly cried because of John and his dad. Knowing the fact that his father has an Asperger; some sort of disability, made John realized that he finally learned to love his father. Thanks that to Savannah.

I am angry for the sad ending and mostly on the reality that leaves John with nothing. No love, no money. But one thing for sure, John believe that he finally know the meaning of loving someone that is when you care for another person's happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choices you face might be. However, living with the fact that there will always never be a happy ending eventually in every relationship/love story, I come to the conclusion that I love the book, very much.

My Rating: 4.5/5

the guardian by nicholas sparks

The summary:

Julie Barenson is just like any other ordinary girl. Except, he lost her husband when she was still young at age of 25 years old. Fortunately, her husband left her with two unexpected gifts; a Great Dane dog (Singer) and a promise that he will always be watching her. It took her some time to recover from her husband death but having Singer around really help her to be herself once again. And also ready to accept someone new in her life, again. There are two guys that really take her attention, after a few are just wasting her time. It’s either Richard Franklin, a handsome engineer who really treats her like more than a woman or Michael Harris who is her husband's best friend. The choosing thing supposes to lead her to happiness that she long awaited. It is normal when you get to choose but it’s way not normal if the one of you has to choose is a psychopath..

My review:

It took me quite some time before I wanted to read his book. This is my first time to read Nicholas Sparks novel. And to tell the truth I’m a bit picky when it comes to read other new authors works. However, the guardian really takes my heart away.. i like how the story was established. Sparks really know how to attach readers to read the books till the end without a minor flaw..the first half of the book tells you the development of julie and richard, as well as julie and mike's relationships..i thought it just like another mills and boons story instead you are not going to believe what will happen next, after julie turned richard down..it really scared me to death imagining richard (the psychopath) hunting and tracking her down to make her his..i'm really angry with richard all the time, whenever i read his doings to hurt people, unimaginable..it catches my nerves when it is the richard part..moreover the way he tried to kill singer, the clever dog! apart from that, the romance creation between julie and mike were really sweet, how they joked and teased each other...i found the story is really excellent..a combination of romance and suspense, and a worth reading =p

My rating: 4.5/5