The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

It was a productive and yet relaxing 3 day weekend! And one thing I for sure wanted to check off my to-do list was to finish The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks.  I am a HUGE fan of NS and I've read every single one of his books, but this one just shyly missed the mark for me.  And a brief heads up, there's a bit of a spoiler in this review, but like most NS books it's fairly predictable anyway so does that REALLY count as a "spoiler"?

I love a good romance story mixed in with a bit of suspense, which is true of all of his novels, but this one also added the issue of infidelity.  And as much as I may love the characters and even feel for the situations they may be in - I just can't justify a situation where cheating on your spouse is an ok thing.  Isn't the goal of every writer is that their reader can identify with the characters?  Well this where I take it too personal and I just can't identify or go there in my head.  I too, like anyone else out there, have had a first love back in high school.  And a book like this takes you back to all those old feelings and memories.  And for me, those memories and feelings are best left in the past and not brought to the forefront of my mind where I'm left wondering, "what if?" 

The concept just didn't grab me and I'm bummed that this isn't one I'll be raving to all my friends about.  Marriage is too often cheapened in this day and age and one's own selfishness is too often the priority, leaving the families behind, broken and hurting.  I was disappointed in Amanda and some of the decisions she made. Life is hard and terrible things happen to good people, but it's not a free pass to do whatever you want.  I like this quote a friend of mine posted the other day, "We are not who we are because of what's been done to us. We are who we are because of how we choose to respond."

Bummer, hopefully better luck next fall.

Description: THE BEST OF ME is the heart-rending story of two small-town former high school sweethearts from opposite sides of the tracks. Now middle-aged, they've taken wildly divergent paths, but neither has lived the life they imagined . . . and neither can forget the passionate first love that forever altered their world. When they are both called back to their hometown for the funeral of the mentor who once gave them shelter, they will be forced to confront the choices each has made, and ask whether love can truly rewrite the past.

Rating: ***

Recommend: I think I'm incapable of not recommending a Nicholas Sparks book, but this one would definitely come with a disclaimer. ;-)

New Year, New Goals, New Books

It's time for me to get off my lazy-iPad-addicted-arse and pick up some new reading material!!

Right now, I'm reading The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks.  I started it on my way home from Seattle after visiting for Christmas break.  Unfortunately, I had little time to escape away into some reading (ahem, unlike my sister Kati), so it wasn't until the flight home that I was able to crack this baby open. 

I love me some Sparks ;-)

Speaking of new beginnings, the hubbs has decided he's going to get in some serious reading while he's got a couple months of down time before cutting season begins.  On the flight home, he also cracked open a new book (Frankenstein by Mary Shelley) and finished it within 5 days!!!  He thinks he's going to out-read me this year. That's just crazy talk.

As soon as I finish The Best of Me, its on like Donkey-Kong, cause I got my very own copy of Nobody's Child from author Austin Boyd that I plan to devour! Whohoo!!

And for your sheer enjoyment, check out this stop-motion video of books left alone after the bookstore closes.

Be back soon, promise.

The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy

There were moments in The Soldier's Wife where I was completely absorbed and lost within the town of Guernsey & Vivienne's sweet family that lived there.  But then there were other moments where I felt like it just dragged on and on, and I didn't feel an urgency to pick it back up.  It was a hot and cold book for me. I never at one point wanted to quit reading it, but the story line for some reason just wasn't strong enough to make me want to grab for it either.  Ugh, probably more my issue than anything to do with the storyline or author. 

I will say, my lackluster for this story may have something to do with the fact that I'm always a bit turned off when a love story involves a married man or woman falling in love with another person outside of their own marriage.  There's just something about a cheating spouse that no matter how its sugar coated, will get under my skin.  I wanted to get swept away with Gunther and Vivienne, but in today's day and age where marriages have been cheapened and discarded so easily, I just can't get lost in the allure of an affair.

But that's just my opinion.

Description: A novel full of grand passion and intensity, The Soldier's Wife asks "What would you do for your family?" "What should you do for a stranger?" and "What would you do for love?"


As World War II draws closer and closer to Guernsey, Vivienne de la Mare knows that there will be sacrifices to be made. Not just for herself, but for her two young daughters and for her mother-in-law, for whom she cares while her husband is away fighting. What she does not expect is that she will fall in love with one of the enigmatic German soldiers who take up residence in the house next door to her home. As their relationship intensifies, so do the pressures on Vivienne. Food and resources grow scant, and the restrictions placed upon the residents of the island grow with each passing week. Though Vivienne knows the perils of her love affair with Gunther, she believes that she can keep their relationship and her family safe. But when she becomes aware of the full brutality of the Occupation, she must decide if she is willing to risk her personal happiness for the life of a stranger.


Rating: ***

Recommend: It seems to be quite the hit for those who loved the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

I've been dragging in the book department, but I'm hoping that now with fall in full swing the allure of cozy sweaters, fuzzy blankets & hot coffee will draw me back into a good book once again. 

Currently, I'm reading From This Moment On by Shania Twain,

but the fees I'm racking up from the library are starting to scare me.  Don't get me wrong, the book is extremely fascinating and I'm absolutely loving it!  BUT between both my sisters visits from Seattle, a wedding in Arkansas, parties to plan for our church home group, painting the outside of our house and a slew of other activities going on - I just haven't found the time to even catch up on my Tivo, much less get lost between some pages.

  

I am planning this afternoon to catch up on a long overdue book review of The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy which I had received through Shelf Awareness and Hyperion Books.  

 

Isn't that cover just gorgeous?  For whatever reason it makes me think of Kate Beckinsale in the movie Pearl Harbor. 

Stay tuned, I promise I'll be back soon.