The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

Title: The Best of Me


Author: Nicholas Sparks


Why I Read It: Because Nicholas Sparks is one of my favorite authors, and I heard a lot about this book as it was being published.


Where I Got It: Barnes and Noble in downtown Chicago!


Rating: 3/5 stars




Overview from Barnes and Noble:

"Everyone wanted to believe that endless love was possible. She'd believed in it once, too, back when she was eighteen."

In the spring of 1984, high school students Amanda Collier and Dawson Cole fell deeply, irrevocably in love. Though they were from opposite sides of the tracks, their love for one another seemed to defy the realities of life in the small town of Oriental, North Carolina. But as the summer of their senior year came to a close, unforeseen events would tear the young couple apart, setting them on radically divergent paths.

Now, twenty-five years later, Amanda and Dawson are summoned back to Oriental for the funeral of Tuck Hostetler, the mentor who once gave shelter to their high school romance. Neither has lived the life they imagined . . . and neither can forget the passionate first love that forever changed their lives. As Amanda and Dawson carry out the instructions Tuck left behind for them, they realize that everything they thought they knew — about Tuck, about themselves, and about the dreams they held dear — was not as it seemed. Forced to confront painful memories, the two former lovers will discover undeniable truths about the choices they have made. And in the course of a single, searing weekend, they will ask of the living, and the dead: Can love truly rewrite the past?

This book is about two teenagers who fall in love, and life breaks them apart as they get older. Sadly, they had to go their different ways, go down different paths that their life was leading them to. Amanda's life led her to a marriage and children, while Dawson's life led him to time in prison for an accident, time he shouldn't have necessarily had to do, a lonely life, and dealing with his no-brain family. After years have gone by, Tuck, both Dawson's and Amanda's good friend and mentor passes away. They return to their home town for the funeral, and their paths meet up again. While they're in town, they learn all sorts of things about Tuck that they didn't know, about themselves, and their families, that they never knew before. Tuck wrote letters to each of them, and a letter for them to read together, teaching them what they probably already knew all along. As the book progresses, we learn about their mistakes, their misfortunes, and how they live from here on out. 


First of all, I've got to say that I debated back and forth about whether or not I wanted to give this book a 2 out of 5 stars, or 3 out of 5 stars. I kept asking myself that while reading it, and as the book started to send, I thought I finally decided on 2 out of 5 stars. However, the VERY ending is what changed my mind, and why I gave it 3 out of 5 stars. 

I won't tell you how it ended, because obviously that would give too much away. I will tell you, however, that I was completely shocked. As in, jaw hit the ground, couldn't believe, didn't see it coming, shocked. Purely based on that, I recommend you read this book. 

The Best of Me isn't a "typical" Nicholas Sparks book, though. You know how he writes romance novels about falling in love, finding love, etc. This book was about romance, and love, but it also had mystery, violence, and it just wasn't anything like his books usually are. As I started reading it, it was very hard for me to get into. I bought the book on October 22nd, tried to start reading it at night, but never really got into it until a few days ago. When I finally did get into it, it was hard for me to put it down. I think the reason it was hard to get into, was because it's not a typical Nicholas Sparks story, so I was caught off guard. 

Here are the reasons I enjoyed the book so much: As I mentioned, the surprise, shocking ending. That's probably the number one reason, also because it had a lot of different characters in it. Important characters. Nicholas Sparks told each of their stories well, however, in the same token, there were a few characters (I think two) that just kind of died out. Towards the end of the book, you were reading about her, a page break came, and that was it. It never told what happened to her. Although, from the way it's written, it is kind of assumed that you know what happened. I also enjoyed this book because it seemed realistic. You fall in love at a young age, you have a mentor who grows old, and you eventually have to go to their funeral. Then you've got the family drama and problems, just like every family. All in all, it wasn't a bad read.

Now, for the reason I was debating back and forth between 2 and 3 stars out of 5, mostly comes down to this: The entire book, especially the last 5 chapters or so, felt rushed. I've noticed that a lot of authors seem to "rush" their books at the end. It's like they're tired of writing the book, so they just rush it. The end of the book was still good, as I've mentioned a dozen times, but there was a lot of small paragraphs with page breaks, all spread out at the end. That's why I said it felt like it was rushed. I kind of felt like bits and pieces of the entire book was rushed, only because it lack some detail in spots I feel like it needed it. 

All in all, it was a good book, and a great read. I would recommend anyone who enjoys these type of books, or enjoys Nicholas Sparks, should read this book. It's a good book, and the ending will leave you with your jaw left open and you'll be saying, "Wow." Long after the story is finished. 

One True Theory of Love by Laura Fitzgerald

Title: One True Theory of Love

Author: Laura Fitzgerald 

Where I Got This Book: From the Dollar Tree

Why I Read It: I was looking for a few new books, and this one caught my eye. I read the back of it, and instantly wanted to read it.

Rating: 5/5 Stars


Overview from the back of the book:

"Meg Clark believes in the "hokey pokey" theory of life, which demands that you put your whole self in; she even teaches it to her kindergarten students. But after  the love of her life betrays her, and her father takes a flying leap off the pedestal she set him on, Meg has a hard time putting this theory into practice. What's the point of opening yourself up if your heart comes back a little more broken each time?

Not only one man receives Meg's full devotion: her nine-year-old son, Henry. She's happy with her single-mom life. She and Henry are taking on the world in their own lively way, and it's enough. Still, sometimes love finds you, whether you're ready or not.

Love comes to Meg in the form of Ahmed Bourhani, an exotically handsome Iranian-American who befriends her and Henry over a game of chess in a coffee shop. Meg knows that second chances require a leap of faith, and the result more often a complicated mixed bag than a neatly packaged happily-ever-after. Sometimes in order to heal you have to hurt, but most of all you have to live your life and put your whole self in...."

This book was AMAZING! I don't know if any of you have Dollar Stores in your area, but it's probably one of the best places to buy books. I only spent $1.06 on this book and it was the best $1.06 I've ever spent. 

I love books that I can FEEL something from. I think that I could feel something so strongly because I have been going through a heartbreak for a while now. I'm a lot better than I was almost two years ago, but there are still those days where the pain comes back a little more, and you think that you'll never be able to love again, or be whole again. This book teaches you that you can't let yourself go, that life isn't always guaranteed, and that you have to "Put your whole self in." It's the only way to go about life, heartache, betrayal, and everything else that goes into living life. 

Laura did a fantastic job at bringing her characters to life. She gets deep into the personalities, the life, and relationship between her and her son Henry. While reading this book, you will feel like you KNOW these two, as well as the other characters through out the book. 

This book taught me that even though you're hurting now, and you think that you can't ever love again, you WILL find love again. This book teaches you that there is such thing as second chances at love. And, as the back of the book says, "Sometimes in order to heal, you have to hurt, but most of all you have to live your life and put your whole self in..."

I'm not a big fan of rereading books, but after doing this review (I read this a couple months ago), I am about 100% positive that I want to, and probably will, reread this book again. It's an amazing book. 

This book is for those people who have loved and lost, who have been hurt, who think they can never love again. It's for those people to teach them that it WILL be okay, the pain lessens, and you will be able to love again.

I really can't think of anything about this book that I DIDN'T like. It was just all around a fantastic book.

I highly recommend this book to you. Go out and buy this book, ask a friend for it, just make sure you read it. 

Visit Laura Fitzgerald online: http://laurafitzgerald.com/

My Rating:

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Title: Eat, Pray, Love

Author: Elizabeth Gilbert

Where I Got It: I bought it from Walmart

Why I Read It: I've been wanting to read it for a very long time, and after hearing such good things about the book AND the movie, I decided to buy it and read it.

My Rating: B



Blurb from the back of the book:

In her early thirties, Elizabeth Gilbert had everything a modern American woman was suppose to want -- husband, country home, successful career -- but instead of feeling happy and fulfilled, she felt consumed by panic and confusion. This wise and rapturous book is the story of how she left behind all these outward marks of success, and of what she found in their place. Following a divorce and a crushing depression, Gilbert set out to examine three different cultures: pleasure in Italy, devotion in India, and on the Indonesian island of Bali, a balance between worldly enjoyment and divine transcendence. 

First I must start of by saying how humorous this book was. I found myself literally laughing out loud numerous times through out this book. And, if you know me at all, you know that I love a book that makes me feel emotion as if I'm the one writing it, or who lived it! Out of everything likable in this book, I'd have to say that's my ultimate favorite. 

The only thing that I didn't really enjoy about the book is that I found myself getting bored through out some parts of it. I was getting so bored, that my mind would wander off and think of other things while reading, and by the time I realized this, I'd have to go back a page or two to reread it to understand what was going on. However, this didn't happen a lot, just a few times here or there, and it wasn't enough to ruin the book, or make me hate it. 

I  feel like this book can teach everyone something. It obviously taught Elizabeth a lot as she was traveling from place to place, writing this book and experiencing life in such a different way. The knowledge, advice, suggestions, and thoughts through out this book give us all a feeling of, "Oh, what a great life lesson!" 

For example, I've been going through this "woe is me" stage every now and then and feeling BLAH, and REALLY down about my 7 year relationship that ended a year ago. Even after a year, it still hurts. Well, I was having one of those days and I picked up this book and immediately read this part:

"I thought David was my soul mate."

"He probably was. Your problem is you don't understand what that word means. People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that's holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. A true soul mate is probably the most important person you'll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then they leave. And thank God for it."

By reading this part of the book/story, I was like, "Wow. So everyone really DOES have more than one soul mate." Then it made me think about how much my life has changed since meeting my "soul mate", who has now left, and how in the end, it's the best experience that I, or anyone else can ever have and that it's okay to be hurt/sad/upset, but it's also okay to move on with your life. There WILL be more soul mates! There was one other quote/part of the book that goes hand in hand with this too. I'd like to share it with you also.

"My heart was broken so badly last time that it STILL hurts. Isn't that crazy? To still have a broken heart almost two years after a love story ends?"

This entire book has so many awesome parts/quotes/sections in it with SUCH deep thoughts/meaning, just like the two that I shared with you. And, as I said, a life lesson for me that I learned from reading this: It's okay to love again.

I do think that this book is a must read for all woman. Men would enjoy it too, I'm sure. But because this was written by a woman, and it has the life lessons that every girl needs to learn sometime in their life, I think every woman out there should read this. In fact, I'm going to pass this own to a friend of mine to read, so SHE can learn from this book, then I hope she'll pass it on to someone else. I highly recommend this book to everyone, woman especially. 

When I talk about life lessons, I'm talking about learning that life isn't always bad. I'm talking about that even though Elizabeth was miserable in her life, she had the guts to get up and DO something about it. Not only did she help herself, but along the way she met incredibly, amazing people, who not only changed HER life, but in some way, she changed theirs as well. And I think everyone should know that this actually does happen. 

As I said, I highly recommend this book to everyone, a high focus on woman. I hope that you all go out and read this, if you haven't already. I highly recommend you read the book, before seeing the movie however. I haven't seen the movie yet, but as it goes with all books made into movies, I doubt the movie even comes close to giving the book justice! 

One other positive thing about this book is that at the very end of the book, there are pages of the other books Elizabeth Gilbert as published. One of them is actually a sort of continuance of this book. It tells what happens to her, and some of the people she met along the way. I don't want to say too much, or I'll give out too many spoilers!!! 

I am giving this book a B, only because of the very few less entertaining parts that were through out the book. 

If you've already read this book, PLEASE leave me some comments/feedback on this. I would LOVE to know what you think/thought of it. Or, if you've seen the movie, and not the book, I would LOVE to hear from you as well!! 

My Rating:

P.s. I Love You By Cecelia Ahern

Title: P.s. I Love You

Author: Cecelia Ahern

Where I Got  This Book: Public Library! ( Where I get all of my books! )

Why I Read It: In all honesty, I mostly read it because I saw the movie and wanted to know how the book was!

Rating: A


Let me first start off by mentioning that this is the book to the popular movie, P.s. I love you! I didn't realize that the movie was a book, until just recently and I wanted to check it out. For those of you who haven't seen the movie yet, or read the book, let me tell you what it's about.

This story line consists of two main characters by the names of Holly and Gerry. They are married, and have been together for a very long time. They have the kind of love/relationship that everyone envies. It's what most people call falling in love with your best friend, soul mate, and finding your first true love. Unfortunately, at the young age of 30, Gerry is diagnosed with a terrible illness that causes him to lose his life. Gerry has left Holly a series of letters, that are instructing her to do things that she wouldn't normally do without having Gerry right beside her. Hes made these letters for her so she can move on with her life after he's gone and so she's able to live again.

This story is funny, heartwarming, sad, heartbreaking, and teaches all a lesson. I can sort of relate to this book. Not in the aspect of losing someone I love dearly due to death, but in the aspect that I did go through a break up about a year or so ago, with my first true love, my best friend, who I was with for 7 years. This books shows us how challenging it is to lose someone that has been your everything for quite some time, whether it's through death, or just because you've separated into your own lives. It shows us that even when you think that you just can not go on living without this person, you really can. It's all about grieving, and eventually finding that inner strength inside of you to take a deep breath, say "I will be okay!" and start living your life to the fullest again. You pick yourself back up after hitting the ground, and you LIVE! Because sadly, the world doesn't stop for a broken heart.

I can also relate to this book as in the fact that Holly did everything with, and for Gerry. She wasn't her own person, she couldn't go anywhere without having him right there besides her, she wanted him there always. She wanted to experience every single thing with him, or not at all. That's how I was when I was with my boyfriend for 7 years. I didn't know how to live my life as an individual. Once you lose that person who was literally your everything, you learn how to be independent, do things on your own, and be happy again! And let me tell you, it's the most amazing feeling ever when you finally realize this.

While Holly is going through this rough time in her life, she's able to get through it with the help of her two best friends, and her family. Holly is faced with troubling times when she is still grieving and has to watch her two best friends get married, and the other one is having a baby. Holly know that's suppose to be her and Gerry having the baby, so she goes through a selfish period where luckily, her friends understand that she's just having a rough time. While Holly is faced with all of these emotions, ups and downs, times of success and triumph, she has to realize that it's what Gerry wanted, which takes her a long time to realize. She feels as if she can't move on, fall in love again, or be happy without Gerry. That's why he wrote the letters to her, to show her that he wants her to move on, and live life.

I absolutely loved this book. As I said, it's funny, happy, sad, heartwarming, heartbreaking, but all in all, it's a fantastic book that teaches all of us how to move on, be happy and to live life to the fullest, no matter what.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. And of course, watch the movie as well if you haven't already!