Dear John

Book Description

When Savannah Lynn Curtis comes into his life, John Tyree knows he is ready to turn over a new leaf. An angry rebel, he had enlisted in the army after high school, not knowing what else to do. Then, during a furlough, he meets the girl of his dreams. Savannah Lynn Curtis is attending college in North Carolina, working for Habitat for Humanity, and totally unprepared for the passionate attraction she feels for John Tyree. The attraction is mutual and quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah vowing to wait for John while he finishes his tour of duty, and John realizing that he's ready to settle down with the young woman who has captured his heart. Neither can foresee that 9/11 is about to change the world and will force John to risk every hope and dream that he's ever had. Like so many proud men and women, John must choose between love and country. And like all those left behind, Savannah must decide to wait or move on. How do we choose wisely? How can we face loss-without giving up on love? Now, when he finally returns to North Carolina, John will discover that loving Savannah will force him to make the hardest decision of his life. An extraordinary, moving story, Dear John explores the complexities of love -- how it survives time and heartbreak, and how it transforms us forever.

Customer Reviews:

DO NOT READ REVIEWS.......2007-10-03

#1 I read reviews to see if people with similar taste in reading liked or disliked a book. I read the reviews of Dear John and realized that about every third review gives away an important plot detail. Kind of like people telling you parts of a movie before you see it. Please don't ruin the experience for others.

#2 Nicholas Sparks is an amazing author. He is the king of romance, however he is not a soldier. He does not know the military, and while I praise him for the dedication of the book, his lack of knowledge is painfully obvious to the 3 military guys who read his books. It isn't that bad, and if you aren't in the Army or haven't been to Iraq, his descriptions are just fine. Above all, the story is incredible. It's a heart wrenching, tear-inducing, smile provoking, unconditional love type romance that he is famous for and does so well. It does leave you wanting a part two. The end is bittersweet and you don't know weather to be happy, sad, or both.

Sparks does it again.......2007-10-01

In this book there is a love like no other. This love goes above and beyond The Notebook. This shows there is a such a thing as unconditional love no matter how unlikely it may be. Not many people at all can be so unselfish. I couldn't put this book down. The story is so well written and the characters kept you involved in the story. There were times you want to scream, laugh and of course i cried at the end. To anyone who is a Sparks fan you will not be disappointed.

I couldn't put it down! .......2007-10-01

I can honestly say this is one of my favorite books (and I don't say that about many). It made me laugh and cry but mostly cry. It makes you think about love and life and the choices me make. I would recommend this book to anyone. It's a beautifully told story!!

Dear John.......2007-09-20

The book was great I could not put it down. Nicholas Sparks did it again, another great love stories.

more the same.......2007-09-16

I title this "more the same", that's exactly what it is. If you've read Nicholas Spark's other novels chances are you found this one as predictable as I. don't get me wrong Sparks is my favorite author. I look forward to each new book he has out. He has a talent for really making charaters come alive. However, unfortunaely for those of uswho do read all his books his writing style is becoming a lttle too transparent. I knew Svannah would end up with Tim from chaper one when they intorduced his character. Still worth reading, especially if you haven't read many of his books yet!

Kaleidoscope: Ideas And Projects to Spark Your Creativity

Average customer rating:

Nice, but.....
I Like It
Explore a different side of mixed-media
Great Book
Not a how-to...but a why-not?

Kaleidoscope: Ideas And Projects to Spark Your Creativity
Suzanne Simanaitis
Manufacturer: North Light Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1581808798

Book Description

Indulge your creative cravings! Explore dozens of stories, exercises and instructive projects, all designed to feed, encourage and sometimes flex your creative muscle. You'll tap into the joy of drawing, be encouraged to create art in bed, create your own folded-paper shrine, discover the liberation of stream-writing, practice idea brainstorming, make your own duct-tape purse, learn to quiet the negative voice in your head, dream up your own creative studio space and much, much more. Inspiring art and eye-candy on every page--a Kaleidoscope of creative energy awaits you today!

Customer Reviews:

Nice, but............2007-08-14

This is a very beautifully illustrated book in the way that it is put together. Although, many of these images are available online for your viewing, it is nice to have them compiled into one book. My only complaint is that some of the pages are not easy on the eyes as far as being easy to read. I think that the print could have been larger. On some pages more of a contrast between the background page color and print color would have made it easier and more enjoyable to read. If you are looking for inspiration and ideas, there are a number of very nice ones here.

I Like It.......2007-08-13

While I am not an ephemera artist, I found this to be a very enjoyable book, if only on a philosophical level. There are a few practical ideas that I can use, but mostly I think that this is a book that feeds the creative spirit through the expressions of other artists. The 'zine format makes for easy little tidbit reading experiences and I always enjoy looking at other people's projects.

Explore a different side of mixed-media.......2007-08-01

I ordered this book before I could browse through based on a review that said Julianna Coles is a contributor. I love her style and teaching. I am a scrapbooker at heart but I love the challenges to do something different and it adds to my scrapbooking.

Many of the other contributors offer editorial essay about why the are artists but little else. Overall, it's a good book and I'd recommend it.

Great Book.......2007-07-22

I love this book. I keep looking at it over and over. I am not really that talented of an artist but I love The great ideas to spark my creativity.

Not a how-to...but a why-not?.......2007-07-22

After reading all the other reviews I knew that I had to get this book. It doesn't matter what sort of art or craft you practice...get this book! It is filled with superb writing from people who are passionate about their creativity. This book affirmed to me that I am an artist and that I shouldn't hesitate to let the world know that. There are some projects in this book, but that is not the reason to get it. It is not a how-to. It is a why-not book. The pages literally drip with the most eye-popping collage art and the writing is inspired. Even if collage art, or mixed media art, or altered art is not your thing, there is at least one article in this book that will speak to your particular brand of creativity, but I think it is the articles that I might not have been drawn to at first are the most challenging to me and force me to see the world through different colored lenses. Don't buy this book if you want a how-to, but if you are looking for validation that creativity lies within and all around you, this is the book for you.

Average customer rating:

Get a cavity from the endless amounts of ridiculous sugar
A Warm and wonderful story
The book is better than the movie
The Epitome of Romance
It's good!

The Notebook
Nicholas Sparks
Manufacturer: Warner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0446605239

Amazon.com

"Somewhere," muses Noah Calhoun, while sitting on his porch in the moonight, "there were people making love." The Notebook, a Southern-fried story of love-lost-and-found-again, revolves around a single time-honored romantic dilemma: will beautiful Allison Nelson stay with Mr. Respectability (to whom she happens to be engaged), or will she choose Noah, the romantic rascal she left so many years ago?

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

Get a cavity from the endless amounts of ridiculous sugar.......2007-09-09

How did anyone actually like this? It is badly written, has all the cliches of a second rate romance novel, no plot, no characterization worth even mentioning and I got a cavity from the endless amounts of syrupy sugar. It actually worries me that so many people liked it. I have to wonder why and what is missing in life that makes someone say "this is wonderful!" about a turd.

A Warm and wonderful story.......2007-08-28

The Notebook will have you rooting for the characters from the beginning and crying at the end. There are certainly similarities with "Bridges of Madison County", but I really enjoyed this book over that book. "The Notebook" will touch your senses to make you remember exactly how much you treasure your spouse. An excellent story.

The book is better than the movie.......2007-08-25

My dad first told me about this book. It sounded like a good old fashioned love story. I bought it before, loaned it and never got it back it was so good. So I bought it again. After this came out, Reader's Digest had a short story to continue on with Noah through the years. The sequel The Wedding, is about their children. I loved the book and only mildly enjoyed the movie. I own all Nicholas Sparks books, he is an amazing author, all his books have a different lesson on love.

The Epitome of Romance.......2007-07-27

This has to be one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read. I've read a lot of romances, and this is the only story that's ever made me cry. Nicholas Sparks has woven a touching, poignant tale of true love. It's simply timeless. I highly recommend this book even if you've watched the movie. While the film is excellent, it doesn't quite do the story justice. I would give The Notebook 10 stars if possible.

It's good!.......2007-07-20

After recommended by a co-worker, I watched the movie then read the book recently. Personally, I like the movie much more then the book. As one reader mentioned in the review, the story is lack of details which the movie I think, has filled the gaps for it. I like the movie more then the book!

Average customer rating:

Insipid, Lifetime television-worthy...maybe
Frustrating read
An Okay Read
The Rescue
Well Done

The Rescue
Nicholas Sparks
Manufacturer: Warner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0446525502
Release Date: 2000-09-19

Amazon.com

Denise Holden's life is a fragile mix of luck and hard work. A single mom of a speech-delayed son, Denise makes ends meet by moving to the small town of Edenton, North Carolina, and working the late shift as a waitress. When Denise crashes her car and her son Kyle flees the accident and disappears into the storm, her only stroke of luck is the quick arrival of Taylor McAden, a volunteer fireman. Taylor's got a knack for fixing people, and he can't help wanting to be involved with Denise beyond the initial rescue of Kyle.

As Taylor helps Denise recover from the accident and get to know the town, they discover a sweet bond and a magical chemistry that pulls them closer and closer. Though Taylor fits perfectly into Denise's family, he's unable to open his heart to being loved by her. As Taylor struggles to understand his conflicting desires, Denise questions the wisdom of gambling with Kyle's and her own emotions.

Author Nicholas Sparks has found a loyal audience for his stories about the internal battles that accompany the arrival of love. His heroes may be truck-driving manly men and his heroines emotional swamis, but it's easy to overlook the traditional roles when the complexities of human relationships are so beautifully described. Sparks has found his forte, and this novel is sure to be as popular as his earlier works. --Nancy R.E. O'Brien

Book Description

Taylor McAden is a volunteer fireman who is always the first to plunge into danger. But there is one risk he cant seem to take: falling in love. Until he meets Denise Holden, a single mother who has moved to the small town of Edenton, North Carolina, to build a new life. A near fatal car crash will bring these two together, but before that can happen, Taylor must first look into his past and see if its not too late to take a chance on the future. A New York Times bestseller for 17 weeks, A Walk to Remember (Warner, 10/99) has over 900,000 copies in print. Film rights to A Walk to Remember were sold to producer Denise DiNovi (Message in a Bottle, Practical Magic) at Warner Bros. A New York Times bestseller for 29 weeks, Message in a Bottle (Warner, 1998) has nearly 700,000 copies in print and was a major motion picture starring Kevin Costner, Robin Wright Penn, and Paul Newman. The Notebook (Warner, 1996), a New York Times hardcover bestseller for 56 weeks and a paperback bestseller for 52 weeks, has nearly three million copies in combined print. The soon-to-be-released movie is directed by Jim Sheridan (In the Name of the Father) and stars Ashley Judd (Double Jeopardy).

Download Description

One of America's bestselling authors returns with a tale about the greatest commitment of all: loving someone forever. When a near-fatal car crash brings Taylor McAden together with Denise Holden, a new resident of Edenton, North Carolina, he must look into his past to see if it's not too late to take a chance on the future.

Customer Reviews:

Insipid, Lifetime television-worthy...maybe.......2007-09-01

This was such an insipid book. I couldn't believe this was actually a novel and not a short story in the back of Good Housekeeping. This sounds like the screenplay for a Lifetime tv movie. I couldn't finish reading it. The writing was so bad and the characters were not interesting at all. A cheap novel.

Frustrating read.......2007-07-18

I basically agree with all the points made here by reviewers who have criticized this book. I didn't like it very much. I'm sorry to say that this was my first Sparks book. I probably should have chosen something else, because now I have no interest in reading what may be his better books. It isn't completely bad - for about the first third of the book, I thought it was a fairly good read. And aside from some "telling rather than showing" episodes, the writing is fine - he mostly writes well, in that respect it is easy to see why his books are often bestsellers - but I didn't identify with, or even like, the characters.

I took the book out of a box at work. When people retire or leave the job for another reason, they usually leave books in a common area, free for the taking. I always go through them, and take whatever interests me. Last time there were quite a few fairly recent popular novels. I took the Sparks book because I'd seen (and liked) The Notebook, and have read good reviews of his writing. It's pretty hard to believe that a man is writing this book, or for that matter, wrote The Notebook. I suppose that is kind of a sexist remark, I mean why can't a man write a romantic story?, but these works are not simply romantic, they are the ultimate "chick lit" or "chick flick." (Full disclosure: I hate those terms, and usually I am not thrilled with that genre either, at least not as done by a contemporary author. I also do not like movies such as You've Got Mail, etc.)

Anyway, at about the halfway point through this book I'd have liked to reach into the pages and slap the main female character because she was so whiny and "poor me," and then slap her love interest just for good measure. Not that he didn't deserve a good slap for his own tiresome nature. It seemed the reader was supposed to view him as heroic? I don't think so; I think he was a glory hog. And I found the situation with the son extremely frustrating. If it was real life, the mother's choices would have made his life worse, not better. (A minor note, the food they ate because they were poor would have made her fat, not thin. And that sort of diet would not have helped the boy's learning disabilities).

I kept hoping something really bad would happen to one of the characters and the book would wind up surprising me and being worth the effort! Then - surprise, surprise - something bad does happen, but unfortunately not to one of the main characters.

I don't know if The Notebook read like this, maybe. But even if it did, the looking back through Altzheimer's Disease theme made the story much more charming. With this book I was so annoyed that the so-called hardships these two characters faced were either 1) self-inflicted, 2) not all that difficult, yet they acted like such martyrs or 3) sad, but get over it already! I guess I know why I found this book for free in a box.

An Okay Read.......2007-06-26

I just finished "The Rescue". The story was interesting and yet some of it was disturbing. For one the way Denise worked with Kyle. Strapping him in a chair for 4 hours at a time and making him say words. In my mind that was close to child abuse. I am a teacher and know a [..]has a short attention span and can't imagine making a [...] sit for 4 hours while I demanded he say words. There are other ways to work with a child even while you play with them and repeat words with much shorter spans of time. That bothered me and wondered where Mr. Sparks came up with that method. Also thought 27 years was a long time for Taylor to keep messing up his life because he couldn't get over his father's death. I guess it could be believable and of course there wouldn't have been a story without that element. I haven't read many Nicolas Sparks books but the couple I've read now are the same. A damaged man that something tragic happened to, meets the lady who can change his life, only to push her away. Then there is that element of time they are separated only to get back together in the end, naturally. Now I don't mind that scenario once in awhile but hope it's not the norm for all his books. The other one I read was "A Bend in the River" and a lot the same elements of "The Rescue". I am starting "The Guardian" now and will see how it goes. If it turns out the same I may have to move on to a different author. Meanwhile many will like "The Rescue" and I liked it up to the point that Taylor hurt Kyle and then I started to lose interest and skimmed a lot to get towards the end. As a teacher and a grandmother, I have a real aversion to children being hurt physically or emotionally. I was just disappointed in Taylor at that point that he was so wrapped up in his pity party that he would hurt a special needs little boy to that extent. However, I relalize it's the author's choice to make the characters as he wants them. I don't have to like it though. It's probably a good read and those things won't bother a lot of people as it is fiction.

The Rescue.......2007-05-07

At times I could not put this book down. It is great!!!!

Well Done.......2007-04-28

Life has been a struggle for single mother Denise Holton. Her four-year-old son, Kyle, has problems with his speech and she barely makes enough money working in a diner to support the two of them. Denise is petrified when Kyle runs away after she gets into a car accident while swerving to avoid a deer, but he is found because of the persistence of volunteer firefighter Taylor McAden. Taylor befriends the Holtons and soon he and Denise are romantically involved. But Taylor, while always willing to risk his life as a fireman, isn't as willing to risk his heart. Taylor was a young boy when his father died tragically at the age of 36 and Taylor blames himself for the death and has never recovered from his loss. He has a habit of rescuing woman and then when he has gotten close to them, he has pulled away, convinced he doesn't need anyone in his life. This time it looks like things might be different as he grows increasingly closer to Denise and bonds with Kyle, playing catch with him, letting him "drive" his truck, and winning prizes for him at a carnival. But when Taylor realizes how close he has become to both Denise and Kyle, he starts to pull away. When tragedy strikes again and Taylor once more loses someone close to him, he begins to realize he has been lying to himself all these years - he really does need love in his life.

"The Rescue" is a good, if light read. The beginning of the book will keep readers turning the pages, as they will want to find out if Kyle is okay. The love story between Denise and Taylor is well-done and very believable, especially on Taylor's side. All of the characters are believable. Denise is a great heroine, giving up her teaching career so she can devote her time to Kyle. She is a loving mother struggling to make enough money to raise her son, who is having a hard time speaking. The fact that she is not perfect makes her even more believable. There were a couple of times that I wished she was real so I could tell her to let Kyle just be a kid for once instead of spending all those hours trying to get him to talk. Taylor is also very believable - his anguish over his father's death, which he thinks is his fault, is heartbreaking. The supporting characters are also well done. Taylor's mother is the best written of the bunch - she befriends Denise when Kyle disappears knowing she is afraid and needs a friend. The fact that she knew Denise's mother as a child adds an extra dimension to both her and Denise's character. Taylor's best friend Mitch and Mitch's wife Melissa area an important part of the plot line. Author Nicholas Sparks certainly knows how to tell a story that will grab the readers attention although he does have a habit of repeating himself which is unnecessary in a book that is already over 400 pages long. And he relies a bit too much on cliched plot lines - there's a lot of foreshadowing and readers will figure out fairly quickly that there will be another tragedy and who the tragedy will involve. It's a shame because the book is good enough without the hackneyed plot line.

"The Rescue" is a good book to read on a rainy day.

Be Still My Vampire Heart (Love at Stake, Book 3)

Average customer rating:

Fangtastic Book!
Be Still My Vampire Heart
Hilarious!
Be still My vampire heart
Really Good

Be Still My Vampire Heart (Love at Stake, Book 3)
Kerrelyn Sparks
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0061118443
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Book Description

Emma Watson has made it her mission to get revenge on the monsters who killed her parents. As a member of the CIA's Stake–Out team, Emma's got no time to distinguish betweeen good vamps and bad. They're all bloodthirsty murderers and she will not rest until they're defeated.

When Angus MacKay is assigned to find a vampire slayer, he never expected to meet anyone like Emma Watson. Now, deeply attracted to the young woman, Angus must convince her that not all vampires are evil––before she finds out who he is and adds him to her hit list. But Angus and Emma soon have bigger problems when someone from Angus's past resurfaces with an agenda of her own to fulfill...

Customer Reviews:

Fangtastic Book!.......2007-08-24

This book is as great as the previous two. I can't wait for #4 & more.

Be Still My Vampire Heart .......2007-07-24

Angus MacKay is a Scottish vampire who owns MacKay Securities. He provides protection for coven masters such as Roman Draganesti. Roman has sent Angus to investigate a vampire slayer who has been killing the vampires known as Malcontents. The Malcontents are ruled by Casimir, a very old and evil vampire. Katya Miniskaya is a Russian coven leader who needs to stop the slayer before Casimir kills her for not protecting her coven.

Emma Wallace is a vampire hunter. She works for the CIA as a member of the Stake-Out Team. When she meets Angus while hunting in Central Park one night, she can't help but be attracted to him. When she realizes he is a vampire, she tries to keep her distance from him.

Angus doesn't just want to keep Emma safe, he wants her for his own. Somehow he'll have to gain her trust. As they fight against Katya and Casimir, Emma is torn between her hatred of vampires and her feelings for Angus.

Kerrelyn Sparks has created her own unique vampire world with Be Still My Vampire Heart. She made up new rules and scenarios for these vamps that are different than most other vampire stories, creating this amusing and interesting tale. Angus' Scottish accent, combined with his brawn and power are very seductive, and Emma is strong, capable, and beautiful. They make one tough couple! Be Still My Vampire Heart is funny, sexy, exciting and a blast to read!

Nannette reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Hilarious!.......2007-07-18

This is the first book i've read from this author and it was sooo GOOD!! I have never laughed so much reading a book!! This book leaves a smile on your face. This was fast paced and soooo entertaining!! I will definitely be reading more from this author!

Be still My vampire heart.......2007-05-13

"Sub-genre fans will want to take a bite out of this Big Apple supernatural delight and seek other sparkling 'supernormal' thrillers by this entertaining author (see VAMPS IN THE CITY and HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE VAMPIRE)."

Really Good.......2007-05-13

This book was really funny, for being the 3rd in the series you usually get a good book but not as good as the first. It was just as good. There were some really funny moments. It was good to see the other characters, exspecially Roman and Shanna and they also have a good moment. The hero was really sexy and his Scottish accent makes my heart melt. The heroine, is also sexy but very determined not to have anything to do with the hero but of course you know that never works out. A very great read...

Average customer rating:

An Emasculated Male Character
Wish I knew...
good read
Read 'True Believer' first if you want to know what's going on.
Love/Hate

At First Sight
Nicholas Sparks
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0446698466
Release Date: 2006-09-05

Book Description

Nicholas Sparks brings back two characters from his beloved bestseller, True Believer, in this continuing saga of extraordinary love. There are few things Jeremy Marsh was sure hed never do: hed never leave New York City; never give his heart away again after barely surviving one failed marriage; and most of all, never become a parent. Now, Jeremy is living in the tiny town of Boone Creek, North Carolina, married to Lexie Darnell, the love of his life, and anticipating the birth of their daughter. But just as his life seems to be settling into a blissful pattern, an unsettling and mysterious message re-opens old wounds and sets off a chain of events that will forever change the course of this young couples marriage.

Customer Reviews:

An Emasculated Male Character.......2007-09-30

Being a published author myself, I tend to review books from an author's point-of-view than a reader's POV, which can be very annoying to say the least. First, I have to say that I did enjoy the ending. It could not have ended any other way. A lot of people want a "happily ever after" ending and sometimes that just can't happen. Also, I found it extremely interesting to read a romance (and that's all this book was) written from the male's point-of-view. Sparks writes in an easy style without a lot of weight to slow things down. On the other hand, this did read as a romance and not women's fiction (big difference there). It was sappy, following many of the rules of romance writing with an exception for the ending. I found myself not liking the characters. The main character, Jeremy, is not a "guy's guy." A lot of his behavior and the things he said were ridicilous. I can't picture any man I know saying the sappy things he said. (What guy asks his wife how her "tummy" is feeling?) Like a lot of reviewers here, I also found Lexie annoying and selfish. I will read another one of his books though to see if they are all like this.

Wish I knew..........2007-09-24

I will try not to be a spoiler, but, I wish I had slightly more of an inkling about the "surprise" ending in this book. I am eight months pregnant and have finished three books in the last month... which says a lot for me. I was so mad and disturbed that I spent time investing in Lexie and Jeremy only to experience the tragic ending that was awfully disturbing to this first time mom to be. As other reviewers have written, I kept waiting for something to happen, and well, I guess it did. I'm just mad I had to be a part of it.

good read.......2007-09-10

I did not realize this book was a sequel when I purchased it. I bought it while on vacation. I thought most of the book was rather slow moving and not really attention grabbing. I am not sure if this is because it was a sequal, and the characters were more fully developed and described in the preceding book, which I did not read. I thought the book was going to be very precitable, but the ending really shocked me. I should have seen it coming, having read other Sparks books, and the endings usually are really good.
For a book that I had a hard time picking up at first, I have to say that by the end I had a hard time putting it down.

Read 'True Believer' first if you want to know what's going on........2007-07-04

I didn't realize that 'At First Sight' was essentially a sequel to True Believer. Right from the beginning, it rang hollow with me and the characters didn't seem very well fleshed out. I frankly had a hard time accepting why this great guy from New York would give up his fabulous life for a woman like Lexie. She was irritating, high maintenance, childish, bratty, selfish- and the list goes on. I just couldn't envision their relationship, and from the plot line, evidently, his friends had a hard time with it too. At any rate, this irritating scenario transpired over many pages, and I kept thinking- "Is there going to be some sort of SOMETHING happening?" because it was really needing it. Needless to say, Nicholas Sparks has an easy-going writing style, and his stories always end up with a cloyingly sweet finish, so getting through the book wasn't a problem- understanding the characters was. It seems as though he was trying to evolve a plot line that just wasn't there. It now, however, makes sense to me that I did not understand the dynamics of the characters or why he loved the woman in this story so much, because I had not read the first book, 'True Believer.' Now that it's too late to go back, I would definitely recommend that a person read that book first, and then maybe 'At First Sight' would hold more credibility and understanding. It started out not making sense, and it ended that way for me. It wasn't the worst book in the world, but I didn't love it either.

Love/Hate.......2007-06-28

As in True Believer, for me the these two just did not jell for me. How does one love in one week, when they spent so little time together? I could not get this story line. I hated the ending. Too tragic. I just have to admit that after reading most of Nicholas Sparks books, I keep hoping he will give us that happy ever after that we sometimes need to believe in. He does admit to writing tragic books and I guess after reading all but two of them, you'd think I would have gotten that already! In A Bend in the Road, the characters do get together and I'm sure somewhere down the road there will be a sequal and one will die! I guess when the end of True Believer ended so abruptly and nobody died, the sequel just had to have tragedy. But I think True Believer and At First Sight could have been one book. Then True Believer would have ended just like all the others!

Average customer rating:

don't bother
Beware: This is NOT a ghost story!
A little too cheesy
No Sparks this time
How is this guy so famous?

True Believer
Nicholas Sparks
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0446618152

Book Description

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Sparks comes an unforgettable love story that explores the deepest mysteries of all-those of the heart. As a science journalist with a regular column in Scientific American, Jeremy Marsh specializes in debunking the supernatural. A born skeptic, he travels to the small town of Boone Creek, North Carolina determined to find the real cause behind the ghostly apparitions that appear in the town cemetary.What he doesn't plan on, however, is meeting and falling hopelessly in love with Lexie Darnell, granddaughter of the town psychic. Now, if the young lovers are to have any kind of future at all, Jeremy must make a difficult choice: return to the life he knows, or do something he's never done before-take a giant leap of faith. But his choice is only the beginning, for their story takes the most unlikely twist of all, one that will finally make Jeremy a TRUE BELIEVER.

Customer Reviews:

don't bother.......2007-09-04

I have to agree with many of the other reviewers. The premise had me interested then the story did not amount to much. I was let down at the end. The problem is I finished the book because I already bought the next one At First Sight. I think Sparks really dropped the ball on this one. It was such a let down from his other novels that I was surprised.

Beware: This is NOT a ghost story!.......2007-08-27

I'm writing this review in the hopes of dissuading anyone from buying it based on what the synopsis says on the back cover! Here's the part I'm referring to: "...Jeremy Marsh [Scientific American journalist hero of the story] specializes in debunking the supernatural and has a real nose for the strange and unusual. ...he travels to the small town of Boone Creek, determined to find the real cause behind the ghostly apparitions that appear in the town cemetery..." Based on this, I thought there would be some great ghostly intrigue interspersed with the promised love story.

Well, we don't get the first glimpse of the ghosts until page 167! And in the whole book, perhaps 30 pages (of 322) have ANYTHING to do with ghosts. As a matter of fact, the whole ghost business is a limp, mostly lifeless subplot to an equally limp love story.

And I like good love stories. But this is not one of them. Contrived and cliche, I never really cared much for the relationship of Jeremy and Lexie, the small town librarian he meets while investigating the 'ghost story'.

I believe this book would never have been published had it been a first novel - the writing drags and winds, badly in need of tightening, and neither the love story nor the ghost story, by themselves, are worth the read.

Lastly, I have to say shame on the editor for letting Mr. Sparks dish out erroneous science - a new moon is NOT caused by the moon being in the earth's shadow! That would be an eclipse. A new moon is when the moon is not visible because all of the light from the sun is hitting the side of the moon currently not visible. Google it. Amazing that such a silly error could pass the editor. But given the drivel of the rest of the book, I guess I'm not surprised.

In summary: just another shallow sappy love story, with little bits about ghosts (which turn out to be nothing anyway) interspersed. Do not buy.

A little too cheesy.......2007-08-25

This book was just okay. It is my second Nicholas Sparks book, and I am trying to figure out why he is so loved. Both the books I have read, "A Bend in the Road" and now "True Believer" were just okay. Both of these books seemed to follow the formula of boy and girl meet, boy and girl fall in love after some apprehension by one of them, boy and girl encounter snag in relationship, boy and girl work everything out in the end. Also, am I the only one that feels these are so unbelievably cheesy that they just want to gag?? The last line of "True Believer" almost had me lose my dinner it was so disgustingly cheese-ball.

No Sparks this time.......2007-08-04

I usually love Nicholas Sparks' books but this one seemed to drag on and on. I couldn't feel the connection between Jeremy and Lexie. So predictable but was hoping that they would say goodbye in the end so as to end the boredom of their relationship.

How is this guy so famous?.......2007-07-24

I have seen a couple of Spark's book-adapted movies and loved them, so i thought i would take a chance on his writing. I felt no connection to his characters, the plot was slow, and i was very disappointed. The book wasn't worth the time it took to read. Sorry, nicholas. Maybe, hopefully, his other stuff is better.

Italy: The Best Travel Writing from the New York Times

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WONDERFUL COLLECTION!
italy !
Great Gift
Italy Coffee Table Book
Discovering/ Revisiting Every Corner of Italy: THE Book To Read Before Travel

Italy: The Best Travel Writing from the New York Times
Olivier Bernier , Frank Bruni , Shirley Hazzard , Alison Lurie , Jan Morris , William Murray , Frank J. Prial , Francine Prose , and Muriel Spark
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0810959054

Book Description

Italy is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, and this beautiful, useful volume is an ideal reminder for those who have been there and fallen in love with the country, as well as a book to stir the expectations of those who plan to travel there. Lavishly illustrated with photographs, this collection captures the local color of every remarkable corner of this richly diverse land-the clamor and vitality of Naples, the idyllic enchantment of Lago Maggiore, the intriguing cultural contradictions of Genova, the breathtaking (if terrifying) cliffside trails in Cinqueterre.

Contributors include Oliver Bernier, Rachel Billington, Frank Bruni, Shirley Hazzard, Paul Hofmann, Alison Lurie, Malachi Martin, Alastair McEwen, Michael Mewshaw, Jan Morris, Francine Prose, Barry Unsworth, Muriel Spark, and William Weaver. Essays full of history, philosophical ruminations, humorous anecdotes, cultural musings, and useful travel information-in short the best of The New York Times talent-will make you want to drop everything and fly to this land that continues to inspire writers, artists, and casual visitors alike. AUTHOR BIO: Umberto Eco is the author of four novels as well as numerous works of criticism, philosophy, and literary theory. His fifth novel, The Mysterious Flame, will be published in June. He is professor of semiotics at the University of Bologna.

Customer Reviews:

WONDERFUL COLLECTION!.......2007-07-05

There are many interesting articles in this wonderful collection of travel articles from the New York Times. This great book covers Italy from top to bottom and it includes articles of some well known cities such as Rome and Venice as well as some unknown villages and islands. This book shows how diversfied a small country such as Italy is. The photos are gorgeous and the writing is superb from the many different talented writers. I highly recommend this book to any fan of Italy or of travel. This is much more than a coffee table book. Also, a great price through Amazon!

italy !.......2007-04-11

this book is superb. plenty of great photos and informative writing. if we get to italy we will feel comfortable in a foreign speaking country as we will have learned heaps about the people and more about this interesting destination. this book covers all the areas from top to bottom and places in between. thanks to amazon for this purchase as i could find nothing like it in new zealand with such interesting information ! yes it is a must weather you get to italy or not and has pride of place in the travel section of our library.

Great Gift.......2006-02-28

I got this beautiful book for two dear friends, brilliant musicians, who will be traveling to Italy soon. They were entranced, and have thanked me several times, saying the book makes them feel "as if we are already in Italy."

Italy Coffee Table Book.......2006-02-25

The book is beautifully photographed. It has pictures of some out of the way places that some of the other brochures and books don't touch on. If you are looking for information, this is not the book for you.

Discovering/ Revisiting Every Corner of Italy: THE Book To Read Before Travel.......2005-11-19

This is one of those books that defies description. Formed as a joint project between the Italian Tourism people and the New York Times, this generously illustrated volume covers all of Italy, not only photographically but also with immensely readable and helpful articles about the regions, the people and their idiosyncrasies, the culture, the history, the sights not to be missed, the foods, and an ebullient flow of gentle humor that makes this the first choice of reading in preparation for a visit to this popular country - or an invaluable memento for perusing once home from the pleasures Italian.

Not only are there superb 'articles' by NY Times staff writers about the famous places (Milan, Rome, Venice, Florence, Sienna, etc), but here are also vignettes about the tiny secrets of Italy like Posillipo, the Aeolian Islands, Trieste, Portofino and on and on. Forty articles do far more than describe a place: these articles are written by people who can define the flavors so clearly they leap from the page.

Keeping the book in the realm of art, the introduction is by none other than the brilliant Italian novelist Umberto Eco who puts a spin on the wealth of pleasures that follow, basking in Italy's history and the reasons the people are so unique. It is a joy to read. Highly Recommended for both active and armchair travelers! Grady Harp, November 05

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Reba P. written review on "A walk to remember"
A good novel for all
"A WALK TO FORGET"
"Miracle"??
A Walk to Remember

A Walk to Remember
Nicholas Sparks
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0446608955

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In 1958 Landon Carter is a shallow but well-meaning teenager who spends most of his time hanging out with his friends and trying hard to ignore the impending responsibilities of adulthood. Then Landon gets roped into acting the lead in the Christmas play opposite the most renowned goody two-shoes in town: Jamie Sullivan. Against his best intentions and the taunts of his buddies, Landon finds himself falling for Jamie and learning some central lessons in life.

Like John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany, Sparks maintains a delicate and rarely seen balance of humor and sentiment. While the plot may not be the most original, this boy-makes-good tearjerker will certainly reel in the fans. Look for a movie starring beautiful people or, better yet, snuggle under the covers with your tissues nearby and let your inner sap run wild. --Nancy R.E. O'Brien

Book Description

In the prologue to his latest novel, Nicholas Sparks makes the rather presumptuous pledge "first you will smile, and then you will cry," but sure enough, he delivers the goods. With his calculated ability to throw your heart around like a yo-yo (try out his earlier Message in the Bottle or The Notebook if you really want to stick it to yourself), Sparks pulls us back to the perfect innocence of a first love.In 1958 Landon Carter is a shallow but well-meaning teenager who spends most of his time hanging out with his friends and trying hard to ignore the impending responsibilities of adulthood. Then Landon gets roped into acting the lead in the Christmas play opposite the most renowned goody two-shoes intown: Jamie Sullivan. Against his best intentions and the taunts of his buddies, Landon finds himself falling for Jamie and learning some central lessons in life.Like John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany, Sparks maintains a delicate and rarely seen balance of humor and sentiment. While the plot may not be the most original, this boy-makes-good tearjerker will certainly reel in the fans. Look for a movie starring beautiful people or, better yet, snuggle under the covers with your tissues nearby and let your inner sap run wild. --Nancy R.E. O'Brien

Download Description

There was a time when the world was sweeter . . . when the women in Beaufort, North Carolina, wore dresses, and the men donned hats. . . when something happened to a seventeen year-old boy that would change his life forever.

Every April, when the wind blows in from the sea and mingles with the scent of lilacs, Landon Carter remembers his last year at Beaufort High.

It was 1958, and Landon had already dated a girl or two. He even swore that he had once been in love. Certainly the last person in town he thought he'd fall for was Jamie Sullivan, the daughter of the town's Baptist minister.

A quiet girl who always carried a Bible with her schoolbooks, Jamie seemed content living in a world apart from the other teens. She took care of her widowed father, rescued hurt animals, and helped out at the local orphanage. No boy had ever asked her out.

Landon would never have dreamed of it. Then a twist of fate made Jamie his partner for the homecoming dance, and Landon Carter's life would never be the same. Being with Jamie would show him the depths of the human heart and lead him to a decision so stunning it would send him irrevocably on the road to manhood . . .

No other author today touches our emotions more deeply than Nicholas Sparks. Illuminating both the strength and the gossamer fragility of our deepest emotions, his two New York Times bestsellers, The Notebook and Message in a Bottle, have established him as the leading author of today's most cherished love stories. Now, in A WALK TO REMEMBER, he tells a truly unforgettable story, one that glimmers with all of his magic, holding us spell-bound -- and reminding us that in life each of us may find one great love, the kind that changes everything . . .

Customer Reviews:

Reba P. written review on "A walk to remember".......2007-09-27

"It is amazing how wrong you can be about somebody from first impressions, you've never spoken to them, don't care about their feelings, and never even think of their future, even if one day you will be a big part of it. You think you can judge someone about how they dress, or how they talk, or even how they walk, sometimes you can be correct but other times your thoughts will dramatically change once you get to know each other. It can be a good or bad change, you never know until you try."

In this book "A walk to remember" written by Nicholas Sparks is a Beautiful and Heart Wrenching novel, which will take you through an unforgettable twist in heart, when a young boy and girl grew up in completely different social groups and brought together just from a small Interaction. In 1958, Landon Carter is a senior who lives in Morehead City, North Carolina. His father is a congress man and the two of them are basically strangers to each other. He lives and was raised by his mother since his father is on the road quite often. His father basically makes him run for student-body president because he knows it will be better for his college applications, so he runs for it, and he wins. One of the mandatory assignments was to attend the school dance, and since him and his girlfriend are no longer together, he needs a date, and fast. So he takes out his year book and looks for someone he knows will be available and decides on Jamie Sullivan, otherwise known as a junior and the minister's daughter.

Jamie Sullivan is a saint, she carries a bible every where she goes and wears the same sweater since 5th grade, wears long skirts, and her hair is always in a ponytail. She believes "everything happens for a reason" and strongly believes in faith and that everyone has a good side. She is definitely not the popular one in school, and who is obviously not the one Landon and His friends are Interested in. After the dance he has no clue to ever hang out with Jamie again.

As president he also has to star in the spring play, which Jamie Sullivan's dad wrote about how he found love after his wife died. Landon is picked the lead role and Jamie is an Angel he falls in love with in the play.

From sitting together and talking on Jamie's porch, to driving her home every day, he eventually gets to know her and becomes a better person and even starts to get a high feeling for her. Hanging out with her in rehearsals for the play and her helping him with his lines he can't but help but actually performing in the play with her. On the opening night, when she comes out , he finally see's her true beauty, her hair's down to her shoulders, make-up, and a amazing smile across her face. As she sings to him in the performance with a beautiful voice he realizes that he is in love with her and she feels the same way.

Along the end the amazing love story comes to a dramatic twist and is an automatic tear jerker. While he plans a future with her, she is a hiding a secret so devastating it will change him forever. Pain and deep tears lie ahead for the couple and the readers. This story is as I said before, unforgettable and will never leave your mind as the tears drip from your face.

A good novel for all .......2007-09-26

Although I usually tend to go for the romance novels, this one had so much more packed in the pages. Nicolas Sparks tells a story that many high schoolers can relate to. I remember reading this as a young freshman and thinking about how he seemed to know exactly what a kid my age would be going through.

The story centers on a troubled teen named Landon Carter who is having difficulties with the fact that his dad walked out on his mom and him and figuring out which group he "belonged" to at his high school. He thought he had everything figured out until he was forced to join the drama club after an unfortunate turn of events.

That's where his world began unraveling. Having difficulties memorizing his lines, he has to turn to the one person he and his friends teased the most, Jamie Sullivan. Though he didn't find out for a while, her life was not all roses like the front she put on.

This book is a good read for all, but I think that middle and high school aged students can get a lot out of it. It deals with the issues that most students struggle with: friends, relationships, family, and essentially who they are and what their purpose in life is.

"A WALK TO FORGET".......2007-08-28

I was VERY disappointed in reading this book. It meandered for the entire 224 pages. Very simplistic and a third-grader could have written a better book.

I can't believe all of the positive reviews. People must really be hard up for a love story. This is sophomoric at best. When the name of the author is larger than the name of the title---WATCH OUT!!

It was a waste of my time. He could have summed the entire book up in one paragraph. What a pity!! Time is so valuable and I had to waste it on this ersatz piece of "literature".

"Miracle"??.......2007-08-08

I appreciated this book more than I thought I would, given that the writing style sometimes seemed overly precious, and the plot predictable and cliched. Still, with all that, there is a basic goodness in the main characters, including Hegbert, that shines through even this treatment. That's what prompted me to finish the book. It brings us back to a supposedly simpler time, and is good, escapist fiction, which isn't necessarily bad.

On another point, I am amazed by number of reviewers here who assume as Gospel truth--no pun intended--that Jamie dies in the end. Clearly, that's what happened in the movie. However, Sparks's treatment of that possibility at the end in the book struck me as great deal more ambiguous.

Landon never removed his ring. How did he put it? He "never felt the need to." He *knows*, with the insight of 40 intervening years, that he would have married Jamie even if she weren't dying. And, in the end, he knows "one thing that we don't know": that miracles do, indeed, happen.

Now maybe the miracle really is that Jamie changed his heart, brought two families together, and united an entire town. On the other hand, maybe the word means exactly what both Landon and Jamie always meant when they prayed for a "miracle": Jamie recovered. At least, the book never once states that she died.

As a final point, I've got to say that, if Landon indeed spent the next 40 years single and without children as a result of his wife of two weeks or so passing away when he was 17, then I don't see this as an example of True Love as much as I feel sorry for him. No matter how much Jamie taught him, he missed out on a whole lot of life.

A Walk to Remember.......2007-08-08

I'll admit, I didn't think I was in the mood for this type of story when I started reading it. And, when the author said that at first I would smile, then I would cry, I was more than determined to prove him wrong. OK, so he was right and I did cry. It was predictable and yet it still got to me. It is the story of a teenager coming of age in the fifties. Yet, in many ways it could be the story of a teenager today. Teenagers always try to fit in with the crowd and please their peers. A Walk to Remember is a quick, but memorable read.

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Travels with the ugly Americans
A built-in fan club
Nicholas Sparks best book so far!!!!
A good read
Three Weeks with My Brother

Three Weeks with My Brother
Micah Sparks , and Nicholas Sparks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: B000EHSMKY

Book Description

In January 2003, Nicholas Sparks and his brother Micah set off on a three-week trip around the world. It was to mark a milestone in their lives, for at 37 and 38 respectively, they were now the only surviving members of their family. As Nicholas and Micah travel the globe, the intimate story of their family unfolds in the details of the untimely deaths of their parents and only sister. Against the backdrop of the wonders of the world, the Sparks brothers band together to heal, to remember, and to learn to live life to the fullest.

Customer Reviews:

Travels with the ugly Americans.......2007-09-25

This is for the book on CD and I just couldn't get through it. From his loud brother yelling at the airport raising his arms up -- the overgrown frat boy -- to the same brother lying down on a Mayan temple and wondering why it's sacred and being offended that he couldn't get his picture taken on it. Of course, Nicholas doesn't call is brother out on this. What would Micah think if someone laid across a U.S. flag and wanted their photo on it?

They mock other cultures, laugh at pottery, are bored with much of the trip ... and the knuckleheads on the trip with them (I can't believe these people are college graduates) don't understand why Spanish is being spoken over the Super Bowl commentary in Peru. "What is he saying," they ask. You don't know what Spanish sounds like and you're stunned it's broadcast on Peruvian TV? Again, Nicholas has no comment on just how clueless these people are. The author without an opinion.

I continued to get offended by the rich frat-kid type brothers as much as Nicholas' boring, dry, uneventful prose. Also, some of the stuff they did as kids was more than just rambunctious, it was violent. (I.E. rolling people up in carpet and then jumping on them.) Of course, Nicholas -- ever the spectator without an opinion -- does nothing. Clearly the immature children barely grew up.

This is a frustrating read on the trip around the world by two arrogant elitists. Count me out.

A built-in fan club.......2007-09-03

It's apparent to me from reading all the hymns to Sparks' book that the legions of fans of his overwrought, over-emotional novels have flooded the reviews portion of this book, too. While I can't completely condemn the book, primarily because I learned something from some of the histories of the places the brothers visited, I would much have preferred more about the places themselves--NOT the brothers' reactions to them. Other reviewers have commented on the "Ugly American" aspects of their behavior, so there is no need for me to do it, suffice it to say that I agree with those reviewers.
I was touched by their grief over the losses of their parents, but since the children were adults by this time, I also wanted to say, "Get over it," people die and we move on. Sister Dana's death affected me much more, since her lingering death was faced with such strength.
This book has less of the tear-jerker writing style of Sparks' novels, but he still likes to stick in the "kicker line" at times, particularly after a death: "Dana was thirty-three years old" and "It was just the two of us now. Brothers." (The latter word on a line by itself.) Sparks may laugh all the way to the bank at those of us who criticize his writing style, but such obvious appeal to emotions has always struck me as unsubtle and contrived.

Nicholas Sparks best book so far!!!!.......2007-08-21

This is a memoir, unlike his other books, but it is by far the best he's ever written!!!

Nicholas finds a trip on line for 3 weeks around the world. He decides to take his brother Micah and it becomes a trip down memory lane. The sadness, excitement, and joy of their life stories are unremarkable! It seems unreal that someone can have this much grief.

You will LOVE this book!!!!

A good read.......2007-08-19

I've read quite a few memoirs, and this one was quite enjoyable. You know the gist of it from the description/s above: Sparks recounts his childhood while on a trip with his brother. While some parts of the trip were a little dull (that's okay, they were also bored with some of their trip!), it has everything you could want in a good read -- honesty, humor, sadness, triumph, etc.

If you like memoirs -- and even if you don't -- I think you will like this one! I recommend it.

Three Weeks with My Brother.......2007-08-15

I just started reading the book i am enjoying it si far. I really like it because it is a real story. I love all of his books and i Thank you i will be getting more i only need 3 more and i will have all of them and i cant wait untill Sept.25

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