Rating: Summary: Classic and tragic love story Review: I believe in fairy tales and Nicholas Sparks has done it again - woven a story that held me until the end. I fell in love with Garrett and became friends with Teresa. How they met was a little hokey, but hey, that's why we read these books. Having both been hurt, they were drawn to each other and, I felt, "meant to be together". No relationship is easy, though, and distance, work and family kept them from spending as much time together as they'd like to have done. Nonetheless, their love burned strong.This book shows us the power of true love and how it can help us get through anything in life and make us stronger for having been through it.
Rating: Summary: The best book I have ever read! Review: This is the greatest book I've ever read. The characters, the setting are so wonderful. If you are a book lover, you got to read this book! If you are not a book lover, you will start reading after you read this book! I cannot help but cry when I read the last letter that Garette wrote to Theresa. I wish it didn't end the way it does. But I believe it's more memorable or better to end it this way. It's such a wonderful book. If you don't read it, it probably is a loss in your life.
Rating: Summary: a decent romance novel Review: I'm surprised that I liked this book. I usually hate cheesy romance novels but I had this in the house and decided to read it in honor of St. Valentine's Day. I ended up finishing it 3 days earlier than I had planned (planned on finishing it on V-day). Ok, so it's a romance novel but at least it has a twist which is what I like about this author (I also read "The Notebook"). It doesn't have the same old storybook ending as every other sappy romance novel does. So, from someone who pretty much hates cheesy novels like D. Steel etc. I thought this was OK if you are in the mood for a very easy read with romance. It's a very quick and easy to get through. I am going to write about the beginning of the book now so if you want to go in totally fresh, don't read the rest but I don't give the ending away - just the first couple of chapters of how the book starts.... This book is about Theresa, who while on vacation finds a bottle on the beach with a rather sad letter inside. She is a newspaper columnist and after much debate decides to print the letter in her column since she found it so touching. Someone reads her column and calls her b/c they found a similar letter years before. Later, a third letter turns up. Theresa and her friend put all the info they get from the letters together to try to find the person who wrote them. They find out where he lives and Theresa decides to go look for him.... the rest you will have to read for yourself so I don't give anything away...
Rating: Summary: Healing... and Loving Again Review: If you've seen the movie, but not read the book, let me tell you this: there is A LOT of difference between the two, and the book is so much better, more fulfilling, and sweeter than that movie could ever hope to be. There is little in common between the two and the movie took such liberties in changing the story that it could have been named something else entirely. This story, I GUARENTEE, will make you cry. You gotta be a rock not to cry at the end. And although many of us already know the ending of this book because of the movie or it's acclaim, I can tell you that the ending makes much more sense in the book and the story so much more sweeter that knowing the ending or not, it doesn't matter. This story is worth all the tissues... and hopeful dreams... that will most certainly visit you.
Rating: Summary: Message to Sparks: Take a Class Review: Someone should tell the author of "Message in a Bottle" that a description of someone grilling steaks is NOT the same as exposition! I read "Message" after hearing much praise for Sparks's first novel. What a waste of time! While fiction requires "the willing suspension of disbelief" on the part of the reader, this piece of fiction used up my willingness far too soon and gave too little in return. Nothing about this novel makes me want to believe--not the characters, not the far-fetched plot, not the use of dialogue where description would do. Perhaps Mr. Sparks can spend a fraction of his writing income to attend a good fiction-writing workshop and then try again. In the meantime, I will stick to Booker short-list titles.
Rating: Summary: SAD and thought-provoking... Review: Sigh...guess I'm getting a bit mushy in my mid-twenties. =) This book, although a bit cliched, shows the strength of a woman who must deal with a man that is stuck in his own past. An earlier reviewer said that the herione of the story was "stupid" for leaving Garrett because he could not get over Catherine; I disagree. That was my favorite part of the book. Women everywhere have to make difficult decisions that show clearly they are not responsible for their men's emotional hazards. Rather than hang on to Garrett and hope that he would change, Theresa chose to control her own destiny and provide a form of finality, closure. Of course Garrett recognizes his shortcomings in the end, but would he have really changed had they gotten back together? It is all well and good for him to say that he was going to change, but the reader never gets to see if he would or not. This, I think, allowed Theresa to have a happy memory of their relationship rather than a bitter one. Well worth a read - just bring the hanky.
Rating: Summary: He did it again! Review: Nicholas Sparks has done it again; he has given me hope and faith in love. I have heard and read the critics, but I simply don't agree with those who ridicule this author. Sparks is quickly becoming a personal favorite! His simple vocabulary and style not only makes this an "easy read" but also makes the story believable. My heart ached for Garrett...envious of the love and loyalty he felt for Catherine. I cheered for Theresa...afraid to love again and not willing to give up her independence. Sparks' ability to tell the story of the attraction of two people who have so little in common (other than wounded hearts) is amazing. What brings two people together? It is simple yet so powerful. Sparks' story left me sobbing; not only for Garrett and Theresa, but for all those people who never experience a love so deep, so honest, so profound and so sincere.
Rating: Summary: Rent the movie, it's better Review: If you like simple, simpering love stories of the type that are always on the best-seller list, then you'll like this insipid, slow, unexciting book. When I was done reading this book, I felt cheated. My suggestion: Rent the movie. At least the boat-wreck scene is exciting, and you get to see a little Paul Newman.
Rating: Summary: Very Good Review: I finished this book a couple of days ago. I almost didn't finish it because it was so incredibly sad, but I'm glad that I went on and finished it. It was the best book I've ever read. I'm an avid reader and was just looking for a new book to read, and wondered upon Message In A Bottle. I would highly recommend this book to anyone. The story was so original. The characters were awesome. They had the ideal personalities. It bugged me that Theresa left Garrett though, I can see why she did it, but I couldn't have done it the way she did. That was the only part that I didn't like. I found myself saying she was stupid out loud..:) It's not like all the others with a happy ending, that's what makes it so different from them.
Rating: Summary: Boring and Cliched. Review: Full of cliches from any generic Harlequin romance. The lovemaking scene when they first make love is straight out of any old Harlequin romance. Ofcourse he thinks she is so pretty and she thinks he is not handsome (while her old lover is) but his face is just so mesmerizing. Now how many times have we read that?! In one word, boring and cliched. Why is this book such a rage? Why is this author such a rage? Why don't they have a provision to give 0 stars to a book at this website?! I won't make the mistake of picking up any more of Sparks' books.
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