The Notebook

Rating:
Summary: An outstanding read! Heartwarming and real
Review: The Notebook was by far one of the best books i've ever curled up to. Nicholas did an outstanding job of bringing the reader into the minds of the characters. With tears of sorrow and happiness, I finished this book in awe.

Rating:
Summary: Great, Fascinating!!!
Review: Once I started reading it, I was unable to stop. The always search of the "what is going to happen" was in my mid at all times. This book teaches about life, and the specially, about love. What is love and how great it is to be loved. If you had ever said, "i will love you forever" and you really meant it.... then this book is for you. It will make you laugh, cry, and look at your loved ones with even more love....

Rating:
Summary: So sickingly sentimental sweet I swallowed a bottle of tums
Review: I was so curious about this book which received such horribly bad reviews but made so much money that I decided to read it. Thank God for libraries! Mr. Sparks didn't receive a dime from me for this book, and rightly so. I have never read such a poorly written book in my life--and I am a voracious reader. The characters are ninnies who never had an interesting or crazy thought in their lives and I couldn't have cared less if she had married Satan himself and if he (I can't even remember the characters' names they were so unmemorable)threw himself in his duck pond in despair. I am amazed that an agent thought this book was even publishable, and incredulous that Warner gave him so much money for such much trash. The characters are flat, one-dimensional, there is minimal plot, NO character development, barely any moral dilemmas (you knew what's her face wouldn't marry the lawyer)and the writing is awful. I could barely make it past the first chapter. Mr. Sparks violates a firm principle of writing I was taught first in 8th grade and am still hearing, 20 years later: "Show, don't tell." He told us what they were feeling, never showed it. I never felt any passion between them, was never moved by her illness. I didn't care at all. The love scenes are disgustingly sweet and unrealistic--my friends and I read the sex scene and the rowing in the lake scene outloud and laughed ourselves silly. What tripe! If the book had been more cleverly written, I would have taken it for a satire of romance novels. Despite all this, however, many people have bought it and made him a millionaire. What a sad commentary on the public's expectation of literature today. We no longer demand and expect the best, but will be satisfied and even pleased with mediocrity.

Rating:
Summary: A good substantive romance
Review: This is a good book on the themes of lost love---and wasted loves. It reminded me of Silent Bell, the new book by Gary Drake, in the way it dealt with letting the obvious love of our life get away, and then wonder years later. I recomend this. I recommend both Sparks and Drake!

Rating:
Summary: The most romantic love story I've ever read!
Review: A beautifully written story of love, truth and beauty. This short love story grabbed my heartstrings on the first page and continued pulling until the last chapter ... where I could barely read through my sobs and tears. A must-read for anyone with a sensitive heart.

Rating:
Summary: Thanks for keeping me up until 2 a.m.!
Review: This is what a friend told me after I recommended this book to her. Although I read the book in two evenings, I felt so connected to Noah & Allie, that I continued to feel their joys and sorrows for days. This is how love should be. Unforgettable.

Rating:
Summary: Should be a mandatory book for marriage 101!
Review: I fell in love with this book. I couldn't put it down. The story was told with great charm and gave me a feeling of the old days when not so much was enough. When marriages lasted through good times and bad. Somewhere along the way we have lost that. I feel sad to think that children of today will more than likely miss this, I'm so glad I haven't.

Rating:
Summary: ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL
Review: I couldn't put this book down.. It really touched my heart. It gives you hope for true love.

Rating:
Summary: A book that tugs on your heart strings!
Review: I loved this book. I could just picture what I was reading in my mind. It was one of those books that once you start reading it you just can't stop. I have loaned it out to friends and they all loved it. My sister-in-law bought the audio book and she had to wear her sun glasses when she was listening to it in the car, people driving by her thought something was wrong because in places she cried so hard.

Rating:
Summary: One of the most touching stories I've read in a long time.
Review: I just recently read "The Bridges of Madison County" and this was just as well written. I was actually crying while reading the book on the train on the way to work. I just recently got married and was amazed to feel that the love these two people shared keep the torch lit for so long. It is a great feeling to have someone love you that much and just reminded me how much I love my husband.