Book Review: Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

Title: Best of Me
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Series: None
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Released: October 11, 2011
Website: http://nicholassparks.com/

Book Summary:

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.

I'm a sucker for Nicholas Sparks. I've read EVERYTHING he has written and enjoyed all of it. I think he is a great writer. However if you haven't read a Nicholas Sparks book don't start with this one, it's not his best. Try A Walk to Remember, The Notebook or The Last Song as an introduction to his work. If you've read his books and enjoy them then read this one too.

Since I've read all of his books I was totally prepared for the emotional manipulation and classic Nicholas Sparks life is not always the happily ever after we may think it should be ending. Good thing I was prepared because he dished it out in droves in this one.  I thought Dawson Cole was a great character but I wasn't as taken with Amanda.  I'm a happily ever after ending person and the ending of this one was not the happily ever after I would have liked to have seen.  I saw it coming but still wish things could have somehow gone differently.

Sidenote: Prior to starting this one I had just finished reading Anna and the French Kiss. As Anna described the books her father writes I couldn't help but think of Nicholas Sparks.

Rating: 4 Stars - Great Book

Content: Language, violence, implied sex and other mature content that wasn't overly graphic however this is definitely a book for "adults".

Source: Library

Book Review: Girls Don't Fly by Kristen Chandler

Title: Girls Don't Fly
Author: Kristen Chandler
Series: None
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Released: October 13, 2011
Website: http://www.krischandlerstories.com/

Book Summary:

Myra is used to keeping her feet firmly on the ground. She's got four younger brothers, overworked parents, and a pregnant older sister, and if Myra wasn't there to take care of everyone, they'd probably fall apart. But when her boyfriend unceremoniously dumps her, Myra feels like she's lost her footing. Suddenly she's doing things she never would've a few months earlier: quitting her job, applying for a scholarship to study birds in the Galapogos, and falling for a guy who's encouraging her to leap from her old life . . . and fly.

Set in the Salt Lake City area, Girls Don't Fly is full of intelligence, humor, and is a refreshing change of pace for teen readers.

I thought Myra was a character who was easy to relate to. Her story rang true and reminded me of many of the feelings, doubts and insecurities I remember having in high school. The story was a cute, quirky coming of age, contemporary family drama.

Set outside Salt Lake City, UT and written by an LDS author I expected this to be LDS fiction but it was not. This could have been a book set in any town, anywhere. Other than a mention or two of the religious kids who went to church on Sunday there was no mention of anything about Mormons in this book.

Each chapter begins with a tidbit of knowledge about birds that ties into that chapter.  Very clever.

Girls Don't Fly was an enjoyable, quick read.

Rating: 4 Stars - Great Book

Content: Some language

Source: Review Copy

Also by Kristen Chandler:

Book Review: Pearl by Jo Knowles

Bean (aka Pearl) and Henry, misfits and best friends, have the strangest mothers in town. Henry’s mom Sally never leaves the house. Bean’s mom Lexie, if she is home, is likely nursing a hangover or venting to her friend Claire about Bean’s beloved grandfather Gus, the third member of their sunny household.

Gus’s death unleashes a host of family secrets that brings them all together. And they threaten to change everything—including Bean’s relationship with Henry, her first friend, and who also might turn out to be her first love.

I have such a hard time reviewing and rating books like this one. Anyone who knows me knows I'm a conservative reader. Thus there is certain content that I prefer not to read about. This book has some of that content which makes me hesitant to recommend it. Since I hate spoilers I'm not going to share what it is... but conservative readers beware that the family secrets that unravel although not graphic may not be for you.

That said Pearl is a well written book, one I read in one sitting.  Delving into family secrets, relationships, love, grieving and friendship Jo Knowles packed a lot into this fast paced family drama.  The characters were well developed in a short time and I was drawn into this story and enjoyed it (for the most part).

Pearl by Jo Knowles will be released in July 2011


Content: Some language and other content that may bother conservative readers.  Email me if you want more details as I don't want to post spoilers.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Source: ARC Tour

Book Review: My Gift to You by Lori Nawyn

Trish Ingram works hard to maintain the perfect suburban household- or, at least, the appearance of one. By managing her outer world with lavish attention and rigid control, she's able to ignore and conceal the darkness of her inner world, which is plagued by traumatic childhood memories of loss. Her terminally ill sister-in-law, Jamie, sees through the facade and reaches out in love to Trish, inspiring her to seek a more meaningful life and a more authentic self. But the childhood scars run deep, and despite Trish's best efforts, she's unable to be the wife and mother her family needs. Devastated by the departure of her husband and daughter, Trish faces the challenge and opportunity of a lifetime. She desires to move forward in faith, but this desire alone cannot mend her family's shattered trust. The hollow realm of denial and fear has been her safe haven. To confront pain and transcend the shadows of her past will require a level of courage she's not sure she possesses. This gripping and hopeful story of familial love and conflict tenderly reminds us that forgiveness-of self and others-is both a difficult choice and a precious gift.



This book has a powerful message of the importance of unconditionally loving others and ourselves.  Trish appears to have the perfect life but appearances can be deceiving.  This book slowly revealed secrets of Trish's past that she had kept hidden from everyone including her husband and daughter.  As Trish faces her past she learns that some secrets had even been kept from her.  Coming to understand herself and her past helps Trish to find the peace and happiness she was longing for.

My Gift to You is author Lori Nawyn's first novel. This book was billed as a Christmas book but I think it could easily be read year round. It was much more of a family drama set in the month of December than a Christmas story.
Content: Clean

Rating: 4 Stars

Source: From Author For Review

Christmas Book Review: The Reindeer Keeper by Barbara Briggs Ward

Abbey senses something special about the little man tending to the reindeer who, along with a century-old farmhouse, a barn full of animals, and fields abounding in woods and pasture, was a gift to Abbey from a stranger. Abbey and her husband, Steve, move in just before the holidays. They have been together since the '60s, eloping when Steve returned from Vietnam. Now with Abbey's cancer in remission, they're looking forward to their boys coming home for Christmas.


Turns out this Christmas proves to be more magical than anticipated as Abbey realizes an understanding never thought possible through the rekindling of a belief rooted in childhood. Of course it's who delivers this gift on Christmas Eve that gives Abbey and Steve the strength to face their greatest challenge.

The Reindeer Keeper was sent to me by the author to review. This is the kind of book that makes me grateful to be a book blogger.  I never would have picked this book up on my own (probably never would have even heard about it).  I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and was drawn into the story. 

Barbara Briggs Ward has written a wonderful holiday read.  This book is touching without being cheesy.  I had tears in my eyes more than once while reading it and felt the spirit of Christmas within it's pages. Perhaps I could relate to this story more than others might because I lost one of my parents far too early in life.

Reality meets fantasy in this wonderful mix of family life with all its struggles combined with the magic of Christmas.  The characters in these pages came to life and I felt their joy as well as their pain.  
 
I would recommend this beautifully written story to anyone looking for an uplifting Christmas read, especially to those of us who are a little older and have experienced many of the joys and trials that come with life.



Content: Basically a clean read.  Sex is mentioned but there are no details.

Rating: 4 Stars

Source: From author for review

Restored Hope by Brenda Youngerman

Peter and Tara Miller are the image of perfection. They have three beautiful children, live in a wonderful neighborhood, and are still each other's best friend. When their world completely disintegrates within a short period of time, their daughter must survive the aftermath. Creating a new persona, Samantha finally breaks free and discovers that the real world is not much kinder than her dysfunctional family. Emotionally shattered, the solace of the ocean, and a loving dog, carry her on her way. Samantha meets Timothy Bleak, who was raised in a seemingly kind, loving family, but is virtually invisible to them. His voice goes unheard, his needs are unmet, and his emotions are squashed. Timothy summons the strength to leave his family, and discovers Samantha in his journey. Restored Hope follows these two bereft young people as their lives intertwine and they face the challenges of life, love and happiness together.

Restored Hope is a family drama that follows the life of Camilla Miller. Born into what appears to be an idyllic family, with parents who are deeply in love with each other, it would seem that her like would be a peaceful one. The reality is things are not always as they appear. When tragedy and the resulting dysfunction strike, Camilla's world is thrown into turmoil. With the disintegration of her family a part of Camilla dies. She refuses to be called Camilla and takes on the name Samantha.

While reading Brenda Youngerman's novel I found myself wondering how I would respond if faced with similar tragedies. Would I shatter and break as some individuals in this book did or would I be able to put the tragedies behind me and start again? I found myself drawn into this story and rooting for Samantha to find peace and love in her life.

Ultimately this book has a message that we all need. We are not responsible for the actions of others, we can move on after tragedy and we should never stop hoping.

Content: Just a couple mild expletives but otherwise clean.

Rating: 3.5 Stars