Weekend with Sparks

I love to read, and it has completely escaped me why I have never read Nicholas Sparks books until now. If you look at my reading list next to my blog you will see that I have read a good amount of his books this month so far. I read 4 of his books this weekend. I saw the movie "The Notebook" and absolutely fell in love with it. As a matter of fact, I wrote a song entitled "She Doesn't Even Know My Name". It tells the story of 2 people that marry and she gets Alzheimers and when he comes to see her; she doesn't know him or his name (a little bit like the movie, but his name is very important in the song). This is the clincher, I can't find my song. I only wrote the words, because as Mark Lowry says, "If you can't read music, then you shouldn't write it." I just think that it is ironic that my song is about a lady with alzheimers, and now I have forgotten what I did with the song. In my defense, we did move...so it could be in storage. Getting back to Sparks' books. I love them!! But after about the third one, I see a pattern forming in his writing. Someone is going to DIE in every book. Sometimes 2 people die. Mark says that he writes how real life happens and it is realistic. Maybe so, but does everyone have to fall in love with someone and then just when things are going great....someone DIES.

"Dear John" was my favorite book so far. I actually listened to the audio book on this one. Maybe that is why I loved it so much. The different voices and the music really made the book come to life. Also, John, the main character lived in Wilmington and hung out at Wrightsville Beach. I remember hanging out at the beach during the summer. So I think that it held more nostalgia for me. My heart almost burst, as I neared the ending; for I had already figured out that it wasn't going to end as I had hoped. The only thing about this one was that the man that read the book on the CD, read so slowly that I found myself becoming impatient. It was a 9 hour CD set, and it drove me crazy. I read 956 words a minute, so I know I could have read it faster than I listened to it.

"The Choice" actually had a few turns that I didn't anticipate. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and could see it and "Dear John" as a movie. "The Choice" made me really think about life. Even if it is your spouse's wish to die, could I make that choice. My answer was no. I would rather have Mark any way, than to not have him at all. Then again, I would want to honor his wish, but when it come down to it...could I? I would also hate to see him suffer. Travis' choice in the book turned out to be the right one, but is that the choice for everyone. I can't be 100% sure what I would do, but I hope that as Travis, the character of the book, had to do; that decision will be one that I will never have to make.

"The Rescue" was also good, but by now I had figured out Sparks pattern for writing, so it became kind of mundane. Good story, but it was just predictable. Half way through the book I had the story line figured out, and was only wrong on one thing....the boy nor the girl died, but someone else did. The same is true for "Message in a Bottle" (which I haven't seen the movie) and "Nights in Rodanthe". Very predictable and after the 4th chapter on both books, I knew pretty much how it was going to end. To me these 2 books were very similar, and it felt that I was rereading something that I had already read; except the names had been changed. Although, I have figured out a pattern to his writing it doesn't discourage me from reading his other books. I have "The Lucky One", "True Believer" and "At First Sight" now to read. I have been checking these out at the library. She put "The Guardian" and "The Last Song" on hold for me today. I still have "The Wedding" to get to read also.

I did like "A Walk to Remember" very much, and was a little thrown with the out come of the book. I had the father dying, not the daughter (sorry if you haven't read these, and now I have ruined the ending for you). I did like it so much that when I went to movie stop on Saturday, I bought the movie. I haven't watched it yet, but will this weekend. I am looking forward to seeing the movie and having the characters come to life on screen.

"A Bend in the Road" started out just as predictable. I saw from the beginning that Miles was going to fall in love with Jonah's teacher, Sarah.....and I was correct. I also figured out that someone in Sarah's family had also been the driver that killed Missy, Miles' wife. After about 3 chapters, I concluded that it was her brother Brian....once again I was correct. Then the pattern started again. Miles would get mad and call things off with Sarah...again correct. But in the end they end up together and somewhat live happily ever after. This book was just more predictable than the others. I had most of the story line figured out just by reading the inside flap of the book.

All in all, I love Nicholas Sparks books. They allow you to cry and release pent up stress that sometimes you didn't know that was lurking down inside of you. I cry and ache for the characters in the book as though they are real and I know them. I guess that it a very great talent of Sparks, to involve you so much into the story that you actually feel as though you are part of the book. I also love how he always sets the story in a NC town. I can't wait to read the rest of his books that I have, and immerse myself in a make believe world that strangely feels real.