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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
Another charming love story from Nicholas Sparks! This is the story of how a photograph brings together two strangers. Logan, a soldier before the story opens, finds the photograph while serving in Iraq. After surviving a series of close calls Logan comes to believe that the photograph he's been carrying is lucky and is the reason he hasn't been killed. Under the suggestion of his best friend and fellow soldier Logan sets out on foot with his German Shepard Zeus to find the woman in the photograph. Using only the clues from the image and the short message written on the back Logan finds Beth, Elizabeth from the photograph, living in a small North Carolina town. He takes a job working for her grandmother caring for and training dogs at the kennel she owns. There are problems from the beginning, however, with Beth's ex-husband, a local deputy. His jealousy over the couple's budding romance brings this book to its climax in which death is a very real possibility for all three characters. Readers may find this book a bit predictable, but its still sure to please!
This was not the best book ever I will agree. But it did its job so props to it for that. It was a nice vacation read that got you interested but didn't need to put much thinking into it.
I think our characters were interesting to read about. I liked their dynamics and communication.
Zeus by far was my favorite part of this book. I think him and Logan were so sweet together. Their story was interesting.
Yes I do believe that it was a little creepy the whole reason behind the photo gave me nervous feelings. Cute or not its still stalking.
The ending was rushed and not written out well. I felt like Sparks copped out and took the easy route. It wasn't even really an ending just a skip to prologue.
2.5 rounded up to 3.
I think our characters were interesting to read about. I liked their dynamics and communication.
Zeus by far was my favorite part of this book. I think him and Logan were so sweet together. Their story was interesting.
Yes I do believe that it was a little creepy the whole reason behind the photo gave me nervous feelings. Cute or not its still stalking.
The ending was rushed and not written out well. I felt like Sparks copped out and took the easy route. It wasn't even really an ending just a skip to prologue.
2.5 rounded up to 3.
Every time I read a Nicholas Sparks book, I say it will be my last. It took me a few books to realize that his theme of tormented semi-happy endings are his style. I loved Message in a Bottle and Walk to Remember, so I've tried some others. It's usually a while after reading one before I pick up another one though. This one was in my local book box when I dropped off some book, so I picked it up.
I enjoyed most of the characters, except for Keith Clayton. I guess there always has to be an antagonist jerk in every story like this. Logan Thibault was a little too good to be true, but that's what makes for a good romance story. After all, don't we all dream of the perfect guy when we're young? I like Sparks' storytelling ability and the way he jumps around to tell the story from different characters' points of view. The grandmother was awesome. When I was reading the story, I was picturing the grandmother from George Strait's Pure Country because she also had that sense of humor and those odd sayings that no one really understood. Sparks always makes you visualize your characters very well. I'm kind of glad I didn't realize there was a movie so that I could picture them for myself. Well, that and it appears that the movie characters were all as described in the book anyway.
*SPOILER* I originally gave this story five stars. If I think about it, the extra star probably was because of the dog. I love a story where a great dog is a big part of the book. I kept worrying that Clayton was going to kill Zeus though. I even told my husband that was what would make it a 1 or 2-star book vs. a 4 or 5-star book (for me). Thankfully that didn't happen. Here's why my 5-star rating was downgraded to 4-stars though. The ending of this book, tormenting me and making me wonder whether Logan lives or dies, gave me a headache that lasted all night. I know drama is great in storytelling, but come on -- every once in a while we girls just like to have a normal happy ending; we don't always need all the tears and stress that come at the end of a Nicholas Sparks book. Going on for pages, making us wonder whether he lived or died was just too much for me. The story was good, and I enjoyed the storytelling in this book, but the ending just stressed me out. That said, it will be a long while before I pick up another Sparks book.
I enjoyed most of the characters, except for Keith Clayton. I guess there always has to be an antagonist jerk in every story like this. Logan Thibault was a little too good to be true, but that's what makes for a good romance story. After all, don't we all dream of the perfect guy when we're young? I like Sparks' storytelling ability and the way he jumps around to tell the story from different characters' points of view. The grandmother was awesome. When I was reading the story, I was picturing the grandmother from George Strait's Pure Country because she also had that sense of humor and those odd sayings that no one really understood. Sparks always makes you visualize your characters very well. I'm kind of glad I didn't realize there was a movie so that I could picture them for myself. Well, that and it appears that the movie characters were all as described in the book anyway.
*SPOILER* I originally gave this story five stars. If I think about it, the extra star probably was because of the dog. I love a story where a great dog is a big part of the book. I kept worrying that Clayton was going to kill Zeus though. I even told my husband that was what would make it a 1 or 2-star book vs. a 4 or 5-star book (for me). Thankfully that didn't happen. Here's why my 5-star rating was downgraded to 4-stars though. The ending of this book, tormenting me and making me wonder whether Logan lives or dies, gave me a headache that lasted all night. I know drama is great in storytelling, but come on -- every once in a while we girls just like to have a normal happy ending; we don't always need all the tears and stress that come at the end of a Nicholas Sparks book. Going on for pages, making us wonder whether he lived or died was just too much for me. The story was good, and I enjoyed the storytelling in this book, but the ending just stressed me out. That said, it will be a long while before I pick up another Sparks book.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
2.5 Stars.
This is my first Nicholas Sparks book. It was a last minute audio download as so many of my audiobooks are. Basically, this is the story of how a guy marine finds a photo in the desert then walks across the country (somehow choosing to go East instead of West or North or South) and manages to find the woman in the photograph. He had a friend/fellow-Marine who believed the photo was his lucky charm (hence the title). When he finds the woman, Beth, turns out she is a 30-something divorcee with a ten year old son and a completely crazy ex-husband whose family happens to own the town - a small southern town where there are no secrets. The Marine, Logan, gets a job at Beth's kennel and slowly things start to unravel. There is really heavy foreshadowing. The ex husband is a huge jerk and is dangerously jealous. For all of Beth's redeeming qualities, she unfortunately, lives up to almost all of the ex husband's expectations. In the end
I've found that it's hard to judge writing in an audio book but I want to say this writing was bad. There were moments when I just wanted Sparks to get to the point. There were more moments when I wanted Beth to open her eyes. I guess that's the point of this type of literature.
Alternatively, through all of this - I am going to go watch this movie. Probably tonight with a giant glass of wine and mentally critique all of the differences between the book. I really imagined the shorter brother from Supernatural moreso than the Ephron kid. I can't see Zac Ephron being a marine... or 28... or having a calm but strong and brooding presence. This is unimportant commentary. Obviously.
Anyway. I would not necessarily recommend this book but if someone said they wanted to read it, I wouldn't feel obligated to burn down their local library or anything like that. I would give them a definitive "Meh" and shrug.
This is my first Nicholas Sparks book. It was a last minute audio download as so many of my audiobooks are. Basically, this is the story of how a guy marine finds a photo in the desert then walks across the country (somehow choosing to go East instead of West or North or South) and manages to find the woman in the photograph. He had a friend/fellow-Marine who believed the photo was his lucky charm (hence the title). When he finds the woman, Beth, turns out she is a 30-something divorcee with a ten year old son and a completely crazy ex-husband whose family happens to own the town - a small southern town where there are no secrets. The Marine, Logan, gets a job at Beth's kennel and slowly things start to unravel. There is really heavy foreshadowing. The ex husband is a huge jerk and is dangerously jealous. For all of Beth's redeeming qualities, she unfortunately, lives up to almost all of the ex husband's expectations. In the end
Spoiler
, the ex husband dies in a flood where the strapping marine somehow manages not be able to help him stay afloat. Beth, Logan, the son and the dog all live happily ever after.I've found that it's hard to judge writing in an audio book but I want to say this writing was bad. There were moments when I just wanted Sparks to get to the point. There were more moments when I wanted Beth to open her eyes. I guess that's the point of this type of literature.
Alternatively, through all of this - I am going to go watch this movie. Probably tonight with a giant glass of wine and mentally critique all of the differences between the book. I really imagined the shorter brother from Supernatural moreso than the Ephron kid. I can't see Zac Ephron being a marine... or 28... or having a calm but strong and brooding presence. This is unimportant commentary. Obviously.
Anyway. I would not necessarily recommend this book but if someone said they wanted to read it, I wouldn't feel obligated to burn down their local library or anything like that. I would give them a definitive "Meh" and shrug.
For once, I didn't cry in a Nicholas Sparks book. And for once, there is a happy ending. Liked it very much, like all his other books, no matter how much I cried!
One of my favorite Nicholas Sparks books! If you've never read a Nicholas Sparks book, you best get going! You don't want to miss out.
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
Another classic love story written by the amazing Nicholas Sparks! Although it is not my favorite of his, it still captured me and trapped me in the pages. In this novel, Sparks keeps you guessing until the very last page. It shows not only the love in male-female relationships, but also family and friendships and how they are sometimes hard, but are important for everyone to have. I recommend this to any other Sparks fans and anyone who enjoys a classic love story.