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sng2098's review
3.0
This one was good, I liked the myster-ish parts to the letters and everything..
az_123's review
5.0
Another claps for Nicholas Sparks, after the first one I read, The Longest Ride. This book is sweet and feel with sorrow most of the times, but as it comes to an end, the storyline began to switch to sweets. However, this doesn't last long and plot twisted to a sad ending. Conclusively, there is still a moral of the story where the plot end perfectly where it begins. One quote from this book that I noted, "... if you discover something that made you tighten inside, you had better try to learn more about it, If you simply ignored the feeling, you would never known what might happen, and in many ways that was worse than finding out you were wrong in the first place. Because if you were wrong, you could go forward in your life without ever looking ack over your shoulder and wondering what might have happen. " This quote not only applied to relationship status but also other aspects of life such as passionate hobbies and the plan of future life.
brandinikkale's review
4.0
This book was amazing.....really heart wrenching and amazing. However, it left my heart aching at the end, which I did not expect. I'm not complaining, as I know Nicholas Sparks does not believe love has a happy ending...ever....
This is definitely a suggested read. Everyone should check it out. Have your Kleenex ready!
This is definitely a suggested read. Everyone should check it out. Have your Kleenex ready!
lina_pkr's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
currentlyreading_'s review
3.0
This was one of the older novels of Sparks. I recently read the Last Song and I did not like it as much as I did A Walk to Remember and The Notebook because of the different tone the author had. But when I read Message in the Bottle's first pages, I thought that it was good to read the old Sparks. In the beginning it was fine, I was reading through all of the details. However, when she was looking for him, up until the point that she finally found him, I found myself at the same time losing interest in the story. I had no idea what to exactly expect at that point but then I was really having a hard time going on and continue reading.
So I let it go for a few days, and started reading other books.
I just went back to it today and before even starting I tried to look for plot summaries somewhere online so I can see what eventually happens, maybe something interesting would happen in the end.
Luckily I had faith in Sparks, and I thought there would be some tragedy in the end. I wondered (and wanted to know what it was) so I decided to read through it. Although I scanned mostly for important-looking paragraphs and dialogues, it was only until the last few pages of the book did I start reading all of it.
It was a good ending. I get the message this novel was trying to impart, and though the plot was a bit rough or bumpy, I am glad that I at least gave the ending a chance. I gave a tear, but nothing more. I felt how hard it was going to be for the protagonist, but at the same time happy that they met each other at least.
The whole thing is so ironic! If it were written in a more condensed manner it could have been better. The Notebook was short and sweet, and even the lack of words it was more than enough.
So I let it go for a few days, and started reading other books.
I just went back to it today and before even starting I tried to look for plot summaries somewhere online so I can see what eventually happens, maybe something interesting would happen in the end.
Luckily I had faith in Sparks, and I thought there would be some tragedy in the end. I wondered (and wanted to know what it was) so I decided to read through it. Although I scanned mostly for important-looking paragraphs and dialogues, it was only until the last few pages of the book did I start reading all of it.
It was a good ending. I get the message this novel was trying to impart, and though the plot was a bit rough or bumpy, I am glad that I at least gave the ending a chance. I gave a tear, but nothing more. I felt how hard it was going to be for the protagonist, but at the same time happy that they met each other at least.
The whole thing is so ironic! If it were written in a more condensed manner it could have been better. The Notebook was short and sweet, and even the lack of words it was more than enough.
subparcupcake's review against another edition
3.0
Most of my friends around these parts are probably wondering what the hell is wrong with me. I don't normally read such... Squishy books. I read a couple Sparks back when I was a heart sick teenager, cried my eyes out, and then moved on. Well, at some point, long long ago (inagalaxyfarfaraway), I apparently bought this book. I then proceeded to place it on my book shelf, where it remained until earlier this week. I had just finished another book, and I knew the perfect book to start next. I grabbed my next book, sat down with it… And stalled. I just wasn’t feeling it. In fact, I wasn’t feeling anything that I had previously planned to read for the next few months (I’m a planner). I needed something completely different, completely random.. And that’s when I noticed this book, alone and neglected, tucked into a corner of my “not as cool as the other books” book shelf. The pages were yellow from neglect… It needed some love. So I gave it the reading it always desired, the reading it yearned for. I read it good...
Ok, that got a little weird. For real though. This was just what I needed… It’s not a five star or even a four star, but it’s a solid three. It’s not my favorite Sparks, actually it’s my least favorite of the now four I’ve now read. I have gripes, but it fulfilled my need to change it up a little, and that’s all I asked from it.
This isn’t really a spoiler, but I’m going to mark it just in case, just to protect those who are more picky about spoilers.. It wasn’t a big deal, because I wasn’t looking to hit that anyway, but it did kind of hamper my ability to lose myself in the story.. A moment would start to get romantic and then he would go all cling on Theresa and it made me feel anxious and set of my *FLEE* instinct.
Other than that, this is DEFINITELY a spoiler…
That’s about it. I think I’ll read a couple more Sparks to continue to cleanse my palate. Yep, just cleansing the old palate… I don’t like it at all, just gotta be done... Nothing to see here, move along now.
Ok, that got a little weird. For real though. This was just what I needed… It’s not a five star or even a four star, but it’s a solid three. It’s not my favorite Sparks, actually it’s my least favorite of the now four I’ve now read. I have gripes, but it fulfilled my need to change it up a little, and that’s all I asked from it.
This isn’t really a spoiler, but I’m going to mark it just in case, just to protect those who are more picky about spoilers.
Spoiler
So Garrett? My main gripe with this book is that he was totally.. I don’t know. I realize he had lost his wife and was learning to love again and all of that.. But he was soooo clingy, it made me feel anxious just to read it. This will get a little more specific, but still not really a spoiler..Spoiler
Even his memories of conversations with Catherine were creepy. Not that he was remembering her, it would be weird if he wasn’t, just the clinginess he displayed even in his own reminiscence. Don’t leave me, I’ll miss you, waaaaah…Other than that, this is DEFINITELY a spoiler…
Spoiler
The ending? Sad. I didn’t expect it, though I should have. It’s been so long since I read Sparks, I forgot that it’s not usually a happy ending, all the ones I’ve read have been bittersweet. I can’t say it was a tear jerker for me, mostly because of the stuff I mentioned in the other spoiler.. But it definitely did make me whimper a little. Just a tiny one… Don’t judge me.That’s about it. I think I’ll read a couple more Sparks to continue to cleanse my palate. Yep, just cleansing the old palate… I don’t like it at all, just gotta be done... Nothing to see here, move along now.
karsgm's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
lookatjimmy's review
3.0
Honestly up until the last about 10 pages or so this would’ve been a 2-star rating. The death of Garrett really did make me appreciate it slightly more. 🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️
bethanyybradshaw's review
3.0
theresa is a blooming columnist and single mother raising her son. during a beachside morning, she comes across a mysterious message in a bottle. it moves her unlike any other writing has. the deep love garret, the mysterious author, has for his deceased wife, catherine, is evident. after stumbling upon two more letters, theresa seeks out to find garret and truly know the man behind the message in the bottle.
theresa is a character i love! she is hard working, has her head on straight, and isn’t afraid to be a little bit feisty. i loved that her and garret’s relationship wasn’t perfect and they actually had arguments. heck, it wasn’t even love at first sight. my issues are that the book was awfully predictable and garret is a big impatient dumb dumb. i actually would have liked if sparks wrote a bit more on the grieving process itself. that could have added such an interesting layer i think. overall, a good read!
theresa is a character i love! she is hard working, has her head on straight, and isn’t afraid to be a little bit feisty. i loved that her and garret’s relationship wasn’t perfect and they actually had arguments. heck, it wasn’t even love at first sight. my issues are that the book was awfully predictable and garret is a big impatient dumb dumb. i actually would have liked if sparks wrote a bit more on the grieving process itself. that could have added such an interesting layer i think. overall, a good read!
malsbookmark's review against another edition
I will definitely revisit this as I love the movie and Nicholas Sparks books. I was in a slump after a book and desperately trying to find my next read!