Review: Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

Title: Safe Haven 
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Genre: Fiction/Romance
Publication: September, 2010 Grand Central Publishing 
Rating: 5/5 

As everyone knows, Nicholas Sparks is the master of romance. Honestly though, when I think back on his novels, they blend into one sometimes because of their similarities. Safe Haven, however, stands out immensely.  This novel is more than just a love story; it is a story about a young woman’s journey with pain, loss, love, and finally understanding what it means to find safety in another person.

It is definitely the best book from Nicholas Sparks to date.

Katie, a broken victim of domestic abuse, escapes to the beautiful town of Southport, North Carolina (and I can say it's beautiful with actually knowing this because I live fifteen minutes away :p). In Southport, Katie meets a young storeowner and widowed father of two, named Alex. Their relationship starts off slowly- guarded, cautious.  Since running away from her abusive husband, Katie is weary of everyone and everything. It takes time for her to warm up to people, especially Alex. Alex suspects that there is more to Katie than she lets on. Alex knows that Katie is more than just a pretty face; he knows she is a women with a past. A troubled past.

I particularly loved the start of their relationship. So many novels start off with the two main characters just jumping right in and almost instantaneously falling in love. Their romance takes it time. Katie needs time to heal, time to think, time to gather her bearings. Before Southport, she was on the run. Never settling. In Southport, Katie’s whole life changes but finally for the better.  

Katie eventually, of course, drops her guard with Alex, and they fall in love.  Alex is such a kind, warm-hearted character who really cares for Katie. The love he has for his kids is wonderful. I love how Katie interacts with Alex’s kids – not trying to take the place of their mother but still nurturing and loving. You know the kids will eventually come to think of her that way anyways.

Katie’s husband eventually does find out where she escaped. This part of the novel got me on edge. Nicholas Sparks normally does add a little action into his books, but this is by far the most gut-wrenching nervousness I’ve experienced by him. Kevin, Katie’s husband, is a complete psycho. You just want to kill him from the beginning. Sparks shows Kevin’s point of view, and it definitely adds to the suspense because you know he is unstable and unpredictable. He loves Katie, he hates Katie. He loves Katie, he wants her dead. When he showed up in Southport ruining the safe haven Katie found, I just wanted to jump in the book and murder him myself.

"The past was always around her and might return at any time. It prowled the world searching for her, and she knew it was growing angrier at every passing day."

In Safe Haven, there is love, suspense, and an outstanding ending that will leaving you so bewildered, you’ll be flipping back through the pages to read it over again. I definitely recommend Safe Haven. A must read!

Sidenote: The movie is wonderful but different. And as I said, I live 15 minutes away from Southport, and I normally go to the 4^th of July parade that they filmed in the movie, but I couldn’t go this year and I didn’t know about the filming. SO ANGRY. I COULD HAVE MET JOSH DUHAMEL AND JULIANNE HOUGH AND I DIDN’T AND IM SO ANGRY. AGH. 

Friday Finds - February 22, 2013

Friday Finds showcases the books you ‘found’ and added to your to be read (TBR) list… whether you found them online, or in a bookstore, or in the library — wherever! (they aren’t necessarily books you purchased). 

All summaries are from goodreads. 

                            

First, A Season of Eden by Jennifer Laurens

Apparently this is about student/teacher relationship, and I love taboo so I'm really excited to get this one. 

I let the door silently close at my back. He stared at me, and a taut quiet stretched between us.
"I like hearing you play," I said, moving toward him.
He turned, in sync with my slow approach. He looked up at me but didn't say anything. I rested my clammy hand on the cold, slick body of the baby grand. "May I?"
The muscles in his throat shifted, then he swallowed. "Eden."
My knees weakened, like a soft tickling kiss had just been blown against the backs of them. "Is it okay?" I asked.
His gaze held mine like two hands joined. He understood what I was really asking.
"Let me stay," I said. "Please."
"You're going to get me in trouble," he said.

Second, A Matter of Magic by Patricia C. Wrede

When a stranger offers her a small fortune to break into a traveling magician’s wagon, Kim doesn’t hesitate. Having grown up a waif in the dirty streets of London, Kim isn’t above a bit of breaking-and-entering. A hard life and lean times have schooled her in one lesson: steal from them before they steal from you. But when the magician catches her in the act, Kim thinks she’s done for. Until he suggests she become his apprentice; then the real trouble begins.

Kim soon finds herself entangled with murderers, thieves, and cloak-and-dagger politics, all while trying to learn how to become both a proper lady and a magician in her own right. Magic and intrigue go hand in hand inMairelon the Magician and The Magician’s Ward, two fast-paced novels filled with mystery and romance, set against the intricate backdrop of Regency England.

Third, Dear Teen Me

This one is a little bit different because it is a whole lot of different authors writing to their old selves. I think it will be so interesting. 

Dear Teen Me includes advice from over 70 YA authors (including Lauren Oliver, Ellen Hopkins, and Nancy Holder, to name a few) to their teenage selves. The letters cover a wide range of topics, including physical abuse, body issues, bullying, friendship, love, and enough insecurities to fill an auditorium. So pick a page, and find out which of your favorite authors had a really bad first kiss? Who found true love at 18? Who wishes he’d had more fun in high school instead of studying so hard? Some authors write diary entries, some write letters, and a few graphic novelists turn their stories into visual art. And whether you hang out with the theater kids, the band geeks, the bad boys, the loners, the class presidents, the delinquents, the jocks, or the nerds, you’ll find friends--and a lot of familiar faces--in the course of Dear Teen Me.

Review: Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

Title: Carrier of the Mark

Author: Leigh Fallon

Genre: Fiction/ Romance

Publication: October 2011 by HarperTeen

Rating: 3.5/5

First of all, lets just get this clear from the get-go, Carrier of the Mark has a lot of similarities to… takers anyone?

Yepp, you guessed it- Twilight.

From the beginning, I started notices little similarities between the books and they appear all throughout the novel. Although I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT STAND WHEN AUTHORS DO THIS, I’m not going to dwell too much on that fact. Mainly because I really liked the plot, and I love Ireland.

Megan, the main character, has moved around all of her life. Her mother died in a tragic accident, and her life has been on the go ever since. Her dad, Caleb, lands a job in Ireland, and they’re off again.

At Megan’s new school, she meets people right off the bat who she becomes friends with. Caitlin soon becomes her new best friend, and I have a like/dislike relationship with the girl. She seemed sweet and innocent even, but I just didn’t really click with the character.  

Now insert Adam DeRis. Adam is probably like every other YA male lead. Gorgeous: bad boy style. The only difference being that in this novel, he is an outcast. Like the rest of his family. Like in Twilight. Okay nevermind. I honestly just really love his name.  Like I really want to name my kid that one day. DeRis. I don’t really even know how to pronounce it. Hmm.

Anyways, Adam and Megan play touch and go in their relationship for the first few chapters, and then it is all, oh I can’t stop thinking about you, oh you amaze me, oh I love you, oh I love you too. I thought their romance spiraled together just a little bit too fast. The only redeeming factor in this aspect was some of the paranormal details; I’m not going to spoil anything, but they have an uncontrollable attraction.  Groovy, huh.

Swirling around the little town in Ireland are rumors of Adam’s family. They are said to be witches, and the townsfolk certainly come up with interesting stories to try and demonstrate that. Through unanticipated circumstances, Megan learns the truth about Adam’s family and finds out that she might have more in common with them than she originally thought.  

Of course there is a little fight scene at the end, and someone has to end up in the hospital; it ended generally the way I was expecting. The ‘we haven’t figured out the bigger picture yet, but for now we’re going pretend everything is alright’ kind of thing.

The paranormal plot that the author spins was really interesting. It has certainly been used before, but so has everything basically. The author does a great job of keeping the story going. Even though the novel holds so many similarities to Twilight, it is still an interesting read that holds your attention through the whole novel.

In conclusion, Carrier of the Mark is a good book. Sure, it has its drawbacks, but for the most, I believe the pros outweigh the cons. Even though I definitely rolled my eyes at some parts, it kept my attention the whole way through. If I’m browsing through the bookstore and see the sequel out, I’ll probably check it out and see what else happens between the magical and mysterious couple.

Review: The Elephant Keeper by Christopher Nicholson

Title: The Elephant Keeper 

Author: Christopher Nicholson

Publication: August  2009 by William Morrow & Company 

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: 3/5

“The Elephant Keeper, the story of Tom and the elephants, in Tom's own words, moves from the green fields and woods of the English countryside to the dark streets and alleys of late-eighteenth-century London, reflecting both the beauty and the violence of the age. Nicholson's lush writing and deft storytelling complement a captivating tale of love and loyalty between one man and the two elephants that change the lives of all who meet them.”

The Elephant Keeper is a novel that I am not quite sure what to say about. I picked up this book because elephants are one of my favorite animals, and so I thought I would give it a shot.

Throughout the first maybe half of the novel, it is a lovely story about well, an Elephant Keeper and his two elephants. Tom Page, The Elephant Keeper, is in charge of the two elephants rescued by his lordship. Naming them Timothy and Jenny, Tom develops a deep bond with both of them. The Elephants grow up to be both loved and feared throughout the town, but during the first part of the novel, their fascinating character definitely shines through to the reader. I loved the interesting stories about the Elephants and learning so much about them; it was a nice, light read for a rainy day.

However, throughout the second part of the novel, I can’t say quite the same thing. The second part seemed like the author was tired of the cute, elephant story and wanted to change things up a bit. Tom Page leaves his family to follow the elephant Jenny, while the elephant Timothy is sold to another buyer. For me, this part of the novel started to drag. I wanted to finish the book, but I admit I skimmed over a few sections. In the second half, Tom’s character also starts to change. At the beginning, you saw an animal-loving, caring protagonist who treated the elephants kindly with love. Although this aspect did not change, Tom starts to make choices that I personally disapprove of. I won’t include any spoilers, but some of the events in the second half of this novel are just weird.

The ending of the novel leaves you hanging. It is gives you two scenarios, and either one of them could have happened. You choose what you want to believe. In my opinion, I thought the ending was different but not in a bad way. I liked that the author gave you a chance to walk down each path Tom and Jenny could have taken.

In conclusion, if you are the kind of person who takes the good with the bad, I do suggest you read The Elephant Keeper. The beginning of the novel is cute and endearing, and I really enjoyed learning about Jenny and Timothy. However, if you are not so much of that kind of person, maybe you should skip over The Elephant Keeper for now.  

Teaser Tuesday - February 19th, 2013

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Should Be Reading . Anyone can play along! Just do the following: grab your current read and go to a random page. share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on the page (don't add spoilers!). Share the title and author too so that other TT participants can add their book to their tbr lists if they like your teaser! 

Carrier of the Mark  by leigh fallon. 

"It was a hospital room. "You came back to me... I thought I lost you," he said, smiling at me with sad eyes." (page 83)

I just started this book today! My friend suggested it and said it was really good. It takes place in Ireland, and I am a little Irish :) so I'm real excited to read it!

friday finds - february 15th, 2013

friday finds showcases the books you ‘found’ and added to your to be read (tbr) list… whether you found them online, or in a bookstore, or in the library — wherever! (they aren’t necessarily books you purchased). 

all summaries are from goodreads. 

first, eleanor & park by rainbow rowell. 

"bono met his wife in high school," park says.

"so did jerry lee lewis," eleanor answers. 

"i’m not kidding," he says.
"you should be," she says, "we’re sixteen."
"what about romeo and juliet?"
"shallow, confused, then dead."
''i love you," park says.
"wherefore art thou," eleanor answers.
"i’m not kidding," he says.
"you should be."

"set over the course of one school year in 1986, eleanor and park is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. when eleanor meets park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under."

second, the sea of tranquility by katja millay.

i am so excited for this one. it's out in kindle but not in stores yet. 

 "i live in a world without magic or miracles. a place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. a place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck. i am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days i wonder how i am still able to lift my feet to walk." 

and my last friday find is endless love by scott spencer. 

been meaning to read this one for awhile now. 

"david's and jade's lives are consumed with each other; their rapport, their desire, their sexuality take them further than they understand. and when jade's father suddenly banishes david from the house, he fantasizes the forgiveness his rescue of the family will bring and he sets a "perfectly safe" fire to their house. what unfolds is a nightmare, a dark world in which david's love is a crime and a disease, a world of anonymous phone calls, crazy letters, and new fears — and the inevitable and punishing pursuit of the one thing that remains most real to him: his endless love for jade and her family."

“the only things i regret, and the only things i'll ever regret are things i didn't do. in the end, that's what we mourn. the paths we didn't take. the people we didn't touch.” 

                                                               

Review: Stolen by Lucy Christopher

Ttitle: Stolen
Author: Lucy Christopher
Publication: May 2010, Chicken House ltd
Genre: fiction: romance/adventure
Rating: 5/5

Side note: This is my favorite book ever written that I have ever read. ever. ever ever ever ever ever ever. okay. The end. 

"You had that look in your eyes, as though you wanted something from me, as though you'd wanted it for a long time."

Stolen is a novel that you read in one sitting. It is a novel that you do not get out of your head, even hours after you have finished it. Stolen is a novel that messes with your mind. It causes you to ignore the lines of right and wrong and delve into something deeper. 

Gemma is kidnapped by a man named ty while on vacation with her parents. From the start, Ty is a likeable character.  He has all the makings of a wondering leading male character. He's funny, he has gorgeous blue eyes, he truly likes Gemma... but then he steals her away. 

Into an unknown world where he thinks she is safe- safe from her parents, from a life she didn't want, from herself. He shows her this world, full of sand and paint and solitude, and as a reader you want to hate it. You want gemma to fight and run and drag herself back into her life, away from the man who kidnapped her. Who followed her for years, just waiting for the right moment for his plan. Who took everything away from her. But really... honestly? You don't want that. Not at all. Lucy Christopher is a little bit smarter than that. 

You want Gemma to forgive ty for stealing her. You maybe even want her to forget about her life back home where she wasn't happy anyways, and to fully trust Ty. To live alongside him like Ty imagined all those years. Ty is a broken man, scarred from his childhood, and he needs Gemma. and ultimately, Gemma needs him. That is twisted, isn't it? 

“Lets face it, you did steal me. But you saved my life too. And somewhere in the middle, you showed me a place so different and beautiful, I can never get it out of my mind. And I can't get you out of there either. You're stuck in my brain like my own blood vessels.” 

Gemma, in the end, finally realizes how confused she is about Ty. She doesn't deny her feelings. She understands him, she knows more about him than anyone else. He showed her a world away from city lights, of busy parents, of a life that she doesn't quite fit in. Ty's world is exhilarating and different. Against everything that she has known to be right, Gemma become a little more accepting. But is the situation just too wrong to ever be right? 

I'm not quite sure how I feel about the ending of this novel. I won't spoil the ending, but I'm still quite conflicted about what choice Gemma should have made. It leaves you with a feeling of uncertainty. She has a choice, but what does she choose? 

“It sounded weird to hear you talk so much; normally you only said a few words at a time. I'd never imagined that you'd have a story, too. Until that moment, you were just the kidnapper. You didn't have reasons for anything. You were stupid and evil and mentally ill. That was all. When you started talking, you started changing.”