Holiday Readings!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all my fellow readers!

I am so happy to be on winter break, which means I have more time to devote to "The Book Bound."
I am really hoping to start 2014 off right by continually bringing you the best reviews and encouraging everyone to bring a little more reading into their life. Reading has always been the best medicine for many heart breaking times in my life. Just like music, reading can make you escape and feel no pain. Let's make 2014 the official year of  books! Let's help support all the struggling authors who want to be given that chance to live their dream.

Now, I have a little favor to ask of everyone! I would really love if everyone could supply me with some great book suggestions ASAP. I have become increasingly interested in reading nonfiction books but I've been having trouble finding ones that would be interesting and meaningful. I love a good memoir or a book that really makes me put life in perspective. So your mission is to find the best books that you would love to see me review or we could discuss together! Whatever it may be, may it always be book bound!

Ciao,
Cheryl :)

REVIEW: "The Longest Ride"- By Nicholas Sparks

Try to channel "The Notebook." Think back to that classical love story between Noah and Allie. Remember them as they were when they first met and then remember the tears you shed as you watched then die together in the nursing home bed. Don't forget this as you read "The Longest Ride."

The reason why I've called upon your memories and imagination is because that is exactly what came to mind when I was reading this book. "The Longest Ride," in some ways reminds me a lot of the "The Notebook." Nicholas Sparks took a different approach with his latest novel then previously yet it strikingly resembles his other tales. I believe that he took "The Notebook" flipped it, swirled it around and that was how "The Longest Ride" was born. 

This love story is manifold because it doesn't only feature one love story but two. They are drastically unrelated for most of the book. The first love story features Ira and Ruth. The golden years couple with the enchanting life story. Born in the 20's and growing up through the Depression and World War II; Ira and Ruth's love story was by far my favorite. Old school love stories are so charming and heartwarming; Ira and Ruth's love story is no different. Ira, to continue the comparison, reminded me of Noah, in the selfless way he loved Ruth. He loved her enough to leave her because he knew he couldn't give her the children he wanted. But like any good Sparks love story goes, they beat the odds and live happily ever after. Ruth looks past Ira's misgivings because she knows their love is pure and beautiful. So as it goes, Ira and Ruth get married and remain childless. However, what I found most interesting about their marriage and what surely was the soul of their relationship was their rare and exquisite art collection. Ruth loved art and it was always Ira's gift to her by giving her art pieces that at the time were done by non- established artists. It was these art pieces that comforted Ira in his widowed years when Ruth died. They were like small time machines that took him back to each memory that was attached to the art piece when he bought it. They gave Ira a reason to live out his years alone without Ruth because he felt some how she was still here through the art pieces.

What I am not telling you is that Ira in present time of the story, is stuck in his car that careened off the side of the road. His body is badly injured and he is unable to move for the most part. But the truly magical part of this story is how Ruth coming in the form like a mirage, is in the passenger seat throughout the story trying to bring Ira strength to wait for help to arrive by recalling their love story. They talked about their love story together from beginning to end and revealed feelings and emotions that they had not previously known. It was by far an amazing plot for Ira and Ruth and even though it pained me to think of a poor old man trapped in his car, the visits from Ruth were all I needed to get swept back in their charm. 

As you can tell this is a long love story. The other love story is much more modern. Sophia and Luke are in their early twenties. Sophia is from New Jersey and finishing up her senior year at Wake Forest, while Luke is a bull rider who owns a farm and helps his mom run it. It is time once again to channel "The Notebook." Sophia and Luke are much like Noah and Allie. They are both from opposite sides of town. City to country. Wealth to poor. They may not make much sense together but their love is stronger than all their differences. Luke has his own worries about his health and the last almost fateful bull ride he had that kept in the hospital for months. He needs to keep riding to win money to save his farm from all the medical bulls he acquired. Sophia is worried about life after graduating. When they meet, those same worries affect their relationship because just like Noah and Allie, are on different paths. Somehow it all comes together when the miracle of finding Ira on the side of the road lifts up not only their life but their love. The fairy tale has only begun. 

So much to say about this book. Throughout the book I kept trying to figure out how these two love stories were connected or if they ever would. And it surprised me that I didn't for see the connection sooner. However, I'm glad I didn't and I'm happy that Sparks did not make it brutally obvious because I believe that is when all charm would have been lost. 

I would absolutely recommend this book, much like I would recommend all of Nicholas Sparks books. To get critical, at times I felt that their was a cliche about this book that I hadn't really felt in other Sparks books and that was slightly upsetting. However, Sparks never EVER lacks in the charm department and always delivers with a sucker of a love story. You will fall in love somewhere within this book. 

I'M BACK!

Okay... so maybe I underestimated how long "The Fault In Our Stars" was going to take to leave my system. That's just a true testament to how fabulous the book is. 

Now I hope everyone has read and fallen in and out of  love with books repeatedly. 

I am truly sorry taking a longer hiatus then I expected, however I plan to come back better than ever and will be supplying you with the latest and greatest books for your pleasure and my enjoyment. Don't give up on me now! 

Even though it's been close to 2 months since the latest Nicholas Sparks, "The Longest Ride" book came out, you should know that I have thought about this book non-stop. What is probably obvious by now, or will be, I am a huge fan and supporter of Nicholas Sparks. Sparks has this raw, real talent to create timeless novels. It's so effortless and for that I will be forever jealous of him. 

BUT, yes I will be reading and reviewing "The Longest Ride" next. I am so excited and I'm hoping to get started in the next day or so and in 2 weeks have the review up. I don't like to make any promises but what I can assure you on is that I won't disappear anymore. I'm in this for the love of the book world and for my own genuine happiness I get from creating this blog. 

Please, as always, feel free to comment, connect with me in any way and make suggestions that you would love to see me read next! 

Ciao, 

Cheryl :)

Keep Calm

HELLO EVERYONE! 

Sorry I have been such a stranger lately! I decided to take a quick break from reading after I read "The Fault In Our Stars." It was such an amazing book, and like I said, it was one of those books that take a while to leave your system, so to speak. It has been hard to get motivated to read a book that I am less than excited to read. I guess because I haven't really been psyched about a book since the last few reviews. I sort of stem-rolled through the first reviews because they were amazing books. But I think it was a good decision, for myself, to take a break, "stay calm," and reflect on where I want to go from here. 

I am thinking of this "book-less" period of time as a restart or a time to reset myself into order to fully immerse myself into getting back into reading before my last year of school starts and reading will seem more like a privilege. 

I am going to start doing a classics segment where I am going to read some of the very most classic books that you probably have read or are reading in high school. I have been dying to re-read all the classics and even read some for the first time. I have always been intrigued in the classics and in high school I know I didn't appreciate them as much as I should have. When I am forced to read a book for school purposes and there is the promise of tests and quizzes... well I completely lose all motivation to read it and read it with the respect it deserves. Not only that but when I read it the focus that I should have in order to understand it completely goes out the window. It's as if I am reading a completely different book then the rest of the class. However, I did great in English in high school, definitely my best subject because deep down I know I cared enough and that helped me get by, even if the books are in general not so pleasant. 

So this post is dedicated to keeping calm, even when you feel so over whelmed and don't know where to start, much like myself, just take a breath and read a book. 

Ciao, Cheryl :)

REVIEW: The Fault In Our Stars- By John Green

It happens every so often, you come across a book that leaves all other books in the dust, they pale in comparison, it leaves you feeling as if nothing else can measure up. So you look around for another book, trying to fill the void that has been left by the other book and eventually you find something that seems adequate enough to give it a shot. But it takes some time before you find the golden book that bounds it's way into the book vault of your heart where only the most special of books will forever live on...

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have found that such book. I found the book that has been forever bound to my soul.

Before reading this book I knew I was entering a hipster paradise. I have seen this book all over social media. Most times, I tend to rebel against such trends for fear I will lose my beloved independence and cavalier attitude toward anything that brands me as a follower. However, I have a soft spot for John Green novels and for that I will be proud to follow into the hipster glory.

A few warnings upfront: This book is by no means a very happy go lucky, typical teen romance novel. John Green has a remarkable way of tapping into the deep crevices of your emotions and bring to the surface, feelings and thoughts that have never seen the light of day. But it is beautiful and magical and a story that only happens once in a lifetime.

Hazel is a 16 year old girl who is dying of cancer. At all times, she must be hooked up to oxygen tanks. Her lungs don't function as normal lungs because of the tumors that grew inside. However, by some medical miracle the tumors shrunk due to a drug trial that was not guaranteed to work. The drugs extended Hazels life but did not cure her.

However, Hazel lives her life holed up in her room where she reads the same book (An Imperial Affliction) and watches the same shows. Her parents are worried that she is depressed and suggests she go to a Support Group for sick kids, mostly cancer patients, to talk about their illness and deal with it together. Upon walking into the church where the group is held, a boy named Augustus, stares at Hazel. This boy looks mostly healthy, (besides the prosthetic leg he had to get after part of his leg was taken off from cancer,)says he is only there for his friend Issac who has one eye and will soon get his remaining eye out due to eye cancer.

It is here at this Support Group that Augustus falls in love with Hazel. He falls in love with her mind, her soul and her beauty. Hazel and Augustus' romance follows a tough road with having to come to terms with the fact that Hazel is terminal and that some day soon they won't be together. Hazel, resists at first even though she has already fallen into his hypnotizing charm and his ravishing good looks.

It was at this point, with Augustus' charm and Hazel's genuine wit, that made me fall in love with this book. Something inside my heart became so comfortable and familiar to the feeling of loving something so much as if it was your own child. The realization was as if a million light bulbs went off all over the world. It is hard to put into words just what this book did to me. It took me on a roller coaster of emotions. It dragged me out to sea and then threw me against the rocks so hard I could see the stars. You know something has touched you, moved you, when you cry so hard that your eyes can no longer read and your mind and body releases itself into the awful twist of sadness that fate has thrown in.

Augustus does everything for Hazel, even so much as giving her his Make A Wish. They go to Amsterdam where they find the author of AIA, Hazels favorite book and ask him the questions they are both dying to know the answers to. However, the trip was nothing like they had planned because they learn the author is nothing but a bitter drunk old man who wants nothing to do with the thought of his literal success.

Hazel and Augustus have a magical time in Amsterdam. It is here where they consummate their love to one another. One sick kid to another. Two cancer hearts beating as one. It is hard not the fall in love with this scene.

I fear of writing more about the book for the fact of giving this little secret away, as if I write more about the pure majestic charm will have someone escaped and the magical spell shall be broken. However, the story continues in it's zest and incredulous spirit that it started with. There are scenes that I will never forget and tears that will be permanently stained on my pillow case. Augustus and Hazel have a teen romance like no other. Their strength, their passion and their outlook on life is almost beyond this world of comprehension. When you think you have it figured out, you're wrong. When you think it can't get any sadder, it can. When you think you can't love it any more, you will.

The only thing that is holding me back from completely calling it the greatest book of all time is because I am a sucker for a happy ending. You won't truly find one here...

Goodnight Book

My bedtime routine consists of checking every social media platform and reading until my eyes can no longer stay open. I find a lot of comfort in my bedtime routine. It has created a calming stability for me. I always look forward to getting cuddled up in bed after a long day and getting lost in my book. For the short while that I am reading, nothing else is going on in the world. My mind has escaped all together and I am floating in book universe where I will never be alone.  

As of yesterday, I finished "The Fault In Our Star." I can't say enough good things about this book. It is by far the best book I have read this summer and has reached my all time favorites list. That is saying a lot considering the extremely lucky streak I have been having in the book world. This book should be turned into a movie, ASAP. But this is not the review this is just a preview and the review should be up by tomorrow. Until then I suggest getting your hands on this book and fully immerse yourself in its splendor. 

For now, I would love to hear about your bedtime routine. Mine changes sometimes but I always love to wind down with some videos and reading. Routines are important in my life because I feel it creates a necessary structure. 

Hope you have a great night! :)

Ciao, Cheryl 

REVIEW: Something Borrowed- By Emily Giffin

Two Words: SCANDALOUSLY AWESOME ! (Yes, that is a word.) Another home run in the book department. "Something Borrowed," took you on an adventure of a lifetime. Something you would probably only read about in books or see in movies, ironically. Which, in this case makes the book that much more enjoyable. This book was all about escaping for me and reflecting on my own life and relationships. 

Unfortunately for me, I had a very similar friendship that Rachel and Darcy had. By no means as scandalous but equal in that I was Rachel in the friendship, pre high school and college. To make a long story short my friendship was all about one-upping and since I didn't always have the means to one- up, I was always her shadow. I was the one always appeasing and watching in the background and being the one to sacrifice or be second best. Nothing feels worst. 

 I apologize for getting personal but it was somewhat scary how similar my friendship was to the book. Rachel and Darcy were close by fault because they were always battling and competing with one another even if they didn't want to admit it. Rachel was the one who was getting lost in the shuffle, always feeling like the good one with no reward. Darcy was the snob, the brat who had everything and got everything flawlessly. The friendship was a ticking time bomb. No one could keep up a fake facade forever, especially with someone as difficult as Darcy. 

However, with a twist of fate, Darcy's fiancee Dex falls in love with Rachel leaving her to contemplate her life and where she wants to be and what will happen when she loses either the love of her life or her life long friend. At first I was so against this kind of cheating and fooling around, but you grow to love the Rachel and Dex relationship, even how messed up it really is. You come to root for the seemingly wrong side when a whole load of jaw dropping truths come spilling out of the devils mouth herself. The most bittersweet ending you will read. 

There is a sequel to this story that I will most definitely be getting my hands on. I would love to see where this story goes next and I'm pretty sure you all are too! 

** Reminder: "The Fault In Our Stars," By John Green, is the next read. Get excited and start reading!** 

Book Lover Problems

Hey!
So excited to let everyone know that I have just finished "Something Borrowed!" The post will most likely go up tomorrow. I just wanted to post this awesome thing that only book lovers will understand. I don't have problems sharing books with friends, I do get protective but I trust my friends. On the other hand I lent them to other people's friends and got my "New Moon" book back all shriveled up because it got soaked. It was never the same and I had to buy a new one. So that is precisely why I don't like to lend out my books, or at least not comfortable with it. You can understand why ?!
Tell me a crazy story about how you lent a book and it never came back the same. I would love to hear it! What is pain if you can't share it with someone! :)

HUGE UPDATE! I figured this is a good a time as any to let everyone know that the next book I will be reading is "The Fault In Our Stars," By John Green! I have heard amazing things about this book and everyone seems obsessed with John Green and his awesomeness. I am super excited to get into the hype. Before starting this blog I had just read "Looking For Alaska," I know it's one of those hipster classics. (I mean that in the best way possible.) I was blown away by how much I loved it because for some reason I wasn't quite sure I was going to get drawn into this one but I was totally wrong. It's definitely an all- time favorite of mine.!!
So be sure to check back tomorrow for the new review and keep looking out for the Green review shortly!

Ciao, Cheryl

REVIEW: The Castaways- By Elin Hilderbrand

Hello everyone!

Welcome back to another review!  Another great adult fiction novel that is perfect for a summer read. To be honest, I was not so sure I was going to like this book. I had my hopes up that it would be better than I expected. Well... it was. I will without a doubt add it to my Favorites List. The audience for this book is probably not for everyone. If you are a young teen you might find this book trivial, sad and probably boring. This book involves all adults with tragic events and real adult problems. With that being said, I found the book delightful. So let me tell you something about it.

The book opens up with a punch. The death of Tess and Greg. They are part of a larger group of friends, consisting of Chief&Andrea, Delilah&Jeffery, Addison&Phoebe. These 4 couples were a close knit group living in Nantucket. They have a fairy tale friendship. But underneath what seems to be 4 perfect coupled lives, are complex patterns that are tattered and sown over. There are secrets upon secrets that make you wonder about all adult couple friendships.

When Tess and Greg die in a tragic sail boating accident, whatever strength the group had left was completely swept away. Andrea and Tess were more like sisters than cousins. Andrea fell into a depression. Along with Delilah who was in love with Greg, and Addison who was in love with Tess. As you can start to tell, those people are not their spouses. Each couple had their own tattered weaves to sow because no one was faithful, no one truly wanted the other spouse. The grass seemed greener on the other side.

The book was organized into the point of view of each character. This style was perfect and quite honestly awesome. I loved being able to get inside the head of each of the characters, completely, as if I was them. It was truly remarkable. I felt what they felt and at the same time was taking on a third party role of wanting to help and save the friendships that were left. It was an emotional journey.

Tess and Greg left behind their twins, a boy and girl, who ended up living with Chief&Andrea. The twins ultimately unite them to repair the bonds that were broken. What seemed at first to be some murder mystery, turned into 3 sets of friends trying to cope with enormous amounts of grief and finding themselves at the same time. I thought the mystery of Tess and Greg's death was going to be further looked into however, it ended up just being deemed an accident even though the evidence seemed the contrary.

There are dozens of mini stories throughout this book that make you fall in love with each character. There are moments of pure happiness and of sorrow, however, I think the book was beautifully intertwined and created a great lesson for all of us to appreciate life and the people that you love the most. The book was very scandalous which I think ultimately saved the book for me. It could have been a huge flop but it is definitely a page turner. Highly recommend for adults or if you like mature reads.
Let me know what you think or any suggestions that you may have for me, not only reading but what you would like me to write or see more of. I will keep trying to entertain!

** Next up will be the ever popular "Something Borrowed" By Emily Giffin. This was also adapted into a major motion picture if you didn't already know. I'm really excited to see what this is all about since I haven't seen the movie either. Please join me ! :) **

Books for Life...

HELLO!

I just want to send a quick message out to everyone that I am still here and still reading every day... Much like the e-card suggests. I am really, really loving  "The Castaways" so far! It's another great. I can't believe how many great books I have been reading, all in a row! Usually I'll come across a book that I pretty much know won't be too great but I'm willing to give it a try and never works out well. Anyways, I suggest if you wanna start reading do it now! I'm almost done with the latest book and I should have the review up by either the weekend or early next week. This book has a very unique structure that I love!

Any future suggestions  Let me hear them!

Ciao,

Cheryl :)

REVIEW: Sundays at Tiffany's- By James Patterson

Ladies and Gents,

Here is another review for your enjoyment. Sundays at Tiffany's had been suggested to me a number of times. I saw it all over and for some reason I just never gave it a chance. But when my mom came home from work with it, I felt the time was finally right to see for myself.

This book is largely an adult fiction novel. This genre is not something I frequent often. I find it repressive to abandon my beloved teen fiction just because I am 21 and considered a legal adult. But I regress...

Patterson is a best selling author and immediately... and I mean IMMEDIATELY I could see why. I can remember reading just a page or so and felt instant love for Patterson. His writing style, diction, vernacular and charm was seeping through EVERY single page. I am highly complimenting Patterson. I think he has a one of a kind style and ability to capture a reader, something that in my opinion, takes years to develop if not something inherently part of someone.

Set in New York City, with no particular era known, Jane Margaux is an eight year old girl with an imaginary friend named Michael. Her single but famous mother Vivienne is much too pre-occupied with finding new husbands and her latest productions.

 Michael was sent to her because that is what happens in this reality when there is a child in need. However, Michael can only stay with Jane until she is nine and the day that she turned nine Michael had to leave her but told Jane she would never remember him because that is just what happens. Unfortunately, they both never forget each other and Jane grows up thinking about Michael everyday.

One day, in between missions, Michael spots grown up Jane. However, that is never supposed to happen. He feels compelled to follow her and eventually Jane spots Michael forcing them to reconnect.
Something that thew me off up to this point was that Michael with Jane as a child was invisible, like most imaginary friends are, however when Jane sees Michael all grown up, she actually sees him and so does everyone else in the world. This issue was not really properly addressed and something I think was major to the story. It was brought up that Michael felt he was becoming more human but there was not much mention after that nor did Jane discuss it with Michael. That seems like something I would want to know about but anyways...

Michael and Jane fall in love and catch up on each others lives. Jane still has her mother breathing down her neck but eventually cracks and leaves the family business. Jane and Michael fly away together and here starts the most passionate part of the story. So real, so raw and so vivid... I know I wanted to be Jane.

However, Michael still does not understand his purpose and why all things that shouldn't be happening are. His theories led him to leave Jane in the middle of the night only to be guided to a hospital back in NY where he feels his answers lie...

This story creates the most fairy tale happy ending, I was smiling from ear to ear. The plot twist was unexpected and was exactly what the story needed to make it memorable. If you love a happy ending then you will most definitely love Sundays at Tiffany's. I love everything about Patterson's ability to write so much in such short chapters. I think he found the key to creating a can't-put-down- novel. Without a doubt this is a book lovers gold mine.

** As a quick update I will be reading and reviewing next - THE CASTAWAYS By: Elin Hilderbrand**
JOIN ME!

This is pretty accurate

REVIEW: Finally! The Moon and More- By Sarah Dessen

I was so excited to start reading Sarah Dessen's newest release and I was even more excited to finish it. No, not because it was boring but because I really had no idea how it was going to end and I was so anxious to find out. Like I had previously said, Sarah did not stray from her usual genuine and charming style. It was the real Dessen but just with a different flair.

Something that I most definitely loved about the book was the way I connected with the main character Emaline. I think one of Sarah's great strengths and talents is her ability to make her main characters relatable. I think she has been able to master that skill.

True to Dessen form, there was a girl who had a boyfriend that ended up fizzling out to mistakenly fall for  another boy. It is the typical theme that is always a comfortable favorite of mine.

And so Emaline, who is going to to college in the fall, has lived in Colby,  a beach town her whole life, always admires the tourists that come and stay at her family's rental home business because of the new and endless possibilities to them that are nothing special to her.

Luke being her boyfriend for 3 years, had a great relationship with Emaline, that got distracted by Theo, the city boy tourist on a work related vacation, to film a documentary with the famous Ivy on a local artist who made it big in New York but left mysteriously back to his hometown.

Theo was nothing like Luke but on the day the high school lovers broke up, Theo ended up kissing her and the rest was just a summer romance. Emaline learned more about him and found nothing was what it had seemed.

All the while she was trying to repair a relationship with her estranged father who was not around her whole life and left a trial of broken promises and disappointments. She ends up coming to terms with her paternal circumstance and learning to love her 10 year old step brother Benji.

Without giving it all away, I would have to say this book was great but not amazing. There were many plot lines that were left unfulfilled and the ending seemed harshly abrupt. The characters seemed to evolve rather quickly but then everything in the book happened very fast. Personally, I would have written it differently but that's okay. It is genuine Dessen quality; I just felt it lacked in spots.I wish I could say that it was amazing because I love Dessen but it was still great and I still highly recommend reading it, especially if your a huge Dessen fan like myself.

I think I gave just enough to tease you into buying it. There are a ton of more people and events that I wouldn't be able to fully map out for you so it's my job to get you to read the book! Try it for yourself and let me know what you think ! :)

*Remember: Sunday's at Tiffany's is next up!*
P.S. The picture I took on the first day the book came out. It is from my nook on my intsagram:cherylelizabeth

Inspiration

Recently I've been thinking about what inspires me to get up everyday and live life to the fullest. Besides my boyfriend and my family, books have been more like my friends then some people I know. (Rolls eyes) My exaggeration is harmless. But for the most part I think everyone should find what makes them happy and pursue it. And that is what this blog is all about, pursuing what makes me happy. Blogging, reading and writing are all passions that I greatly enjoy pursuing for your enjoyment and my pleasure. I know this because I will wake up in the middle of the night just dying to keep reading or write down that idea I had. It's when it takes up the majority of your thoughts that not even sleep can get them to rest. 

If you want send me a message or comment on what inspires you to love life. Let's get some dialogue going because I would love to connect with those who are reading what I have to say. You deserve a gold star and my endless gratitude. 

This post is  a means to connect and fill in the space and time while you await the Sarah Dessen review. As an update, I am loving it so far. It has Sarah's genuine flair and charming zest. So far so good. Don't forget to reach out! 

Ciao :) 

UPDATE: NEW SARAH DESSEN BOOK! AND FUTURE REVIEWS!

Hey everyone!

Today, no matter what, is a great day because the new Sarah Dessen book is out, The Moon and More. Maybe I am giving into the hype of one of my beloved authors, but I love to be obsessed with things and this just happens to be one of them. And I think a good obsession anyway.

Sarah Dessen has been nothing but a constant love in my life. It is rare, for me, to find books from an author that I truly love and are inspired by. Sarah Dessen and Nicholas Sparks are on the top. However, I am more of an eclectic book lover and I try hard not to discriminate. However, I am a huge Dessen fan and I plan to stay that way, even if she writes for YA and I'm 21 and sort of reaching the limit on that genre. BUT, who doesn't love a cheesy YA book to get you feeling alive again. Probably just  me. (shakes head)

Anyway, I am going to start reading the much anticipated book and hope for the best! As for the review I hope to have that up by the end of next week.... fingers crossed!

***The next book will probably be Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson.
I've heard great things about this book and I'm super excited to see for myself!***

Ciao, Cheryl :)

REVIEW: The Best of Me - By Nicholas Sparks

Nicholas Sparks does it yet again. The Best of Me was clearly a challenge for him as he revealed in his acknowledgments at the beginning of the book. I kept that in mind as I was reading the book. I was trying to find the difficult challenges he may have faced.
It became more clear as you continue reading at the vast amount of knowledge one needs to create a book becomes almost an insurmountable obstacle.

Sparks created various different characters each with their own individual personalities and purposes. He created numerous plot lines that were flawlessly intertwined to create one "Spark"tacular book. (cue the cheesy eye rolls.)

As Sparks customary, the setting was in his native North Carolina. Dawson and Amanda the main players in The Best of Me have an almost Notebook like romance. Amanda, a southern debutante who never liked to follow the rules fell in love with the wrong man from the wrong side of town. But their romance was that one of a kind, deep down to the soul kind of true love that you only get one chance at. And the chance was ruined when the pressure from Amanda's parents and the time to leave for college left them leaving each other behind.

What Dawson faced in his life next was a life that most people thought he was destined for, jail, after he accidentally hit and killed the only doctor in the small town. To which Dawson never fully recovered, harboring the guilt to his death. Dawson had a rough life growing up, his mom left and his dad was an abusive alcoholic. He would run away to live in Tuck's garage, an old lonely man who lost his wife. Tuck became a God like presence in both Amanda and Dawson's life that tried to change fate from the grave however his efforts only falling short.

Dawson was truly not like his family and vowed to make a change. But Dawson kept to himself and went through traumatic experience on the oil rig he worked on. After his near death experiences, he started to see a man,with a blue track suit, showing up at these moments that forever changed people's lives and eventually stopping Dawson's life forever. The man was the doctor he killed back when he was younger, pushing him to save his sons life while also ending Dawson's.

As you can tell, the plot has so many twists and turns that every other page was a new persons story evolving.

Dawson and Amanda were re- united over the death of Tuck over 20 years later. They tried to rekindled the old flames but Amanda's marital guilt forced her to think of her family and not her own desires to get back to the man she loved. Where Dawson was trying to keep hidden from his family who was out to get revenge that ultimately put the nail in his coffin.

Without trying to revel the complete story, I wanted to give the parts I felt would make anyone want to gt up and read the book. It was pretty clear that it is kind of hard to really write about this book because there was just SO much going on and so many plots to unravel that it would probably be easier to draw a map.
In any case, I wanted to give you the gift of this review because this is a highly recommended book, like Sparks books are. Some things that I left out were the true ending that leaves you with an almost sad satisfaction. This turned out bad but they could have been much worse and if it had to be this way than there was no better way for it to end.

In the end, I loved another one of the Sparks emotional roller coasters that leaves a definite remembrance.

UPDATE: LOOK OUT FOR NEW AWESOME REVIEWS

Hey everyone,

Look out for a new review coming soon. I am really excited about this one and I bet most people have heard of Nicholas Sparks. Yep, I will be reviewing the Nick Sparks book - The Best Of Me. It is really been great so far and I am close to the end. Hoping to have the review up by the end of the week. Check back soon or shot me some suggestions for future reviews. 

I am also SUPER SUPER excited about the next book that I will be reading by one of my very favorite authors Sarah Dessen who inspires me everyday to pursue my dreams. Her new book: The Moon And More is coming out on Tuesday the 4th and I have already pre-ordered it to my nook so I can read at all times of the day. Hopefully I will have that review up within the next two weeks. 

SO, as you can tell there is so much to look forward to on The Book Bound and hope everyone comes along for the journey. 

Ciao :)

REVIEW: The Secret Garden - By Kate Morton

Once in a while I come across a book that will truly change me from the person I was before reading the book and The Secret Keeper was one of them. Kate Morton has an amazing diction and writing style that truly impressed and inspired me. The way she was able to capture a characters personality and presence in the book seemed effortless, and much like I had known the characters my whole life.

The Secret Keeper was initially set in 1961 at the time when, Laurel, the teenage daughter of Dorothy was starting to feel that her life at home was not where she wanted to be. She had bigger and better dreams with someone she loved. But that day was the birthday of her little brother Gerry and all Laurel could do was hide away in her tree house and dream of the life she so desperately wanted. However, what Laurel didn’t yet realize is that on that day she would encounter her mother committing a murder that would many years later send Laurel on a world wind mystery to uncover who her mother was and the connection to the man she would murder.

The Secret Garden takes you on a time machine, transporting you back to the London war era of WWII, to the 1960’s and to the more present setting of 2011. The present is where Laurel races against the fateful clock of her mother dying, to uncover the 50 year old mystery that will help put her mother to rest.

The Secret Garden has four sections each dedicated to character in the book. However, each chapter is set in a different decade that tries to unravel the secrets that are held between Dolly, Vivien and Jimmy, who falls in love with both women with a tumultuous end, as well as Laurel investigating the secret life of her mother.

We learn about Dolly and Vivien’s past life as children as well as learning all about the Nicholson family of Laurel and her 4 siblings who know nothing of what happened 50 years ago.

The spellbinding, transporting and charming novel that is The Secret Garden will not disappoint the book lovers at heart that love a good escape away from reality.

The ending will leave you speechless and mind blown about the whole book you had just read with lingering thoughts that you will never forget.

The feelings the book gave me before and after were nothing I would have thought when I first picked it up from the library. I didn't think much of the book at first but now the book holds a special place in my heart and on my list of must reads and favorites for a life time.