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