Book Giveaways!

Hello there!!!

This is my first book give away. So let me start this right - just finished cleaning out my shelves and was thinking of giving away some of my books. Take note: They are still new and sealed. But I have read them already through my Kindle. Instead of letting it collect dust on my shelf, I decided I might as well try to give them away as a price.

Have A Little Faith, Mitch Albom

The Best of Me, Nicholas Sparks

Reckless, Cornelia Funke

Hourglass, Claudia Gray

Coraline, Neil Gaiman

First, read these giveaway rules:

- Entrants must have a mailing address within the Philippines

- Entrants should be 13 years old or above.

- There will be 1 winner for each book, randomly selected.

- Contest ends 3/24/2013, 12AM EST

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Goodluck!!!

The Best of Me

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Book Details

Product Details

Hardcover: 304 pages

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (October 11, 2011)

Language: English

Book Summary

THE BEST OF ME is the heart-rending story of two small-town former high school sweethearts from opposite sides of the tracks. Now middle-aged, they've taken wildly divergent paths, but neither has lived the life they imagined . . . and neither can forget the passionate first love that forever altered their world. When they are both called back to their hometown for the funeral of the mentor who once gave them shelter, they will be forced to confront the choices each has made, and ask whether love can truly rewrite the past.

Book Review

The Best of Me is about two old high school sweethearts who found the way to each other’s arms after years of being separated. Both of them had their own lives, until something happened that they needed to go back.

Two things are very predictable with Nicholas Sparks’ novels: (1) someone is going to die (2) it is heartbreaking. I waited long for The Best of Me only to be disappointed. Is it only me? Because I have noticed that his past few novels were clichés.

Although Safe Haven was great because it was different than the rest on his booklist. There was a nice element of suspense and not to mention a ghost among the characters. It was so good that he once again repeated it this time with The Best of Me, the ghost story and some goons as villains. There were unnecessary characters that the story could have been better without. The dialogues were great as usual. They were really amazing, he can still write those words that can break your heart, although I didn’t shed a tear till the end. The ending was predictable, you would know who-did-what and what-happens-next.

But anyway, I will still read his future novels, perhaps they will be more better because he had written beautiful stories in the past. To end, The Best of Me is a book that a typical Nicholas Sparks’ fan will read and enjoy. Just don’t set your expectations too high for another tear-jerker novel with a surprising twists. 

Favorite Quotes

There's a lot of magic between you, ain't no denying that. And magic makes forgettin' hard

Change isn’t always for the best

People in pain don’t always see things as clearly as they should

Comfort and familiarity were wonderful but they also dulled passion and excitement. Predictability and habit made surprises almost impossible.

They love each other enough to have found a way to stay together, even after she was gone.

The past can be escaped only by embracing something better. 

Reviewed by

At First Sight

Book Details

Mass Market Paperback: 332 pages

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; 1st US Ed. Sep. 2007 edition (September 1, 2007)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0446401269

ISBN-13: 978-0446401265

Source: Online Shop

Book Summary

Nicholas Sparks brings back two characters from his beloved bestseller, True Believer, in this continuing saga of extraordinary love.

There are few things Jeremy Marsh was sure he'd never do: he'd never leave New York City; never give his heart away again after barely surviving one failed marriage; and most of all, never become a parent. Now, Jeremy is living in the tiny town of Boone Creek, North Carolina, married to Lexie Darnell, the love of his life, and anticipating the birth of their daughter. But just as his life seems to be settling into a blissful pattern, an unsettling and mysterious message re-opens old wounds and sets off a chain of events that will forever change the course of this young couple's marriage.

Book Review

I have always loved Nicholas Sparks, I get to read every book published except this one, At First Sight, although I already brought the copy, it took me a long time before I get to read it. After I finished the whole book, I am torn between liking this novel and hating it. There are a lot of parts in this novel where I wished he never written a sequel of the True Believer. I’d like to think that Jeremy and Lexie would just live happily ever after. I think if you want to read this book, you need to read the prequel first. There are certain information in here that was not thoroughly explained and first time readers would end up wondering, where in the world did it came from.

I was a little frustrated reading this one because I would have never hated the characters if I haven’t read At First Sight. They suddenly become another person from another story if not for their names. Although I love Doris, the grandmother – I think she’s the only one who’s character is realistic and did not irritate me. The over-all plot was so un-Nicholas Sparks. I love the beginning and the ending, but the body – there was just something missing. Some of the plotlines were not developed enough and went into a dead-end.

But what I love about this book is that it mirrored the real problems couple deals with in the relationship, starting from engagement down to after-the-honeymoon-bliss. It’s like reading about how two real people deal with these types of problems. I like the medical part as well where Sparks discussed about Amniotic Band Syndrome, and the moment when the adversities they both face made their love even stronger.

Favorite Quote

But the beauty of marriage is that if you picked the right person and you both love each other, you’ll always figure out a way to get throughout.

Reviewed By