Book Review: Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks

Message in a Bottle
Author:  Nicholas Sparks
Copyright:  1998
Publisher: Warner Books
Pages:  336
Edition:  Print Paperback
ISBN 0-446-52356-9
Source:  I was given this book by a friend.

Synopsis:  Divorced and disillusioned about relationships, Theresa Osborne is jogging when she finds a bottle on the beach. Inside is a letter of love and longing to "Catherine," signed simply "Garrett." Challenged by the mystery and pulled by emotions she doesn't fully understand, Theresa begins a search for this man that will change her life. What happens to her is unexpected, perhaps miraculous-an encounter that embraces all our hopes for finding someone special, for having a love that is timeless and everlasting.

Review:  This is the second romance novel written by author Nicholas Sparks, Notebook being his first in 2006.  Message in a Bottle was subsequently converted to film starring Kevin Costner (Garrett Blake) and Robyn Wright Penn (Theresa Osborne).

On vacation, after sending her 11 year old son, Kevin, off to vacation with his father, divorcee Theresa Osborne jogged the beach of Cape Cod, enjoying the quiet solitude of the early morning in the dawn of the New England sun.  It was here she found the thing that would change the direction of her life, forever.  Here she found the message in the bottle.

Unable to deal with his grief and the feeling of loss after the death of his wife, Catherine, Garrett Blake decided to put it on paper.  A message......a heartfelt tribute of love and devotion to his deceased wife, he wrapped the note in string and enclosed it in a bottle, sealed with a cork and his love.  Tossed to the ocean, he somehow knew the message would be received.  He felt better for doing it.  In the three years since her death, he wrote two more messages to Catherine, letters that showed his undying love and devotion, his grief and his longing... feelings of being alone and lost.

Touched by the letter she found in the bottle, Theresa shared it with her boss and dear friend Deanna, who decided it had to be shared.  And shared it was, in the newspaper which Theresa wrote a parenting column for. (Here the novel and movie differ.  Supporting cast play different roles, but the feel of the story remains the same.  It is the same touching message of undying love, trials, and emptiness and new love.)

Theresa wanted to meet this man who evoked such emotion in her and hundreds of readers as they read the letter in her column.  Deciding to use some of her vacation time, she flew to North Carolina to meet the writer of the incredible letters.  She flew to meet Garrett......she found so much more.

Nicholas Sparks excels in this genre of romance fiction.  He tells a fluid tale, strong in character development, with complicated story lines in which the protagonist(s) must overcome affliction or tribulation.  His novels are easy to relate to as he uses themes to which the reader can identify.  As in Notebook, the story of husband and wife, their love and the trials of Alzheimer's; Nicholas Sparks presents Message in a Bottle with a story line including love lost and the  yearning of the heart to be loved again.  He captures it well and the reader becomes so involved, tears flowing freely, as we engage in this recital of their lives, enraptured in the tale of love.

I love both the movie and the book.  The movie does the book justice; though it alters the story somewhat in the details, it is still true to the "feel" of Nicholas Sparks' work.  If you love the book, the movie is a must see and vice versa.

Highly recommended.

Rated 4.5/5





This is my third book in the Nicholas Sparks Reading Challenge.

In My Mailbox and Postal Strike

In My Mailbox is a weekly bookish meme hosted by www.thestorysiren.com

IMM is a wonderful opportunity to share those books we have received in the mail, borrowed, or purchased.  As we share ours and visit other book bloggers who participate in this meme, we can build our wish lists and TBR lists.  I know we all love to do that, don't we. ;)





In My Mailbox last week was one book :(.  Canada is in the midst of a postal strike wherein our mail is delivered thrice weekly, as long as our city is not on strike.  So last week Edmonton and Calgary postal workers were on the picket lines, demanding accrued sick days and better pay and benefits for new employees.  Canada Post hasn't met their demands, citing a decrease in use of the service, therefore less $ available.  Hopefully the two will meet somewhere and be unified again soon.  I know I am doing my part to keep the need for postal service and employees going!

The Amazing Adventures of Thomas and Erin with Grandad

Market Day

by John Vasey

For Erin and Thomas, today is the most special kind of day there is. You see, today is a Granddad day, and those days are always the most fun of all.   See my review

http://shirley-mybookshelf.blogspot.com/2011/06/childrens-book-review-amazing.html

Purchases:

The Lincoln Lawyer

by Michael Connelly

"There is no client as scary as an innocent man."

~ J. Michael Haller, Criminal Defense Attorney, Los Angeles, 1962

"For defense attorney Mickey Haller, the clock is always running.  With two ex-wives, four Lincoln Town Cars that he uses as offices, and dozens of guilty clients, he can't afford to miss a trick.  When he gets picked by a Beverly Hills rich boy arrested for assault, Mickey sees a franchise case:  a nice, long, expensive trial with maximum billable hours --until it hurtles him into the last place he wants to be.  Suddenly hustling, cynical Mickey Haller is confronted with pure evil and someone who may be truly innocent.  Now, for a lawyer who has always gone for the easy score, getting justice means taking the deadliest risk of all."

Since seeing this movie, I have been looking forward to reading the novel!

The Nanny Diaries

by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

"Who wouldn't want this job?  Struggling to graduate from NYU and afford her microscopic studio apartment, Nanny takes a position caring for the only son of the wealthy X family.  She rapidly learns the insane amount of juggling involved to ensure that a Park Avenue wife, who doesn't work, cook, clean, or raise her own child, has a smooth day.

When the X's marriage begins to disintegrate, Nanny ends up involved way beyond the bounds of human decency or good taste.  Her tenure with the X family becomes a nearly impossible mission to maintain the mental health of their four-year-old, her own integrity, and, most important, her sense of humour.  Over nine tense months, Mrs. X and Nanny perform the age-old dance of decorum and power as they test the limits of modern-day servitude."

I saw the DVD of Nanny Diaries years ago and when I happened upon the book on sale ($2) at a local bookstore (new), I just had to purchase it.  Plus, my son gave me a gift card :) to be used at Indigo Books, which I used for Nanny Diaries and The Lincoln Lawyer.

-----

What's in your mailbox this week?  What did you borrow or purchase to add to your bookshelves?  I'm interested......

If You Could Meet One Author.....

It's Friday, folks!  Time to embrace the weekend and enjoy!  Are you reading a good book this weekend?


Book Blogger Hop is a weekly book hop hosted by Crazy for Books.  For this week her friend at Lori's Reading Corner is helping out by playing host.  You can catch the link here.  Be sure to visit other blogs on the list too and have fun!!

 “Who is the ONE author that you are DYING to meet?"

I am dismayed at having to choose only one author to meet.  There are so many whom I admire, like Stephen King, Agatha Christie, Michael Crichton, Danielle Steel (she's a writing machine, raised a lot of children, and wrote at night while they slept!), Marguerite Henry, Charlotte Bronte, and many more.  For some I would need a time travel machine to accomplish the task, so that's out of the question.  To narrow it down to one only, I'd have to say J.K. Rowling would be my pick. I have nothing but admiration and respect for this incredibly gifted author!  I love the rags to riches story, which makes her seem a little more down to earth.  I love that she is involved with charity, that she is open and friendly, and what a gift she has given this generation and generations to come!  Because of the Harry Potter series, many children have become avid readers, having discovered the magic within a book.  She weaves a spell-binding tale, within seven volumes, all of which I have read and re-read.  All her Harry Potter books have been made to film, the last of which will be released July 15th!  Are you standing in line for the midnight showing?  I plan to.  So there you have it.  The one author I would choose above all others, if given the opportunity to meet, J.K. Rowling.

This reminds me of the Harry Potter Marathon hosted by Giraffe Days  I need/want to get started on the first book....again. :)

Book Review: Hunting for Hemingway - A DD McGil Literati Mystery by Diane Gilbert Madsen

Hunting for Hemingway a DD McGil Literati Mystery

Author:  Diane Gilbert Madsen

Copyright:  2010

Publisher:  Midnight Ink, A Division of Llewellyn Worldwide Inc.

Pages:  278

Trade Paperback

Contains:  Prologue, Author's Afterward, Hunting for Hemingway Bibliography, Recipe for Hemingway's Daiquiri, the first chapter of The Conan Doyle Notes

ISBN 978-0-7387-1953-5

Available on Amazon, also available as an Ebook

Author's website:  http://dianegilbertmadsen.com/

Source:  Lissy Peace & Associates LTD. (publicity, public relations, promotions) provided a complimentary copy in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.  I was not compensated for this review.

Release:  "DD McGil delves into the mystery of what could happen if Ernest Hemingway's lost manuscripts were found.  What would they be worth?  Are they worth murder?

Diane Gilbert Madsen's exciting new novel, Hunting for Hemingway, the second in the DD McGil Literati Mystery series poses the question what would happen if Ernest Hemingway's long lost manuscripts were found?  In 1922, when Hemingway's wife traveled from Paris to meet him in Switzerland, a valise containing all of Hemingway's earliest unpublished writings was stolen from her compartment at the train station.  These manuscripts, missing nearly 90 years, would now have incalculable literary and monetary value......

Employing her usual unconventional methods, DD tries to save herself form jail time, find the missing manuscripts for client American Insurance, and track down a murderer.  As DD works her way through a maze of academic in-fighting, more murders ensue; and everyone for the Hemingway Trust to the City College scrambles to find the Hemingway manuscripts."

Hemingway's passport photo 1923

My Review:  Hunting for Hemingway is an exciting literary page turner riddled with intrigue, history, mystery and murder.  I could hardly put this book down!  From page one, author Diane Gilbert Madsen grabs your attention and keeps it as she reveals piece after piece on the intricate plot.  Ms. Madsen's meticulous research is evident in Hunting for Hemingway.  

DD McGil is an insurance investigator who is hired to ascertain the location and validity of the claim that the Hemingway transcripts have been found.  Unfortunately for DD, she is on the scene of two subsequent murders and considered a suspect.  But that is the least of her problems when she discovers she is likely on the same hit list!

Well written, engaging and interesting, Hunting for Hemingway author Diane Gilbert Madsen puts a literary twist from the past to magnificent advantage in this edge of the seat novel.  Hunting for Hemingway can be read on its own without issue, though it is the second in the DD McGil mystery series.  Highly recommended for mystery lovers and literary academics alike, Diane Gilbert Madsen is now one of my favourite mystery authors.   I must read the first book, A Cadger's Curse and look forward to the next in the series.   

The first book in the series is A Cadger's Curse - The Robert Burns Secret.  Coming Soon:  The Conan Doyle Notes:  The Secret of Jack the Ripper.

Rated 5/5  Content advisory:  mild sexual references and minor profanity

<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hb3v3DfyXjg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>iframe>

About the author:  Diane Gilbert Madsen grew up enjoying Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, and John Dickson Carr.  Born and raised in Chicago, Diane attended the University of Chicago and received an MA in 17th century literature from Roosevelt University.  A political who's who, Diane has worked in Illinois government positions from deputy village clerk of Hemingway's hometown to the prestigious position of Director of Economic Development for the State of Illinois, running the Department of Tourism and the Illinois Film Office among others.  She has been cited in both the World Who's Who of Women and Who's Who in Finance and Industry.  She and her husband currently share their home with their two Japanese Chin dogs, Sugar and Spice, on the Cape Haze Peninsula in Southwest Florida.  

Children's Book Review: The Amazing Adventures of Thomas and Erin with Grandad Market Day by John Vasey

The Amazing Adventures of Thomas and Erin with Granddad - Market Day

Author:  John Vasey

Date of publish: May 12, 2011

Publisher:  CreateSpace

Pages: 24

ISBN 978-1456411275

Genre:  Children's fiction

Source:  I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.  Thank you to Bostick Communications, author John Vasey and CreateSpace.

Available on Amazon

http://www.facebook.com/pages/John-Vasey-Artist/122677487790399

 From the publisher:   The Amazing Adventures of Thomas and Erin with Granddad - Market Day, a children's picture book by John Vasey, tells of young Thomas and Erin's trip to town with their beloved Granddad. Inspired by Vasey's experiences with his own grandchildren, the real-life Thomas and Erin, the book tells of the children's fun with their beloved grandfather in simple words and bright, colorful illustrations.

For Erin and Thomas, today is the most special kind of day there is. You see, today is a Granddad day, and those days are always the most fun of all. 

Full of extraordinary illustrations, this joyous and beautifully simple story is sweetly evocative of the joy of spending a day with a grandfather.  Simply told and elegantly constructed, The Amazing Adventures of Thomas and Erin with Grandad - Market Day is not only an endearing story but also a tender ode to the timeless connection between children and their grandfather.

The Amazing Adventures of Thomas and Erin With Grandad - Market Day is a sweet and short tale suitable for children ages five and under.  The market is closed so Grandpa improvises, taking his two grandchildren around town to different venues where they experience new adventures.  On this outing, they visit a bookstore, a flower shop, take a walk through a park and, finally, walk by the river as the sun is setting.  Outings with grandparents are joyous, no matter how they are spent and this story emphasizes this.  It is apparent that grandfather received as much joy from this outing as the grandchildren did.  At the end of the book is a place for the child to draw a picture of his/her own grandfather.

A cute bedtime read and a special book to share with grandpa, I rate this a 3.5/5.

About the author:  John Vasey is the technical director for live music productions and is currently touring the Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber through Southeast Asia.  He is the author of Concert Tour Production Management and Concert Sound and Lighting Systems.  He is also a painter, a photographer, and the proud grandfather of three-and-a-half year-old Thomas and two year-old Erin.

Would You Rather Own or Borrow?

This week's Booking Through Thursday question asks...

All things being equal (money, space, etc), would you rather own copies of the books you read? Or borrow them?

This is an easy question for me because I love books and love to accumulate them!  If you saw my living room right now, you'd see books on the coffee table and end table, there are books at my bedside and on the bookshelves in the family room.

I do borrow books from time to time, especially if I am needing a book for book club but it isn't my particular taste or style.  If in doubt, borrow.  That's my motto.  Sometimes I will come across a borrowed book that I simply must add to my collection; then I will purchase it.  So, it goes both ways for me sometimes.  But I do love the option of being able to check over my bookshelves and finding some of my favourites there.  There's nothing like it, to be able to just pick up a book on a whim and read or re-read, as the case may be.

Book Review: A Girl's Guide to Homelessness by Brianna Karp

A Girl's Guide to Homelessness: A Memoir
Author:  Brianna Karp
Copyright 2011
Publisher:  Harlequin
ISBN 13:978-0-373-89235-8
326 pages
Source:  a complimentary galley was provided by the publisher in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
http://girlsguidetohomelessness.com/

Homeless isn't just the sad and dejected man or woman that one may see gathered near the soup kitchen, or lined up for a bed in a shelter.  Nor is it necessarily the face of a person badly in need of a shower, a change of clothes, food in their stomach, or a bed to sleep in.  As the recession takes its toll, taking jobs, homes and self-esteem, it creates homelessness.  A new face to homelessness is what we meet in A Girl's Guide to Homelessness - a memoir of Brianna Karp.

A sad and revealing eye opener to the state of homelessness, A Girl's Guide to Homelessness is a view of a life riddled with abuse, broken promises, and heartache. As the reader travels down the road that is Brianna's life, one cannot help but note she has cast herself in the role as victim. A victim of the acts and choices of others and of circumstance told in a rather one-sided fashion.  This memoir is, afterall, Brianna's story.  But, it goes beyond that. The Girl's Guide to Homelessness is an awareness campaign, gathered in a tightly woven prose, of the new face of homelessness.  Frightening. Sad. Witty at times. The Girl's Guide to Homelessness is a wake-up call to the nations.  The security we have today, may not be there tomorrow.  As I read this memoir, I was reminded of a book I recently reviewed, 21st Century Great Global Depression, which tells of the homeless epidemic that is sweeping the nation due to the recession.  Homelessness does indeed have a new face.

As The Girl's Guide to Homelessness comes to an end, we realize it is just the beginning.  The beginning of the huge learning curve that is Brianna's life.  It is one that we all must partake in, regardless of our station in life.  What we do with the trials and tribulations, determines our future.  It is important to recognize that despite all the tragic experiences Brianna's life has doled out for her, Brianna never lets go of hope. Hope for love, family, joy and a real place to call home. Hope and perseverance can make a difference.  One wonders what difference five years will bring to Brianna.

Rated 3/5 Content alert:  language, sexual content and abuse

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.  Here we get a chance to recap our previous week, share what we read, what we are currently reading, and what we plan to read next.   It's a fun meme!  Won't you join in?

Please leave a comment with a link to your IMWAYR post and link up at Sheila's site Book Journey too.



Last week, including yesterday, I finished reading:

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (review to be posted later this month as it is our book club book of the month)


The Hound of Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle


This week I aim to finish:

A Time To...A Baby Boomer's Spiritual Adventures by Ronald Louis Peterson


A Gir's Guide to Homelessness by Brianna Karp

Next Up:

I'm not sure....I have so many to choose from so it depends what catches my eye.  It may even be a Nicholas Sparks novel!!

What's new with you?

Book Review: The Hound of the Baskervilles

cover selected from the internet

The Hound of the Baskervilles
Author:  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
First Publication was a serial in The Strand August 1901 - April 1902
Published in volume form by McClure, Phillips & Co., 1902

I purchased this book as part of a volume The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes 37 Short Stories and a complete novel from The Strand Magazine.  Including 356 original illustrations by Sidney Paget.


This book is part of a Vintage Mystery Challenge, of which I am participating, hosted by Bev at My Reader's Block.

The Hound of the Baskervilles synopsis:   The Hound of the Baskervilles is the third of four crime novels featuring the detective Sherlock Holmes.  Set mostly in London and the moors of England's West Country, Dartmoor, The Hound of the Baskervilles is the story of an attempted murder upon men of the Baskerville family by a supernatural hound of giant proportions. 

Review:  The story opens with a visit from Dr. Mortimer, a friend of Sir Charles Baskerville, to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson at their London office.  Dr. Mortimer tells of his suspicions surrounding the death of his friend and of the large paw print found on the scene.  There is but one member of the Baskervilles known to be alive, Sir Henry Baskerville, he being the heir.  Dr. Mortimer enlists the aid of Sherlock Holmes and his friend Dr. Watson, to solve the mystery of the death/murder of his friend, Sir Charles, and to help prevent the same of the only known heir, Sir Henry Baskerville.  

Not believers in the supernatural, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson set out to investigate the curious happenings of Baskerville Hall in the Devon county.  Their adventures uncover more than one secret, more than one mystery, as they sleuth their way to solving the case.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a mastermind at mystery telling, and his stories of Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Watson are well-renowned.  His attention to detail, the rhythm with which he writes, and the plot twists he conspires are second to none.  A century later, his works still bear the same attention as that of a master story teller.

I read this in almost one sitting, finding it difficult to put down.  Highly recommended for mystery, detective and classic lovers alike, I rate it a 5/5!

Note:  "This story owes its inception to my friend, Mr. Fletcher Robinson, who has helped me both in the general plot and in the local details. - A.C.D."  (a note included by the author)

-------------------

Fascinating Background:  (according to Wikipedia but in my own words)  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, after returning from a trip to South Africa where he worked as a volunteer physician at the Langman Field Hospital in Bloemfontein, wrote this story with the assistance of journalist Bertram Fletcher Robinson, who helped with the plot.  It is thought his ideas came from the legend of Richard Cabell.  The Squire Richard Cabell, who lived during the 17th century, of Backastleight, was a passionate hunter and described as a "monstrously evil man".  His reputation of such was gained for immortality and supposedly selling his soul to the devil.  It is also rumoured he may have killed his wife.  He died July 5, 1677 and on the night of his internment, it is said a pack of hounds travelled across the moor, baying, and howled at his tomb.  The story goes that he could be found leading the ghostly pack across the moor, particularly on the anniversary of his death.  

There is a folklore of Devon which tells of the Yeth Hound, a frightening supernatural dog.  It is suggested that this story may have been of influence in writing The Hound of the Baskervilles.  It seems the area is well-known for stories of ghost dogs as there is the story of another, Black Shuck, from the Cromer area, said to haunt the area between Overstrand and East Runton.  

   

Mary J. Blige on the Soundtrack for The Help

The soundtrack for The Help will be available July 26 at participating Starbucks.