Book Review: The Return by Nicholas Sparks

Psalm 37:8 (NET) Do not be angry and frustrated. Do not fret. That only leads to trouble.

 Book Review: The Return by Nicholas Sparks

The Return is a great reflective read!
                                               

Publishers Description

In the romantic tradition of Dear John, Nicholas Sparks returns with the story of an injured Navy doctor -- and two women whose secrets will change the course of his life in this #1 New York Times bestseller.

Trevor Benson never intended to move back to New Bern, North Carolina. But when a mortar blast outside the hospital where he worked sent him home from Afghanistan with devastating injuries, the dilapidated cabin he'd inherited from his grandfather seemed as good a place to regroup as any.

Tending to his grandfather's beloved beehives, Trevor isn't prepared to fall in love with a local . . . yet, from their very first encounter, Trevor feels a connection with deputy sheriff Natalie Masterson that he can't ignore. But even as she seems to reciprocate his feelings, she remains frustratingly distant, making Trevor wonder what she's hiding.

Further complicating his stay in New Bern is the presence of a sullen teenage girl, Callie, who lives in the trailer park down the road. Trevor hopes Callie can shed light on the mysterious circumstances of his grandfather's death, but she offers few clues -- until a crisis triggers a race to uncover the true nature of Callie's past, one more intertwined with the elderly man's passing than Trevor could ever have imagined.

In his quest to unravel Natalie and Callie's secrets, Trevor will learn the true meaning of love and forgiveness . . . and that in life, to move forward, we must often return to the place where it all began.

My Personal Review

The Return by Nicholas Sparks is an entertaining and engaging read! 

I patiently waited until Veterans Day to post this review. Why? Because it's main character is a Navy Veteran who struggles with PTSD. I can't think of a better day than today to champion a book that will not only entertain, but also bring potential help to a population of our countries's heroes who might suffer with emotional trauma. Now, lest you think this is a self help book, think again, it's definitely not! True to his previous works, Sparks will not disappoint you as he holds to a model of chivalrous relationships and endearing romance woven throughout the book.

 

The author manages to craft a story of mystery, love, and hope while gently giving glimmers of perspective into the life of an injured war veteran, Dr. Trevor Benson, the narrator in the story. His voice is very authentic as he shares his trials with both the physical and mental manifestations of PTSD. 

The gem in this work, however, is the way in which the author cleverly interjects tools to assist those that are experiencing this delayed stress syndrome. The novel, The Return utilizes the main character, Trevor, to model a very healthful lifestyle of conscious choices to regain his life back. The tools presented to the reader include, but are not limited to Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and honest evaluations of one's own feelings of fear. 

The acknowledgment that some of the greatest challenges to a healthy mental life circle around the fear of rejection, judgement, anger, and disappointment is clearly presented in this book. Recognizing that we can only control our own behaviors and as such we are not responsible for other's behaviors is also a theme tucked away within the story. 

Here's my takeaway after reading The Return. I love it! It's good for someone who is wanting to escape and relax with a good mystery, as well as those introspective folks like myself who are always thinking beyond the words. You really get two for the price of one in this book...entertainment and advice! The Return captures your attention from the beginning, as a trail of clues grows throughout the chapters and the reader is left to figure it out. There are also stepping stones of hope carefully placed at equal distance throughout the book. The author's mission to impart wisdom with threads of tangible help to victims of PTSD while still entertaining the audience is priceless.

Yep....this is a good one. It's strikingly obvious to me why The Return by Nicholas Sparks is on the "#1 New York Best Sellers" list, along with all of his other novels; It's uplifting, relaxing, tender, intelligently written and has a steady rhythm that 2020 so desperately needs! Enjoy!

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing an imprint of Hachette Book Group for the complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review of this book, but simply asked to read the work in it's entirety and give my honest opinion.

Movie Review: Wildflower a Faith Street Films Production

Proverbs 3:5-6(NIV)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Suspense and drama combined with a
message of hope and healing!

WILDFLOWER (2015)

Company: Faith Street Film Partners II & Provident Label Group in association with Cave Pictures and Hope filled Media
Writer: Nicholas DiBella
Director: Nicholas DiBella
Producer: Nicholas DiBella, Marc Wax & Veronica Nickel
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 92 min.
Industry Rating: 12+
Starring: Nathalia Ramos, Cody Longo, Shari Rigby, Alex Steele

Synopsis:

Creatively gifted, college student Chloe Moray (portrayed by Nathalia Ramos, known for BRATZ, Arrested Development, House of Anubis) finds solace from a difficult childhood in her extraordinary art. But when an alarming dream begins to recur nightly, Chloe starts to believe that it might be a suppressed memory and that she may have witnessed a terrible crime as a little girl. Her search for peace takes her on a journey that forces Chloe to confront her past traumas and leads her to cross paths with Josh (Cody Longo, known for NOT TODAY, Hollywood Heights, Nashville), a young man dealing with his own painful loss. Together they find in each other someone they can trust as they seek to unlock a cold-case mystery from years before. But with the authorities blocking the way, Chloe's new-found hope is challenged in this powerful story of faith, triumph and healing.

Link to trailer: https://youtu.be/K0KLHhHOvws


My Personal Review:

Wildflower is a very engaging and suspense filled movie. This film is definitely worth your time and attention!

We often have "family movie nights" at our house, so when the opportunity arose to review this film, I snatched it up. This movie will be released on DVD & VOD April 5th, 2016. It will also be available for viewing on the Lifetime Movie Network in June. I definitely agree with the "12+" rating that has been assigned to it, due to the weightiness of specific themes and the intensity of many scenes throughout the movie. However, having said that, there is no profanity or nudity within this film which makes it more palatable for viewing with your older teens. It is a great catalyst for family discussions about the importance of trust, honesty, and transparency. My husband and I watched this with our 15 year old daughter.

What I love most about this film, in addition to the sheer entertainment and mystery is the prevailing message of how important it is to never give up on people even when we may not completely understand them or what they are going through. Wildflower highlights the fact that the four simple words, "I believe in you" carry a powerful message of hope and healing. This message is communicated throughout the film, but is especially apparent through the roles of the main characters as they deal with some very difficult situations from their past. Despite the inability of their loved ones to comprehend the magnitude of their experiences, they still continue to support them!

Nathalia Ramos (Chloe) and Cody Longo (Josh) do an exceptional job of portraying their characters in an authentic manner. Their relationship which slowly builds throughout the movie is selectively subtle, but deeply moving as the two begin to trust one another beyond the casual into a more transparent level. 

Wildflower also brings to light the fact that God is always present in our lives and even closer to us when we are going through difficult times. The knowledge that God's timing and purposes are not always within our comprehension is a prevailing theme within the movie as well. The trauma the main character goes through gives some insight into the struggles that someone suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) may live with on a daily basis, thereby, revealing a needed sensitivity when working with persons going through this type of situation.

Wildflower is an excellent film. I highly recommend you take the time to watch it...you won't be disappointed! Thank you to Icon Media Group for this review copy of Wildflower. I received this free copy in exchange for an honest review. The opinions within this review are completely my own.

Book Review: Rian Field by Krista Wagner

Job 7:4 (NIV)
"When I lie down I say, 'When shall I arise?' But the night continues, and I am continually tossing until dawn."

Overview:

Mysterious...until the very end!

Rian Field is living her dream as a Marine Biologist, but when she is attacked by a shark, it triggers memories from the past and changes her understanding of her present world. After surviving the shark attack, Rian Field continues her work at the Institute, determined to continue living her routine life. But as she attempts to cope with her growing post-traumatic stress outbreaks, she is plagued both by memories of an earlier trauma and a sudden onslaught of mysterious and ominous events. She soon finds herself immersed in an inescapable danger as she suspects that her former assailant is still threatening her life--and it may be someone close to her; more disconcerting, though, is the growing certainty that the trauma is somehow connected to the shark attack, compelling Rian to uncover the truth of her past and discover who is after her.

My Personal Review:

Rian Field is the second novel written by Krista Wagner. Her first novel, Intent published by TouchPoint Press in August of 2014 is a suspenseful read with many surprising twists and turns that create a great adventure for the mystery thrill seeker. This latest work released in January 2016, by CreateSpace, a DBA of On-Demand Publishing, LLC fits into the same genre of fictional mystery & suspense.

What I loved most about Rian Field is that it teaches the reader about an increasingly prevalent disorder called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Mayo Clinic defines it this way:

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that is triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.

The main character, Rian Field, suffers with this illness from a previous event in her life. Throughout the story, the reader gets to tag along inside her thoughts. The narrative is done in such a way to allow the reader to endure the mayhem inside of Rian's head. The thinking and repetitive circling of paranoia, night terrors, physical symptoms and unrelenting emotional trauma from this disorder are communicated in an informative manner without feeling the sensation of reading a text book. In addition, there is enough intrigue to keep the reader guessing and confused as to where the action will go next and from whom it will be initiated.

The author has a skillful ability to bring a compassionate look at this dreadful phenomenon.

Throughout the work the main character undergoes some therapy for PTSD which sheds light on some of the techniques for treating the illness. In addition to the emotional treatment with counseling sessions and the physical attention to a medical model for stabilization, Wagner touches on the spiritual realm as well. The hidden treasure found unobtrusively towards the middle of this book is the prevailing message that prayer has the ultimate power to break chains of fear, confusion, guilt, mistrust and deceit. Don't miss out on that nugget of truth! 

Anytime a book is able to entertain, inform, keep the reader engaged and give hope, it gets a stamp of approval from me. If you have a special interest in PTSD or you love to devour a good suspense novel, you will definitely enjoy this work. My only recommendation is that you do not read this one at the beach!!