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.

Book Review: The Gold by Krista Wagner

Another intriguing work by Krista Wagner.

Publishers Description

Ten-year-old Amanda is constantly teased and tormented in school. Her home life is less than satisfactory where her widower father, who is often away on business trips, leaves her in the care of her indifferent teenaged sister. Worse, not a day goes by when Amanda doesn't miss her mom. TO escape reality, Amanda creates fantasy stories, but when she discovers a talking golden pebble, her imagined world turns into a new-fangled reality.

Praise For The Gold

"I loved the way the story unfolded and the magic and mystery were revealed. This book is bound to be a winner with audiences of all ages."

~Susan Day

author and illustrator of the Astro's Adventures series

My Personal Review

The Gold by Krista Wagner & published by Clean Reads is a short fantasy novel that will keep your attention from beginning to end. The publishing information for this book is specifically labeled for the 10-18 year old age group. The main character, Amanda, is in fifth grade. She lives with her Dad and sister. She spends much of her time at home alone or with her preoccupied teenage sister. 

As the story unfolds, the reader learns a little about Amanda's Mom who "passed away from a long term ailment". The incredible sadness and loneliness that her mother's passing has created is tenderly and realistically portrayed from a young girl's perspective. The author's development of Amanda's character creates a connection with the reader immediately and her adventures are spun from there. It is at times a whimsical ride and at other junctures a tumultuous journey.

Here is my take on this novel. First of all, the book left me wanting more. Right from the start, I wanted to know more about the past...so a prequel would be exceptional....and I definitely want to know what happens in the future....so a sequel is a must. Secondly, I greatly appreciated the presentation of the sensitive matter of bullying. Wagner's vivid description of the emotions encountered during episodes of harassment is exceptional. The author also beautifully illustrates how important it is to be connected and aware of what our children are experiencing, so that we can show them love and avoid feelings of desperation and isolation. Finally, I think this work is entertaining for the younger reader and simultaneously has the potential to deliver a sense of hope to a hurting heart. I will be watching for the next book in this series!

Book Review: Both of Me by Jonathan Friesen

This book is creatively mysterious!

It was supposed to be just another flight, another escape into a foreign place where she could forget her past, forget her attachments. Until Clara found herself seated next to an alluring boy named Elias Phinn—a boy who seems to know secrets she has barely been able to admit to herself for years.

When her carry-on bag is accidentally switched with Elias’s identical pack, Clara uses the luggage tag to track down her things. At that address she discovers there is not one Elias Phinn, but two: the odd, paranoid, artistic, and often angry Elias she met on the plane, who lives in an imaginary world of his own making called Salem; and the kind, sweet, and soon irresistible Elias who greets her at the door, and who has no recollection of ever meeting Clara at all. As she learns of Elias’s dissociative identity disorder, and finds herself quickly entangled in both of Elias’s lives, Clara makes a decision that could change all of them forever. She is going to find out what the Salem Elias knows about her past, and how, even if it means playing along with his otherworldly quest. And she is going to find a way to keep the gentle Elias she’s beginning to love from ever disappearing again.

My Personal Review

Both Of Me by Jonathan Friesen is a creatively mysterious and engaging book.  The characters are believable and the story-line brings an extremely realistic look at the very heartbreaking mental disorder tagged as a Dissociative Identity Disorder.  

Both of Me by Jonathan Friesen is my first book review that is classified in the Young Adult Fiction category.  I must confess that I have not read his previous books, but after reading this one, I certainly plan to in the very near future. Friesen's writing is so detailed and skillfully crafted, that I wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to enjoy more of his work.  I chose to review this particular book, because I am a parent of YA's and would really like to know what's out there for them to read.  

So, here's my take on Both Of Me.  I loved it!  It has everything.  From an entertainment standpoint, it is very satisfying.  The characters are authentic and illicit the appropriate emotions within the reader as the story line progresses.  I literally laughed out loud several times with some of the fantastic imagery developed at various spots in the book. Izzy's character and her "guitar" combined with her reckless behavior conjured up all sorts of pictures in my head.  Clara's sensitivity is undeniable.  The depth of her thinking and constant analysis were endearing to me.  There is a chapter where Clara stands at the foot of the cross and empties her heart before God.  It was such a tender description as she poured out her guilt and shame.  It will have you searching your own heart for hidden hurts.  The main character, Elias, is anything but boring.  His dual personality had me confused and perplexed after a few pages of "The Other One".  It allowed me to feel as though I were actually inside of his chaotic mind.  Only a gifted writer can create such an experience for the reader.

Both of Me by Jonathan Friesen also has the "informative factor", as I like to call it.  That means that the reader learns something effortlessly and without intention.  In this particular case, the information being fed to the reader comes from the experiences of the character's lives.  Friesen does an amazing job to portray through the character of Elias, the disorganized thinking, tumultuous relationships, delusions, and challenges that a person with Dissociative Identity Disorder may face on a daily basis.  The inability to find a treatment for those suffering from this life altering mental illness is also concisely communicated within the book.  This is not the only lesson learned from reading Both of Me; there are plenty more.  There are also insights into family dynamics, the freedom of honesty, first love, and the importance of forgiveness. 

Both Of Me is a captivating read.  The subject matter is a little heavy, so I would suggest it for the over sixteen year old population.  I also think this book would make a fantastic suspense filled movie!  Perhaps because I am a "OA" (Older Adult) and not a "YA" (Younger Adult), I find the statement of Atticus to be profoundly true when he says, "It's a round world.  You live long enough, you see it, the coming round of things."  Great read!!

Thank you to Zondervan Publishing for this review copy of Both Of Me by Jonathan Friesen given to me through the BookLook Bloggers program.  I was not required to give a favorable review of this work, but only asked to read it in it's entirety and give my honest opinion.