Dear John

My foray into Nicholas Sparks is with Dear John. This is the same author who wrote "A Walk to Remember" and "The Notebook", which became very popular movies, both of which I have never seen. My daughter loves both of them and has them on DVD. Why haven't I watched them you ask? I know they are tear-jerkers and since I have depression...I really don't need any help on that front, also I'm not a fan of crying. Seriously, its like throwing up, I will avoid it at all costs. I feel out of control and like I may not pull out of the funk if I start crying.

With that said,

PLEASE STOP ME if I try to read another one of this man's books.

The only reason I read it is because one of the girls at work said to me, "You like to read right?" I said yes..."Oh I just read Dear John and I finished it in 2 days, it is so good!!!"

Now I feel I have to read it.

It is a story about John Tyree, a boy who's mother left when he was young and cannot relate to his father. He runs around with the wrong crowd and decides its best if he joins the army before he lands himself in jail or worse. While on leave, he spends the day on the beach at Wilmington, NC and there he meets Savannah Curtis. He knows this is the girl he is meant to be with and after time together, Savannah feels the same way. He leaves with the promise he will be back in a year. When he returns, there are changes, but they reconnect and this time when he leaves, it is with the knowledge that he will be out soon and they will be able to start their life together. Then 9/11 happens. John re-ups and starts a chain of events that will alter both Savannah and John's lives.

It was a quick read and the characters were relatively well developed and I couldn't put the book down, but for different reasons. Basically I couldn't stop reading because I knew it couldn't be as predictable as it was. I knew that Mr. Sparks would have more imagination than that...being that he has written 2 books that became hit movies. Guess not. As I read some of the reviews at BarnesandNoble.com I noticed that majority of the ones that loved the book were younger (i.e. under 25).

I give this a 2 out of 5.