"The Last Song" by Nicholas Sparks book review

I am a sucker for Nicholas Sparks novels. I've only read a small handful of them, but I loved every one. He is easily one of my favorite authors. The Last Song, his latest novel, has become one of my favorite novels.

Just like his earlier novel A Walk to Remember, the main characters in this novel are teens fresh out of high school, so around the age of 18. The love interest is a girl named Veronica "Ronnie" Miller and a boy named Will Blakelee. In a way their story is typical, after reading many love stories, all stories become typical, but it is still very cute.

What I really liked about this book is how Sparks found a way to incorporate God into the novel. This book is about second chances and forgiveness and doing the right thing even when it is tough. That is a great universal lesson for everyone in every age group. Also, Sparks did a great job in showing the Biblical version of love in this novel. I thought that was pretty spectacular. =]

Another thing that really struck me in this novel was how it reminded me of my dad. Of course it made me cry, but at the same time it was a very beautiful.

While reading this novel I pictures certain actors in my mind knowing that this book is in production to being a movie. However, once I went on Nicholas Sparks's website I found out Miley Cyrus is to play Ronnie in the movie that will be coming out soon. Needless to say I was very disappointed at the thought of that. Oh well...it should prove to be an interesting movie then!

And, obviously, I highly recommend this novel. :DD

"Cry of the Icemark" by Stuart Hill book review

Cry of the Icemark is one of the true fantasy novels I've truly read. In this novel there are talking Snow Leopards, vampires, werewolves, and warlocks. In this novel a 14-year-old girl becomes Queen of the country of Icemark and must protect her small kingdom from the invading force of the Empire. In order to do so she builds alliances with mythological creatures, creatures she herself did not believe to be real until she encounters them.

The young queen, Thirrin, is described as a short-tempered girl, and throughout the novel Hill does a could job at keeping her in character. Thirrin remains short tempered throughout the entire novel and is described to be a good Queen. However, I think that Hill did not put much emotion into her...well less emotion than other female protagonists I've read about. This book also, along with fantasy, is about war and strategy and such. After reading it, I believe that "The Empire" that invades other countries resembles the Roman Empire. It was a good novel to read, and it was different from what I normally read so that was quite refreshing.

This novel left the impression that if I were to take away anything after reading this book I should take away the lesson that "miracles happen" and friendship is true strength?

I would recommend it. =]