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The Death And Life Of Charlie St. Cloud

3.95 of 5 stars 3.95 · rating details · 20,619 ratings · 1,628 reviews

The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud tells the haunting story of a young man who narrowly survives a terrible car wreck that kills his little brother. Years later, the brothers’ bond remains so strong that it transcends the normal boundaries separating life and death. Charlie St. Cloud lives in a snug New England fishing village. By day he tends the lawns and monuments...more

Paperback, 277 pages

Published May 1st 2005 by Picador USA (first published March 2nd 2004)

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Aug 09, 2010 K.D. Oliveros rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of love ghost stories

Shelves: ya

Last Friday, I was in NBS Centerpoint checking their 75% cutdown sale. I bought some P99 previously US library books, some brand new ones like "Tinkers" and "Sh*t My Father Says" (reviewed previous to this). Then I saw this book. It had been a while since I read a current Movie-Tie-In book so I checked this out. This edition was published in June 2010 and still sitting there in the New Arrivals gondola. I checked the blurbs and all the famous current bestselling authors are saying something good...more

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Feb 26, 2011 Buggy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: cryin-over-u, ghosts, shelf-11, love-story, media-tie-in, fiction

Opening Line:"Charlie St. Cloud wasn't the best or brightest boy in Essex County, but he was surely the most promising"

I read this a few years ago but after recently seeing the movie I was reminded of how much I’d liked this story and decided I had to revisit Charlie St Cloud and his little brother Sam. Even though I knew the big reveal this time through I was still able to immerse myself completely in this magical, moving journey from death back to life.

With a story and writing style reminisce...more Opening Line:"Charlie St. Cloud wasn't the best or brightest boy in Essex County, but he was surely the most promising"

I read this a few years ago but after recently seeing the movie I was reminded of how much I’d liked this story and decided I had to revisit Charlie St Cloud and his little brother Sam. Even though I knew the big reveal this time through I was still able to immerse myself completely in this magical, moving journey from death back to life.

With a story and writing style reminiscent of Nicholas Sparks this is an easy, beautiful and somewhat tear-jerking read that I would recommend to fans of his. There is of course a touching love story here but to me this was more about brothers, letting go of the past and embracing life.

Sherwood also manages to also bring the seaside town of Marblehead Massachusetts to life with quaint and intriguing secondary characters and a unique yachting theme. There were times here when I could actually smell the sea breeze, feel the salt spray on my face and really see his descriptions of clouds and setting suns. So much so that despite the movie being filmed some 50 miles from my (Canadian) back yard I still had the urge to visit New England. I think what I liked most here though was Sherwood’s comforting take on the afterlife; giving us all hope that our departed are with us, all around us and waiting for us.

As a teenager Charlie St. Cloud died in a car accident, brought back after a few minutes by the paramedics his younger brother Sam wasn’t to be so lucky. During those brief moments before Charlie was returned to life he made a promise to his brother that he would never leave him, and he never has. Now 13 years later Charlie is working in a cemetery, he’s still full of guilt over the accident however by some twist of fate he can now see the dead walking amongst the tombstones and every night at sunset he meets Sam in a secret grove where they play baseball together in a Field Of Dreams sort of way. Charlie’s never missed a single sunset with the fear that his brother would fade away if he did, in this way though neither of them has been able to move on. The cemetery almost becomes a character of its own here, no longer feeling like a creepy, sad place but one of magic and adventure.

Tess Carol is about to embark on a solo sailing trip around the world so meeting someone like Charlie is definitely not in her plans. Yet despite his odd habit of disappearing at sunset she can’t help but fall in love, these days he seems to be the only one who really “sees” her. When Tess’s boat is lost in a storm Charlie is faced with the ultimate choice between death and life. In joining the search party he chooses love and a future full of possibilities yet in doing so he’ll also break his promise and risk losing his brother forever.
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Aug 01, 2010 Stephanie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Description: “The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud” tells the haunting story of a young man who narrowly survives a terrible car wreck that kills his little brother. Years later, the brothers’ bond remains so strong that it transcends the normal boundaries separating life and death. Charlie St. Cloud lives in a snug New England fishing village. By day he tends the lawns and monuments of the ancient cemetery where his younger brother, Sam, is buried. Graced with an extraordinary gift after sur...more Description: “The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud” tells the haunting story of a young man who narrowly survives a terrible car wreck that kills his little brother. Years later, the brothers’ bond remains so strong that it transcends the normal boundaries separating life and death. Charlie St. Cloud lives in a snug New England fishing village. By day he tends the lawns and monuments of the ancient cemetery where his younger brother, Sam, is buried. Graced with an extraordinary gift after surviving the accident, he can still see, talk, and even play catch with Sam’s spirit. But townsfolk whisper that Charlie has never recovered from his loss.

Into his carefully ordered life comes Tess Carroll, a captivating, adventuresome woman training for a solo sailing trip around the globe. Fate steers her boat into a treacherous storm that blows her back to harbor, to a charged encounter with Charlie, and to a surprise more overwhelming than the violent sea itself. Charlie and Tess discover a beautiful and uncommon connection that leads to a race against time and a desperate choice between death and life, between the past and the future, between holding on and letting go.

wow. this book delivers some heavy material to digest. I first wanted to read the book because I saw that they were making a movie with Zac Efron and I mean, come on, who doesn't like a good Efron movie? So I stopped at the local Target and picked it up. What a good decision. Charlie was a wonderful character and I fell in love with Sam, his little brother because he was sort of the comedic relief throughout the story. I did think that the main characters, Tess and Charlie, were a little old for my taste...I think they were in their 30's. I'm not saying that's old or anything, but I think I was a little influenced my picturing Zac instead. I thought the connection that the two brothers share is just extraordinary and so so sweet. This book reallt made me question what I plan on doing with my life and realize that I should live every second to the fullest and not take anything for granted...you know, all the normal cliche stuff....but this book took that to the next level because it's relateble unlike many books nowadays. I'm referring of course to the Vampire section, formerly known as the young adult section. I plan on seeing the movie sometime this week so I don't now how they compare just quite yet. But I don't think there is any way to really screw it up, because anyway you look at it, it is a wonderful and sweet story line. (less)

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Sep 05, 2011 Jerald Vernon Torres rated it 2 of 5 stars

The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud.
Author: Ben Sherwood
Main Characters: Tess, Sam and Charlie
TWO STARS

It’s been a long time since I read because of my schedule and consecutive examinations. To be exact it has been a month.
I stopped reading The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud and left it undone two months ago; until yesterday comes, when I feel my hangover drained my body. So I started to read from page one again which I dreaded most. I repeat it because of misinterpreting a line that...more

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Aug 04, 2010 Lorraine rated it 1 of 5 stars

This book was lent to me by a friend on recommendation. We'd been discussing the book "The Time Traveller's Wife" and she mentionned I might like this book as a result.

Reading the synopsis I didn't know how to interpret the part about "he is faced with a choice - between life and death, the past and the present, holding on and letting go". I guessed the story might have a quirky point of view or twist to the plot, but was a little bit worried that the book may go out on a far-fetched angle.

This...more

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Dec 29, 2012 Danielle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: five-stars, 2010

Read this review and others on my blog,
Shady Tree Reads

I admit I picked this up after seeing the preview for the movie. Since I decided I had to see the movie,(My little sister and I love to drool over Zac Efron) of course I had to read the book first.

The book starts out with a car accident that takes Charlies little brother sam from this world but keeps him in it. Becuase of this near death experience, he is able to see his brother every day at sundown, and keep a promise to play catch with him...more

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Nov 24, 2010 Kristina Turner rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I originally bought this book only because the movie adaptation had just been released. I had seen the previews and knew it was something I'd want to watch. Knowing that the movie was first a book, like always, I felt that I needed to read before renting. I ended up scooping it from the check-out aisle at Wal-Mart late one night and upon getting home, throwing it in my bedside table drawer, forgetting about it until just a few days ago. Since then, Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood had ruled my...more

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Jun 27, 2010 Kathryn Johnston rated it 4 of 5 stars

i read this book really fast because i had to know what was going to happen next! i actually cried towards the end. it's like the sixth sense without being creepy. i really want to see this movie!

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Aug 08, 2010 Chrisy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Never, until I opened Charlie St. Cloud, has a book interrupted my life. I stayed up late reading page after page, and once I gave in to sleep, I awoke early and snuck some pages in before MommyHood called me to duty. I ignored the laundry and forgot about the dishes because I needed to know what happen to Charlie, Sam and Tess. I was sucked into the world Ben Sherwood created and I loved every minute of it.

Okay, Zac Efron’s face on the cover made me pick up the book, but the story inside more t...more

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Oct 28, 2010 Jeannie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 09, 2011 Melissa rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-from-library

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 04, 2008 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: jens-personal-read

When Charlie St. Cloud was fifteen years old, a tragic accident that involved "borrowing" a neighbor's car, a trip to a ballgame, and an encounter with a semi-trailer on a bridge led to the death of his three years younger brother, Sam. In fact, Charlie was technically "dead" for minutes before his heart started beating again--no one knows for sure, but this might be why Charlie lives the life he does.

For Charlie, now twenty-eight, taking care of Waterside Cemetery is more than just a job. He's...more

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Sep 23, 2008 Jesse rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Someone who collects Precious Moments figurines.

Recommended to Jesse by: I got it for free when a friend moved.

Shelves: while-living-in-japan

I thought this book was pretty terrible. It was like if Nicholas Sparks and that guy who wrote The 5 People you Meet In Heaven got drunk, had a baby, and made the baby write a book. That being said, this baby, or author sure knows how to write for the masses. Its like he gathered every trite description of the afterlife/ghostly time spent on earth and crammed it into one book. But, I am sure that a lot of people would actually enjoy this book. It's an easy read, and the author does know how to k...more

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Dec 09, 2010 Marleen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

***3,5*** I don't know what I was expecting when I picked up this little book at the airport last summer. I finally got around to reading it and I was pleasantly surprised. This book is a beautiful story of the strong bond that can exist between brothers. The story of Charlie St. Cloud is embracing, emotional, enchanting even. Admittedly, it is a light and easy read, and I would have liked to have a little more depth, a little more flesh to the story overall, still, Ben Sherwood did an excellent...more

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Nov 22, 2012 Mark O. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Well what can I say?

Aside from being an easy read, the story is not truly realistic albeit fair. There are some deep drama scenes that set it apart from the other books that I've read.

Though not really an outstanding one (plotwise), it's the Afterword that blew my heart away.

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Jul 30, 2010 Kristie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a good one - I became intrigued by the movie trailer, then found out about the book. It was enjoyable, but not necessarily a book that I couldn't put down.

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Aug 06, 2010 January rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, love-story, mystery

This book is about two brothers that share a special bond. Life throws them a unexpected situation and the oldest brother can't figure out what to do with the miracle God gave him. God then throws Charlie another miracle and he has to choose between moving forward or holding onto something he can't seem to let go. This book is truly a wonderful story! It was a bit slow at first, but once I got into it I couldn't put it down. It is definately a tear jerker and will make you believe in miracles al...more

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Mar 28, 2013 Ashley Dix rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood
Charlie St. Cloud is a great story that most teens will deeply enjoy. It really focuses on Charlie St. Cloud and how he copes whenever he loses his little brother, Sam, in a car accident. They made a promise to each other that they were bound to keep. I personally think that this story could be related to some “real life” stories but it also has some fiction events in it.
Charlie St. Cloud lost his little brother in car accident. He constantly thinks it is his f...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Jaycie Will rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"Charlie St.Cloud" by Ben Sherwood was a heart-wrenching story about a man discovering the true meaning of death and love. Charlie (the main character) lost his beloved younger brother Sam and their dog in a car accident 13 years ago, and he was never able to move on. However, he was "gifted" with the ability to see the dead, so he visited his brother Sam every day to play baseball. Later on, he reunites with an old high school acquaintance, named Tess. Their relationship quickly blossoms, alth...more "Charlie St.Cloud" by Ben Sherwood was a heart-wrenching story about a man discovering the true meaning of death and love. Charlie (the main character) lost his beloved younger brother Sam and their dog in a car accident 13 years ago, and he was never able to move on. However, he was "gifted" with the ability to see the dead, so he visited his brother Sam every day to play baseball. Later on, he reunites with an old high school acquaintance, named Tess. Their relationship quickly blossoms, although something seems to be very wrong. Charlie has to go on an escapade and face up to all the problems he's been avoiding. In the end, he must make some "life" or "death" decisions.
This book was an amazing story, yet simple to read because of the use of everyday language such as, "Charlie let go of the rope and flew through the air." I found it to be very interesting and dramatic, yet mysterious and melancholy. I was hooked from the very beginning when Charlie lost his brother, and at no point in my time reading this did I ever become bored. It was intriguing to get stuck in the story of Charlie's life, but at the same time I felt bad because it was tragic how he lost Sam. One thing I wish was different in the book is how little it focused on Sam. He was a main part of the story, too, and I was always left wondering what he was doing when Charlie wasn't there. My favorite part was when Charlie found Tess "dead," because it made the story more interesting than it already was.
The main characters of this book are Charlie and Sam. I think Charlie was a really good person although his life was very mundane. He followed through with his promise to Sam. That proved his loyalty and love. Sam, on the other hand, was sassy, always making remarks like "How are we gonna get there? Fly?" Nevertheless, he had a sparkle of childlike innocence that was unmistakable. Right after the crash, all he was worried about was how upset his mother would be.
I would definitely recommend this book to anybody who likes adventures and doesn't mind a sad story. It is a great story because the decisions Charlie is faced with are dramatic and urgent when he finds out that Tess is stuck in the in-between of life and death. In the end, it made me feel so relieved that this sad story ended on an uplifting note. It's impossible to get bored with all the surprises this book has in store.
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Dec 04, 2012 Encruzilhadas Literárias rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: editorial-presença, catarina

Devo começar por dizer que este título me lembra o filme Ghost e não este livro. Em inglês o título da obra é The death and life of Charlie St. Cloud, traduzido à letra por A morte e vida de Charlie St. Cloud, um nome que sem dúvida faz mais justiça ao livro.
Este foi um livro que entrou em Portugal em força com a versão cinematográfica a estrear nos cinemas e com o já conhecido Zac Efron no papel mediático do jovem Charlie. Tirando os detalhes de sempre e o facto de sabermos que milagres são co...more Devo começar por dizer que este título me lembra o filme Ghost e não este livro. Em inglês o título da obra é The death and life of Charlie St. Cloud, traduzido à letra por A morte e vida de Charlie St. Cloud, um nome que sem dúvida faz mais justiça ao livro.
Este foi um livro que entrou em Portugal em força com a versão cinematográfica a estrear nos cinemas e com o já conhecido Zac Efron no papel mediático do jovem Charlie. Tirando os detalhes de sempre e o facto de sabermos que milagres são complicados, creio que o filme até fez bastante justiça ao livro, o que é uma situação rara.
A história é bastante poderosa, principalmente para pessoas que já perderam alguém que lhes era próximo. Quem é que tendo a possibilidade de estar com o irmão que partiu não a agarraria com unhas e dentes? Será que efectivamente podemos culpar Charlie por este ter posto uma pausa na sua vida? Quantas vezes boicotamos a nossa vida por medo do que aí vinha?
Devo confessar que este foi um livro que me fez pensar imenso. Tive de pousá-lo várias vezes e tentar perceber Charlie, tentar perceber se eu faria o que ele estava a fazer, se eu conseguia perceber o que ele estava a passar. Todo o enredo é misterioso e único e o Charlie é uma personagem da qual é fácil gostar pois percebemos a dor pela qual ele está a passar e percebemos o como ele está a aprender a lidar com ela.
O trabalho de Charlie é também bastante interessante e a maneira como a temática é tratada está na minha opinião com o seu q.b. de originalidade. A história de amor é simples e bonita e relembra-nos que por vezes apesar de serem precisos grandes feitos, eles são mais fáceis de fazer do que aquilo que pensamos.
Extremamente bem escrito e com uma riqueza de sentimentos impressionante O Espírito do Amor é sem dúvida um romance a recomendar e que em alguns pontos me lembro inclusivamente do livro, e filme, Visto do Céu. Tal como o livro do filme A Branca de Neve e o Caçador este é um livro que se pode dispensar a leitura caso se tenha visto o filme pois efectivamente andam muito perto de mãos dadas.
Embora deva confessar que no livro há certas situações que me parecem menos óbvias e portanto este deixe mais a adivinhar, o que para quem gosta de mistérios é o ideal. Um leitura sem dúvida recomendada. - Catarina
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Nov 11, 2012 Kelli rated it 4 of 5 stars

The book The Death and Life of Charlie St.Cloud is heart wrenching story of a young man and his struggle keeping a promise to his younger brother. Charlie and his younger brother, Sam, decided to sneak away one night to enjoy a Red Sox baseball game. On their way home they get into a fatal accident. Charlie gets rived by the paramedics, but Sam is not so lucky. As time passes Charlie realizes that he can see his brother and others how have died. Charlie takes a job at the cemetery where his bro...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Olivia rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people that like mediocre supernatural-like stories

I really didn't like this book. I had watched the movie before I read the book, and didn't enjoy it very much, but I thought that the book would be better. It wasn't. I think that it was worse actually.

I think it depends on your preferences, when it comes to genre, and, though I like the supernatural area, I don't prefer the ghost realm. Even with that, it just wasn't good. The romance wasn't very well-formed, and the plot with the romance was too vague. Sometimes, vague tones to novels works, b...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Lex rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a beautiful, haunting book about learning to let go whenever someone you believe you can't live without dies. In a small northeastern town, Charlie St. Cloud is a popular, carefree guy whose main dream is to play professional baseball for the Red Sox and his biggest love is his little brother Sam. But when Charlie makes a terrible mistake driving home from a baseball game with Sam, they end up in a horrible car crash. Charlie, after being resuscitated back to life in the ambulance, survi...more This is a beautiful, haunting book about learning to let go whenever someone you believe you can't live without dies. In a small northeastern town, Charlie St. Cloud is a popular, carefree guy whose main dream is to play professional baseball for the Red Sox and his biggest love is his little brother Sam. But when Charlie makes a terrible mistake driving home from a baseball game with Sam, they end up in a horrible car crash. Charlie, after being resuscitated back to life in the ambulance, survives; Sam does not. However, thanks to a promise, Charlie is still able to see the spirit of Sam and they play baseball together every night in the cemetery which Charlie manages for 13 years. Along comes Tess Carroll, a wild spirit of a woman whose true love is sailing. She comes into Charlie's life and makes him wonder if he hasn't wasted his second chance. How long is too long to hold onto someone who isn't even real anymore? Tess, too, wonders if she isn't running away from her own grief and her own fear of never finding true love.
Sherwood does an amazing job of creating beautiful, complex characters and exposing the true harshness of grief. The chemistry between Sam and Charlie is obvious; their bond is undeniable. Tess is a wildfire of a character that you pray and cheer for as she opens Charlie up again and exposes him to the life he's been ignoring. Sherwood's genius comes in how he tells the story, the introduction that starts with a first person narrative by the paramedic who saved Charlie's life then continues in a third-person story with insight from Tess, Sam, and Charlie in certain chapters.
The book is well-rounded and speaks to anyone whether you have lost someone close to you or not. It teaches the important lessons of cherishing the people you love because you never know when time will run out and also learning how to live and accept that you were left to continue living when the person you loved was not.
There is a bit of strangeness in the middle of the novel. To explain it would be a plot spoiler. Let me just say, that what happens is more acceptable and easier to comprehend in the film starring Zac Efron.
This is the second time I have read this book, and I will definitely read it again!(less)

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May 29, 2012 McKayla rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is about young man named Charlie. He gets in a crash with his little brother and his brother dies. Charlie promised his brother that he would never leave him, and he then realizes that he can see the ghosts of people who have already died. Charlie decides to work at a cemetery so he can be close to his brother.
This book had a lot more detail than the movie did, but books almost always do. The person that played Tess didn't look at all how I thought she would. Some things that they i...more

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Mar 30, 2012 Johanna rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud
by Ben Sherwood

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Fantasy

In a snug New England fishing village, Charlie St. Cloud tends the lawns and monuments of an ancient cemetery where his younger brother, Sam, is buried. After surviving the car accident that claimed his brother's life, Charlie is graced with an extraordinary gift: He can see, talk to, and even play catch with Sam's spirit. Into this magical world comes Tess Carroll, a captivating woman training for a solo sa...more The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud
by Ben Sherwood

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Fantasy

In a snug New England fishing village, Charlie St. Cloud tends the lawns and monuments of an ancient cemetery where his younger brother, Sam, is buried. After surviving the car accident that claimed his brother's life, Charlie is graced with an extraordinary gift: He can see, talk to, and even play catch with Sam's spirit. Into this magical world comes Tess Carroll, a captivating woman training for a solo sailing trip around the globe. Fate steers her boats into a treacherous storm that propels her into Charlie's life. Their beautiful and uncommon connection leads to a race against time and a choice between death and life, between the past and the future, between holding on an letting go -- and the discovery that miracles can happen if we simply open our hearts.

Charlie suffers the lose of his younger brother, separation from his mother, and a dead-end job all for the reason of keeping a promise. A promise he made to Sam, his brother, when they both died in a car wreak. Yet, Charlie was brought back to life by a paramedic that fateful night for a second chance at life. A new life he has no idea what to do with. Since he already crossed over once, he's know graced with the ability to see the newly dead. For thirteen years, he remains a fixture in Marblehead, Massachusetts by working at the Waterside cemetery. "Now twenty-eight, Charlie had spent his adult years looking after the dead and the living of Waterside. He had sacrificed greatly to keep his word to Sam. He had given up on big dreams . . . " (pg. 47) But, that all changes when the appealing minor celebrity in town, Tess Carroll, walks into his life. After a sweet love affair blooms between the two, tragedy strikes in a why that could tear them apart forever. Yet, Charlie is determined to not give up on Tess, even if that means breaking his promise with Sam.

You may be one of those people that saw the tear-jerking trailer on TV about the movie Charlie St. Cloud and thought . . . lame, but you'd be wrong. I actually watched the movie on the big screen first (loved it!) and went out and grabbed the book second. Books are always better than their movie adaptions and this is one that doesn't falter on that fact. I enjoyed the sweet connection between Tess and Charlie and the book just extends on their relationship. I have the say, the brother connection was adorable in the movie, but Sam's character in the book gets more evolved and Tess gets a lot more interaction as well. Overall, I kept wanting more from everyone when I finished The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud. It was really enjoyable, sweet, and had just the perfect touch of silliness to make this a great summer read.

Likes: I wish my town had a Bella Hooper "The Woman Who Listens".

Dislikes: This book points out the fact that too many good people die a little when they lose someone they love. Which is a sad, but true fact.(less)

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Mar 07, 2012 04kianah rated it 4 of 5 stars

The book Charlie St. Cloud is a very heartwarming, moving, and touching story about life. The story gives you hope for the future. Losing a loved one is never easy. For Charlie, it was not only his brother but his best friend.
Sam was about ten years younger than Charlie, but that didn't stop them from having the time of their lives together. Well that all ended one Friday night. We all know what it's like to be sitting at home on a weekend with nothing to do. Sam just couldn't take it anymore...more The book Charlie St. Cloud is a very heartwarming, moving, and touching story about life. The story gives you hope for the future. Losing a loved one is never easy. For Charlie, it was not only his brother but his best friend.
Sam was about ten years younger than Charlie, but that didn't stop them from having the time of their lives together. Well that all ended one Friday night. We all know what it's like to be sitting at home on a weekend with nothing to do. Sam just couldn't take it anymore, so he finally convinced Charlie to get up and go somewhere. Mom was out and the neighbor was out of town. Charlie didn't have a car... But Mrs. Pung next door did. And being that she was out of town made it easy for Charlie's rebellious mind to jump to the idea to take it. They headed to a MLB game. On their way home they got into a serious car wreck. Charlie being the only survivor. For a while Charlie went a little insane. He had never imagined what he'd do if he lost Sam. Until one day when he was taking a walk in the woods to give himself time to think, he ran into his brother. How is this possible? Was he dreaming? Charlie had discovered that he could see and talk to his diseased brother, as if he had never left. But only Charlie could do so. Which became quite a problem when he met Tess, a sailor girl. They begin to fall in love with each other and sooner or later it all boils down to the choice of life and death, between the past and the future, and between holding on and letting go. Charlie comes to the decision, with Sam's help of course, that he needs to live his own life. He finds out the hard way that the pain is not on the day of missing our dear ones. The pain is really when you live without them but with their presence in your mind.
In this life, there are things that we don't want to happen, but we have to accept. Things we don't want to know, but have to learn. And people we can't live without, but have to let go. I would highly recommend this book to anyone searching for a miracle in life. Or even just in need of comfort; that you are not the only one that has to experience the agony of losing something so close to your heart. I really enjoyed it, and I'm sure you would too!
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Feb 23, 2012 Sierra rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What an inspiring book! Last year I read about 75% of this book only to have it tucked away on my bookshelf due to some health issues at the time. However, I decided to pick this book back up yesterday and after reviewing over the rest of the book I had previously read, I finished it up! I'm really glad I did because this is a great story about letting go. Even though this book dives deep into the spiritual realm of ghosts, it proves a point that one can live their life after losing something th...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Abby rated it 4 of 5 stars

"You know, where it says there's a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven. A time to weep and laugh, to love and hate, to search and give up." He paused. "Trust me Charlie. The Bible got it wrong. There isn't time in am man's life for everything. There isn't a season for every activity . . . I don't want to rest. I want to live." He shook his head. "But there isn't time for that. Know what I mean?" - Charlie St. Cloud.
Charlie St. Cloud is about a boy you gets a second...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

I started this book about a year ago and lost my copy. I cleaned out my closet this week and found it with my bookmark still in it and finished the last few chapters. For those that saw the movie, it was pretty terrible. I only enjoyed looking at Zach Efron for an hour and a half.

If you like Nicholas Sparks books, this book is for you. In my opinion, very few men can capture a love story in a way a woman would really enjoy it. Ben Sherwood is one of those men. Charlie is a character the reader...more

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Nov 09, 2011 bc879 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: became-movies

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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About Ben Sherwood

Ben Sherwood is a bestselling author, award-winning journalist and founder of TheSurvivorsClub.org. From 2004 to 2006, he worked as executive producer of ABC’s Good Morning America during the two most successful seasons in the program’s history. Sherwood guided prize-winning coverage of the tsunami in Southeast Asia, the devastation of hurricane Katrina, and the presidential election of 2004

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Der lange Abschied des Charlie St. Cloud

The Zero Game / The Fire Baby / The Promise Of A Lie / The Death And Life Of Charlie St. Cloud

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“That's death and life, you see. We all shine on. You just have to release your hearts, alert your senses, and pay attention. A leaf, a star, a song, a laugh. Notice all the little things, because somebody is reaching out to you. Qualcuno ti ama. Somebody loves you.” — 127 people liked it

“Trust your heart if the seas catch fire and live by love though the stars walk backwards.” — 51 people liked it

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