How do you feel about Nicholas Sparks?

[Erin]

Have you read any of Nicholas Sparks' novels or seen any of the movies? How did you like them?

[Tahleen]

I've only read A Walk to Remember, and I remember liking it a lot. I've never seen the movie though; my younger brother TOTALLY ruined it for me (I hadn't read the book at this point in time). I had NO idea how it ended. But that's all I can say about it. A lot of people tell me he's pretty corny at times.

[Erin]

He has this one book called "Dear John", and they're making it into a movie. The book is amazing.

What about Nights in Rodanthe? How did you like that movie if you've seen it?

And personally, I love Nicholas Sparks' work, but all his books seem to have a bad ending, I don't understand why he does that. Some books don't, but P.S. I Love You, A Walk To Remember, I don't like the endings.

[Tahleen]

Oh man, he wrote P.S. I Love You too? My 19-year-old major macho brother LOVES that movie. He also loves the movie Fried Green Tomatoes which I love teasing him about, I got it for him for Christmas as a joke. :)

[Erin]

Fried Green Tomatoes is a good book. And movie! Its funny and it made me appreciate old people in a way..haha. Even though i already did appreciate them. Hes written a bunch of books that have turned into movies.

[Kristen]

Are you ready for this? I've read to date A Walk to Remember, Message In a Bottle, The Notebook, Dear John, At First Sight, and Bend In the Road. I've seen the movies The Notebook, Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember and Nights in Rodanthe.

Out of all the books, I liked At First Sight the best. Dear John was a close second. The movie The Notebook is in my top ten of movies. The books are typically better than the movie (other than the Notebook) - I saw the "Nights in Rodanthe" movie and I hated it. The book was soooo much better

I like his writing. It's easy to get into and get sucked in. I think I may take a "Nicholas Sparks" break though, I'm getting burned out.

[Courtney]

I love Nicholas Sparks!! I thought the Notebook which a much better book than movie! I've been dying to read The Lucky One. I've vowed to read all the Nicholas Sparks books! :)

The Notebook, At First Sight, Dear John, and The Guardian are my faves!

Erin, I do not believe that Nicholas Sparks wrote P.S. I Love You. I believe that was Cecelia Ahern.

[Erin]

Courtney-
Are you sure he didn't write it? I thought he did. hmmm...thanks.

Kristen-
WOW You're read a lot of his books! Congrats!
I've mostly just seen the movies.

[Erin]

Hey Courtney, never mind. I'm sorry. You're right. Nicholas Sparks didn't write P.S. I Love You. Thank you. :)

[Kat (A Journey In Reading)]

I've read Nights in Rodanthe, The Notebook and The Wedding....

Have seen A Walk to Remember, The Notebook, The Guardian and Message in a Bottle...........

I am not a big fan of romance books.... They were ok for me. I did however, love the movie The Guardian.

[Lisa]

I've read most of his books. They are a nice, easy reading type of book to grab after a more intense one. It's been a while, but I remember really enjoying The Rescue. My in person book club read Three Weeks with My Brother last year and found it fairly interesting. I haven't seen the movies - except for bits and pieces of A Walk to Remember. I find in most instances a book is always better than its movie!

[Tera, First Chick]

I've read The Notebook (which I adored) and The Gaurdian (which was okay).
Saw the Notebook and still loved it. Saw Walk To Remember and enjoyed it but didnt love it. HATED message in a bottle.

[Rachel]

I have read A Walk to Remember (loved the book and movie- but read and saw them very far apart from one another), The Guardian, A Bend in the Road, and The Lucky One. And The Lucky One is my FAVORITE! I want to marry Logan...too bad I'm already married and he isn't real. Oh and Nights in Rodanthe ( I didn't care for this one, I felt like it just lacked everything..it was very short)

[Brandie]

I am a HUGE Nicholas Sparks fan. He is my favorite author of all time. Yes, it's corny romance, but I love it regardless. And not all of his books have sad endings. The Guardian and The Notebook are my favorites. I own and read all of his books except for the Non-Fiction book about him and his brother. I also loved The Notebook movie and A Walk to Remember movie. I am excited to rent Nights in Rodanthe because I didn't get to see it in theaters. There's only a few of his books that I didn't 'love' but for the most part - I think he's amazing!

[Holli]

Brandie, I didn't like Nights in Rodanthe when I saw it and I had really high hopes for it too.:( See it though and tell me what you think......

I started At First Sight but didn't really get into it

I read The Guardian and liked it alot

Message In A Bottle was a great book and just an ok movie

I saw Nights In Rodanthe and it sucked but The Notebook is one of my very favorite movies and A Walk To Remember was so very sad!! I haven't read any of those as books though.

[Cindy]

Saw A Walk to Remember and cried and cried! Since that movie, I haven't read any his latest books. I think I have to be in the right mood for a romance/tear jerker, or maybe I'm too emotional!

[Thauna]

I haven't read any of his books...what a slacker, uh?!? Hmmm, maybe I should try one?

I've seen The Notebook, A Walk to Rember, Message in a Bottle...I like happy endings so even though I enjoyed the movies, well you know. Message broke my heart! Don't wait to tell someone you love them. I want a love like the Notebook...so sweet.

I have Nights in Rodanthe on my Netflex queue.

[Erin]

I really liked all the movies and the books. Although Nights in Rodanthe, I cried my eyes out during the movie. I'm just a sap. :)

I'm looking forward to Dear John. I thought it was a good book.

[Kristen]

This is the first I've heard of "Dear John" movie. I loved the book so much - my favorite one of Sparks, but I'm not sure if the movie is just going to be another downer like "Nights in Rodanthe". But of course, just like any movie based on one of his books, I'll be there watching it the first weekend it comes out! LOL

Oh, I forgot. I read "The Guardian" too! LOL It was good, I had a hard time getting into it, and I hated what happened to the great dane. BOO!

[Erin]

Yeah, I was looking up Channing Tatum on the internet and one of the movies that he's doing that is suppose to come out is "Dear John". He's playing John. And the ditzy blonde from Mean Girls is playing Savannah.

[Dolly]

I like the books by Sparks, but I tend to read quite a few different books in-between them as I don't like to read them back to back for some reason.

[Erin]

I dont' really like to read an author's books back to back either unless they're part of a series. idk..i'm weird.

[Monika]

He is one of my favorite when it comes to romantic books, or books that bring out a lot of emotion...I laugh, smirk, cry, get mad at my own husband for not being as romantic (kidding of course)...

The Wedding was one of the cutest books I have ever read!

I haven't read all of his books, but between myself and my sister I think we have a pretty good collection of his books, and I just need to sit down and get to them

[Erin]

I wish i had more of his books. I need to go to the bookstore and get them. I haven't read some of the books that i was to read.

[Allison]

Is it just me, or does Nicholas Sparks always seem to write for the screen, rather than as an author? I just feel like his books end up being better movies, sometimes. Although, my favorite by him is At First Sight, and that's not a movie (yet).

[Faith]

what i like about the sad endings of his books is that he gives purpose to the deaths. i feel sad that they don't end happily ever after but i also feel so much more for the characters and their struggle for that happiness. it feels more real to me the way they end. and i love that they find peace in themselves. not just from each other....they seem to open up a part of their true selves to each other even if it is dark, scared, fearful, childlike, artistic, young, old...and the most important is that, that person has to trust another person with that part of their soul....and that character embraces that true self and lets that keep them alive and happy and at peace with what happens. even though life goes on and they no longer have that person in their life.

i also like how ordinary most of his characters are. they have their faults, their prejudice, their ordinary thoughts and lives...for me i feel like i can relate to the characters more even if i am nothing like them just because i believe that they could actually exist somewhere out there.

[[deleted user]]

QUTOE: Is it just me, or does Nicholas Sparks always seem to write for the screen, rather than as an author? I just feel like his books end up being better movies, sometimes. Although, my favorite by him is At First Sight, and that's not a movie (yet).

I totally agree Allison, I stopped reading and just enjoy the movies!

[Erin]

You know Katie. I don't get to read that much of Nicholas Sparks' books, but I do get to see the movies all the time, and you and Allison are right.

But I think my favorite part of Nicolas Sparks, is that he's from North Carolina (which is where I'm from) and all his books are written from NC, and all his movies are filmed here too. I think that's amazing. :)

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

Fun to see that there are so many others here who read Nicholas Sparks books. I have read many. I actually got hooked because of the movie The Notebook, which I absolutely love. And in that case, I personally think the movie is much better than the book. I've also read A Walk to Remember, The Guardian, A Bend in the Road, The Rescue, The Wedding, Nights in Rodanthe, Message in a Bottle, True Believer, At First Sight, The Choice, and The Lucky One.
For me his books are nice easy fun sappy reads, when I want something easy to just get lost in a quick love story to escape. Nothing heavy, nothing you have to think about.

[KrisT]

I have read a few of his and the one non-fiction with his brother. I like most of them but they do tend to get a bit sappy. I have only seen a few of the movies but you know....I wish they would come up with new original movies instead of making all books into movies (it seems). I like my imagination too much to always see what someone else thinks the books should be like...Anybody with me on that??

[Brittany]

I own The Notebook and The Wedding. The second is basically the sequel to the first. They are good- quick, easy, mushy reads.

I also own the DVDs for Notebook and Walk to Remember. The Notebook was the first movie DH and I ever watched together, way back on our 3rd date. I think the movie is far better than the book.

[Erin]

KrisT wrote: "I have read a few of his and the one non-fiction with his brother. I like most of them but they do tend to get a bit sappy. I have only seen a few of the movies but you know....I wish they would co..."

I totally agree with that. For example, the Twilight books, I heard a lot of people got dissapointed with the movie because they expected too much from the book. They expected it to be exactly like the book, but they are suppose to be different. Personally, I enjoyed the movie and all the books. I'm not obsessed with them, but I did enjoy them. And like, most movies, I think they're just running out of ideas for things to do. Because now they're doing a remake of Footloose, but with Zack Efron as Ren McCormic. Now that I believe is TOTALLY GAY! You can't redo a classic.

[Robyn]

I like Nicholas Sparks. i do agree with those who say his stuff gets a little sappy. I won't read his books back to back because I'm just not that into romancy-sappy books. I have a bookshelf just for NS here on GR. The only one that I've read so far and didn't really like was True Believer.

The first NS book I read was Message in a Bottle and I think it is still my favorite although.....now I'm starting to think about how much I liked others. LOL

[Katie]

I've only read 2: Message in a Bottle & The Rescue. I don't love them, but I don't hate them. I have several more on my shelves to read. I have to be in the mood for them.

[Erin]

The next book that I want to read next by NS is The Lucky One or The Choice. To anyone who has read it, are they worth reading?? Are they too sappy or are they pretty good?

[Cyndi]

I love Nicholas Sparks. I used to buy his books the minute they released and read them immediately. Lately, I just haven't been able to do that. I do have The Lucky One and The Choice and haven't gotten to them yet.

[Erin]

Cyndi, you'll probably read them before I do, so if you could, please let me know how they turn out before I read them. Thanks!

[Robyn]

Erin - I read The Choice - nicolas sparks and it is worth the read! You'll easily get it read over a weekend. Total tear jerker and something you will be thinking about for days but a good book.
I have not read The Lucky One

[Erin]

Thanks Roxy. Actually one of my friends just read that book and she told me I should read it too. Me and her love Nicolas Sparks books. But I did just get done reading "Love Play" by Rosemary Rogers. It was quite...how should I put this...almost annoying. Have you ever seen a soap opera and just start yelling at the person because you see something or know something that, that person doesn't. It drives me crazy but it makes it such a good book.

[Robyn]

So wait, did you like Love Play? I'm confused. I do hate when characters do see the blattenly (sp) obvious.

[Cathie]

i read one or two of his books a long time ago and saw one of the movies, but way to sad for me. i am an emotional one too and need funny, lots of funny! i do like intense thrillers though too...

[Sydney]

I've read a lot of his books, but honestly grew tired of his gut wrenching endings. I don't always need a happy ending, but his books are starting to border on formulaic. I really liked the book he wrote with his brother, "Three Weeks with My Brother." It was about a trip he and his brother took around the world. It was amazing! I liked the movie versions of "The Notebook" and "A Walk to Remember." But I think I'm pretty much done reading his books now.

[Angela]

I think I have read all of his fiction books. I really love him, but True Believer and At First Sight were probably my least faves. I can't wait until the next one comes out.

[MJ]

I am not a fan. I have read a number of his books and I try to like them but I dont. I am not a fan of the movies either.

[Barbara]

I have read alot of his books...after I finish one, and I have been balwing, my eyes are red and puffy, my nose is red and running, my husband always asks, "whats wrong?". When I tell him he asks, "Why do you do that to yourself?" I haven't read any of his newer ones, my own life makes me cry enough lately! But I think he definately has a following. After reading the other posts I think then next book of his I read will be Three Weeks With My Brother about their trip around the world...since I know they are both living I could make it through with out my usual reaction to his books.

[Sarah]

ok so I loved the Notebook movie. hated the book!! I just don't like his style of writing.

there was an article in entertainment weekly (or some such mag) about him. he said that his brother inlaw once asked a woman whether or not she like Sparks' books. (presumably because he saw her reading) she said no, she hated them. end of that conversation! but Sparks told the interviewer that he gets that alot. the people not liking his books thing. Sparks then went on to say something to the effect of: 15 bestsellers in 15 years, I must be doing somethin g right.

[Robyn]

I think you can "hate" a book even though you are really enjoying it. I can get like that with NS books and Jodi Picoult. They can be so emotional sometimes and even though you know that go in.....its hard to let yourself feel that much sometimes.

[Peanut]

Icky poo. I haven't enjoyed a single thing by him so I stopped reading his stuff.