The Bookshelf

Title: The Wedding

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Author: Nicholas Sparks

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Genre: Fiction, Romance

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Year of Publication: 2003

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My Rating: 4/5 

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    It’s summer so of course I had to indulge myself in a Nicholas Sparks romance..One must always have an exquisite feel-good book to read in the summer. I read this book fairly fast; when I first started, I thought to myself that it was too good to be true--the plot is like one you would find whilst watching “The Hallmark Channel”: the plot is in the title and nothing goes wrong that can’t be fixed within a few minutes. However, once I finished the book I was actually smiling at 9:30PM craving to watch a romantic comedy that would add on to this feeling of elation.

     The book is about a husband, Wilson, who believes his wife, Jane, has fallen out of love with him over the years because he has been an unintentional neglectful husband. Their daughter, Anna, gets engaged and wants to have their wedding sooner than Jane would like; the book shows how planning a wedding brings family together.  

     Overall, if you’re looking for a light read that’s too good to be true, pick this sucker up. This book has been a marvelous escape. I messaged my sister, Elizabeth, and we were gushing about the book. She thought so highly of this book, as well, having read it multiple times. Definitely read this ‘sequel’ to The Notebook. I don’t know if I’m biased because my family is preparing for a wedding as well, but goodness, it got me in some high spirits!

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Elizabeth Pattershall says: The Wedding is an epic tale of both new love and old love. It's a story that will stay in your heart for years to come. It proves that, even at wit's end, love comes through in ways that you never imagined. This book is a must read for anyone who believes in hope, patience, determination, and the profound entity of unconditional love. 

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Elizabeth’s rating: 4.8/5

Title: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Author: Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Genre: Historical Fiction

Year of Publication: 2008

My Rating: 5/5

    The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows is one of the most charming books I have read in a very long time--if not the most charming book. The book takes place post-World War II in the Channel Islands; Juliet, the main character, is searching for a topic to write her next book on, and she begins to write about the Occupation during the war on the island of Guernsey. She collects stories from the inhabitants of the island, and she discovers lifelong friendships along the way. The book is written completely in the form of letters. It was so charming being able to read 274 pages of letters from one character to another and have those letters be the narrative of the plot. At first I was a little hesitant, but I found this form made me feel like I was good friends with the characters as well.

    The characters were so beautiful--beautiful in the sense that their personalities and kindness made them so beautiful and familial. This is another great read for the summer! I absolutely recommend this book because the characters will make you feel like you’ve found a second home in their homes. This was another book that made me smile at the end; I remember smiling at 11:40PM at night, filling up my cup of tea, and saying to myself “Wow. What an amazing book.”

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Jack Croughwell says: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society has distilled charm. Isolated it down to its base components and delivered it to us so we can live in the world and love the people there without hesitation. With its lovable ensemble and compelling setting of a Post-WWII Island of Guernsey, the reader roots in every minute detail of the story and hands themselves over to its delights and fascinations. Would recommend to anyone interested in a postwar slice-of-life story or even anyone who has ever fallen in love with a person, place, or book. 

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Jack's Rating: 5/5