Nights in Rodanthe

Egads, you're thinking. She's reading Nicholas Sparks?!?! Well, yeah, I did. Everyone's entitled to some book candy once in a while, right?

Actually, I ran out of books and out of time to head to my public library to get whatever is next on my list. So a few weeks ago I posted that my next book chat would be about an Eli Wiesel book. Surprise! Actually, I only got a few pages into it while in a pain induced delirium and then it was due and didn't have the fortitude to start over again. It came across as pretty abstract at the beginning, and at the time, I was totally not in that mind frame. Instead, I meandered down to my school library a few days later and figuratively begged for something to read. While a lovely, sweet soul, our librarian missed the mark with me; she tried to get me into some teen sci-fi. Um, nope. I barely acknowledge adult sci-fi. It's so...SCI FI. Ick. I've read Asimov, once. And I've befriended Bradbury and Wells at times (albeit by default that I have to teach them). At this point in my life, that's enough.

When I found Nicholas Sparks, it was meant to be at that moment on that day. He's actually been on my reading list more lately because right now I teach a class that literally is all about reading for the sole purpose of pleasure. I get to read a lot of journaling about what the kids are reading, which is a lot of Stephen King and Nicholas Sparks. The rom-com fan in me adores a good romance, even one that is drenched in the schmaltz. I chose Nights in Rodanthe simply based on the movie. Loved it. Love Richard Gere. Love Diane Lane.

Liked the book okay. Sparks isn't ever going to be mistaken for a really good writer. But he's productive, and he's consistent, so that works in today's publishing world. Nicholas Sparks is a brand now, not unlike Stephen King or J. K. Rowling for that matter. But, I appreciate that his writing is fairly clean and honest even if far fetched at times. And that book read seriously quickly, like I-read-this-in-the-space-of-one-week-reading-primarily-during-the-47-minute-class-period-every-day. (At this point, if you're a fan of reading, you should be slightly envious that this class is in my teaching load this semester. It's heavy on me reading and light on me teaching because it's designed to be that way, not because I'm a pathetic excuse of a teacher.)

Enjoyable. Fairly forgettable. I liked the movie better. Will probably read another one or two of Sparks's books simply because they're so convenient to read during this class.

The best part of the book is...the name of the town. I adore it. Rodanthe. Very New England/Cape Cod style housing/bed & breakfast-y.

Teaser for next month's book chat: no idea! I'm not currently reading anything except my computer screen lately. Suggestions???