For the love of Nicholas Sparks

Male eyes roll whenever they hear "Oh, I love The Notebook!"
But if you really paid attention guys, you would realise that Nicholas Sparks isn't always about candlelit dinners and rose petals, as I was reminded after watching The Notebook on Saturday night, curled up by the fire.
I had forgotten just how quirky and loveable Allie and Noah were, and fell in love with the story all over again. So I thought I would just remind you, especially those who have lost faith in love, that anything associated with the name Nicholas Sparks will renew your faith.
Although most of his stories have tragic, tear-jerking endings, his ability to tell a love story as it is from beginning to end is among some of the best.
Both the books and the movies have you laughing and crying, sometimes at the same time, and in the end, you wouldn't change a thing.
Love hurts. But would you rather feel the pain of love or spend your life feeling nothing at all?
I personally recommend The Notebook and Dear John as both books and movies. I've also read The Guardian, Nights in Rodanthe, and Message in a Bottle, and I plan to read A Walk to Remember next.

What are your favourites?

The best books-to-movies

There is nothing worse than reading a book, loving it, then going to see it at the movies and being disapointed because the directors just DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE BOOK!

Even more frustrating is when they change little details unnecessarily, like when they change where a person is from or their age or their hair colour, even though it has no impact on the story.

I loved the three following books, and there is something so satisfying about getting a picture in your head while reading a book, and seeing it played out perfectly on-screen. What are your favourites?

The Time Traveller's Wife
Book: Written by Audrey Niffenger
Movie: Directed by Robert Schwentke
The characters, the setting, the beautiful house in Chicago, the emotion, mirrored the book perfectly. Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana were a perfect Clare and Henry. I have this movie on DVD and watch it all the time. Although some bits were missed, that understandably couldn't be helped, as there were so many little detailed side stories that a two-hour movie simply can't fit in. But that's the glory of the book, you get all those details at your own pace.

Dear John
Book: Written by Nicholas Sparks
Movie: Directed by Lasse Halstrom
The thing I loved about this one was the characters. Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried were exactly what I imagined John and Savannah to be like. Like Nicholas Sparks' The Notebook, the movie has definately done justice to the book, bringing tears to the eyes and warming hearts.



Memoirs of a Geisha
Book: Written by Arthur Golden
Movie: Directed by Rob Marshall
It's been awhile since I read this book or watched this movie, but I still remember both vividly. I have never been to Japan, but what I imagined when I was reading the book, suprisingly, was the same in the movie. The characters were also very well done. If you haven't read Memoirs of a Geisha, I highly recommend it - it must have been about 3-4 years since I read it and it's still on the top lists in some bookstores, so that's got to say something