Friday, January 15, 2010

The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks Giveaway and Review



Here's what the Publishers have to say,

Seventeen year old Veronica "Ronnie" Miller's life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alientated from her parents, especially her father...until her mother decides it would be in everyone's best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie's father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church.

Have a book group? Feel Free to use this guide.
1. Ronnie is a difficult teenager who is prone to acting out and is alienated from both her parents at the start of the novel. Were you rebellious as a teenager? How was this manifested? On the other side, have you ever had to deal with a rebellious teenager? Did Ronnie’s behavior touch a nerve?

2. What do you think about the very different approaches to parenting taken by Ronnie’s mother and father? Do you think Ronnie’s mother is too intrusive or can you understand her relationship with Ronnie? Do you think Ronnie’s father is too absent, or can you understand why the relationship is the way it is?

3. Early in the novel we learn that Ronnie was a piano prodigy who performed at Carnegie Hall when she was thirteen. However, when we meet Ronnie she hasn’t played in many years and she’s sworn to never play the piano again. Why does Ronnie feel this way? Who do you think Ronnie hurts more by not playing the piano, herself or her father?

4. Reflecting back on his life, Steve wonders: “Was it still possible for someone like him to experience the presence of God?” Why does Steve ask himself this? What role do religion and belief play in this novel? How would you characterize Steve’s religious faith?

5. Why does Will fall for Ronnie? Can you understand the attraction from both Ronnie’s and Will’s point of view?

6. What do you make of Blaze? How would you characterize her relationship with Marcus? Have you ever been in a relationship that was not particularly healthy? Did you stay in the relationship? If so, why?

7. Ronnie and Will fall in love very quickly over the course of the summer. Have you ever had a summer romance that became something more than a fling?

8. This novel is, in large part, about loyalty and trust. Which characters exhibit the most trustworthiness and which exhibit the least? How does a betrayal of trust affect various relationships within the novel?

9. In the middle of the novel, Will asks Ronnie how far she would go to protect a friend. Why does Will ask Ronnie this? How far would you go to protect a friend?

10. How are Jonah and Ronnie affected by their parents’ divorce? What effect does divorce have on children, in your experience?

11. Both Will and Ronnie come from families that have certain expectations of them. How do these familial expectations shape them and in what ways do they reject these expectations?

12. Why does Ronnie get angry at Will toward the end of the novel? Do you think her anger is justified?

13. What do you think of the choices Steve and Kim make as parents? Do you think they were right in keeping certain things secret from their children?

14. Ronnie makes an important choice at the end of the novel. Would you have made the same choice if you were in her position?

15. In what ways does Ronnie change over the course of the novel? In what ways does she stay the same?












Author Bio

Nicholas Charles Sparks was born in Omaha, Nebraska on December 31, 1965. As a child, he lived in Minnesota, Los Angeles, and Grand Island, Nebraska, finally settling in Fair Oaks, California at the age of eight. He lived in Fair Oaks through high school, graduated valedictorian in 1984, and received a full track scholarship to the University of Notre Dame.

After breaking the Notre Dame school record as part of a relay team in 1985 as a freshman (a record which still stands), he was injured and spent the summer recovering. During that summer, he wrote his first novel, though it was never published. He majored in Business Finance and graduated with high honors in 1988.

He and his wife Catherine, who met on spring break in 1988, were married in July, 1989. While living in Sacramento, he wrote his second novel that same year, though again, it wasn't published. In 1990, he collaborated on a book with Billy Mills, the Olympic Gold Medalist and it was published by Feather Publishing before later being picked up by Random House. (It was recently re-issued by Hay House Books.) Though it received scant publicity, sales topped 50,000 copies in the first year of release.

He began selling pharmaceuticals and moved from Sacramento, California to North Carolina in 1992. In 1994, at the age of 28, he wrote The Notebook over a period of six months. In October, 1995, rights to The Notebook were sold to Warner Books. It was published in October, 1996, and he followed that with Message in a Bottle (1998), A Walk to Remember (1999), The Rescue (2000), A Bend in the Road (2001), and Nights in Rodanthe (2002), The Guardian (2003), The Wedding (2003), Three Weeks with my Brother (2004), True Believer (2005), At First Sight (2005), Dear John (2006), The Choice (2007), and The Lucky One (2008). All were domestic and international best sellers and were translated into more than 40 languages. His newest book, The Last Song will be made into a movie starring Miley Cyrus, in theaters in 2010.

The movie version of Message in a Bottle was released in 1999, A Walk to Remember was released in 2002, and The Notebook was released in 2004. The average domestic box office gross per film was $56 million -- with another $100 million in DVD sales—making the novels by Nicholas Sparks one of the most successful franchises in Hollywood. The film version of Nights in Rodanthe was released in the fall of 2008 and starred Diane Lane and Richard Gere. Forthcoming movie adaptations of Nicholas Sparks' books include Dear John, The Lucky One and The Last Song.

Nichols Sparks is an avid athlete who runs daily, lifts weights regularly, and competes in Tae Kwon Do. He attends church regularly and reads approximately 125 books a year. He contributes to a variety of local and national charities, and is a major contributor to the Creative Writing Program (MFA) at the University of Notre Dame, where he provides scholarships, internships, and a fellowship annually.

He lives in North Carolina with his wife and children.


Visit the Authors website HERE


I will be giving away 3 copies on February 16
Contest Starts January 14
To enter leave a comment with your name, a valid email address and the name of your favorite Nicholas Sparks book.

Giveaway thanks to Hachette Book Group, Thanks Valerie

44 comments:

Unknown said...

My favorite Nicolas Sparks book is The Notebook.
amandarwest at gmaildotcom

Anonymous said...

My favorite would be The Notebook and A Walk TO Remember.

Trace
traceatyahoodot.com

Marjorie/cenya2 said...

I have never read a book by this author,
perhaps I could win this one and start
to read them.

cenya2 at hotmail dot com

mindy said...

the note book would have to be my favorite thanks for the giveaway minsthins at optonline dot net

scottsgal said...

I'd say Message in a Bottle is my fave
msboatgal at aol.com

Simply Stacie said...

Mine would be The Notebook.

simplystacieblog at gmail dot com

Mary said...

This is the only Sparks book that I haven't read yet! My favorite is The Notebook with The Wedding a close second.

mamie316(at)sbcglobal(dot)net

Helen S said...

Message in a Bottle is my favorite!
helencutie06@aol.com

FlyFreeMyBooks said...

While The Notebook is my favorite Sparks movie, I think my favorite is The Guardian.
ludeluh(at)yahoo(dot)com

Unknown said...

Mine would be The Notebook.

shopgurl101@gmail.com

Susan said...

I love the Lucky One

Anonymous said...

Just one favorite? ... Dear John. It's a heartbreaker and emotionally challenging.

thebookvixen at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

I've read many books by Mr. Sparks... Of course I love 'The Notebook' but after finishing, 'Dear John' I think my favourite has changed. Please accept this as my entry. Thank you!

Aliya D.
aliyadaya(at)shaw(dot)ca

Anonymous said...

enter me please.
I loved Nights in Roedanthe

Nycole

Marjorie/cenya2 said...

I just bought Nights in Roedanthe and I am
looking forward to reading it.
I have not read any novel by him yet.

cenya2 at hotmail dot com

Jeni said...

My fav was the Notebook
gigglez5@gmail.com

Emma said...

My favorite Nicolas Sparks book is The Wedding. Please enter me in the giveaway.augustlily06(at)aim(dot)com.Thank you.

spynaert said...

please enter me
sean pynaert
spynaert@gmail.com
fave book: message in a bottle

Anonymous said...

I just read Dear John by Nicholas Sparks and really enjoyed it. Would love to win this book!

rhoneygtn at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

My absolute favourite book by Nicholas Sparks is A Walk to Remember. I would love to be entered in your draw. Thanks.
wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com

D Q said...

My favorite is The Notebook.
djeanq(at)gmail(dot)com

Karen B said...

My favorite is The Notebook.

Sandra K321 said...

I would have to say so far it would be The Notebook.
seknobloch(at)gmail(dot)com

jemscout425 said...

my faves are the notebook & a walk to remember
pksanddancer(at)yahoo(dot)com

sweepmom said...

My favorite Nicholas Sparks book is "The Notebook".

Chip said...

The Notebook

chipdip2010(at)hotmail(dot)com

bison61 said...

My favorite is The Notebook

tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

Reading said...

Please count me in. My fav Nicholas Sparks book is Dear John.

lizzi0915 at aol dot com

Retsbar2Go said...

Message in a Bottle for me.
with so many sayin Notebook, I have to get that one and read it too!

retsbar2go AT gmail DOT com

Marianna said...

The Notebook
Marianna
mannasweeps (at))) gmaildotcom

Jennifer said...

I think my favorite would have to be The Notebook.

mattandjen[at]gmail.com

Jaime said...

My fave was The Notebook, book and movie
copperllama at yahoo dot com

Ellie Wright said...

My favorite was The Notebook. Thanks for the giveaway.
eswright18 at gmail dot com

MaMa said...

I just read Dear John & this is definitely my favorite Spark's book. I'd love to read The Last Song...thanks for hosting!
Lisa
mistyfuji (at) yahoo (dot) com

Anita Yancey said...

This book sounds good, I'd love to read it. My favorite book of his so far is Nights in Roedanthe. Please enter me. Thanks!

ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

Jan said...

The Notebook is also my favorite so far, I also have Dear John on audio that is on my TBR pile. The Last Song sounds wonderful, please count me in.

alongtheway at telus dot net

Heather S said...

I Love Nicholas Sparks. So far my favorite is The Choice and Dear John!

hmahan_0529 @yahoo dot com

Valeen said...

I think "Dear John" is my current favorite!

sweepyhead at gmail dot com

BurtonReview said...

My favorite Nicolas Sparks book is The Notebook!
marieburton2004 at yahoo dot com

Marta Araujo said...

I've never read a book by this author but I would love to read this one.
Please, enter me.
marthanadnny(at)hotmail(dot)com

Nancye said...

I LOVE all of Nicholas Sparks' books especially: "The Notebook" and "A Walk to Remember"

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Heather Y said...

Thanks for hosting a great giveaway! I loved A Walk to Remember... too bad I can't finish one of his books without bawling! :)

heather y
click4cash4me@gmail.com

disneyfanheather said...

I love Dear John! :)
hsemonick at gmail dot com

Watch The Last Song Movie said...

I started knowing Nicholas Sparks greatness when I eventually watched The Notebook. By then I started gathering info's of his novels. I am excited with his new novel to movie adaptation The Last Song. :)