Fantasy annotation

The Way of Kings

by Brandon Sanderson

Publication date: August 31, 2010

Number of pages: 1007

Series information: The Stormlight Archive, #1

Geographical setting: the fantasy world of Roshar, landscapes most often similar to that of deserts

Time period: n/a

Subject headings: manuscripts; slavery; kings & rulers; imaginary wars & battles; imaginary places; magic

Plot summary: Roshar is a world reduced to stone and sand after centuries of near-constant storms.  Only the most diligent scholars remember the history of the Knights Radiant, who used to protect its people, yet all fight for their legacy--mystical sets of weapons and armor, that turn the bearer into near-invincible warriors.  A war rages in the Shattered Plains between the nation of Alethkar and the peoples of Parshendi, who claimed responsibility for the assassination of Alethkar's king.  The Way of Kings follows several characters as they fight for their way in this savage world.  Lord Dalinar, brother of the late king, is plagued by visions of the past and the Knights Radiant; he becomes obsessed with an ancient philosophical tome that he believes may better civilization.  His son, Adolin, now doubts his father's ability to lead the war against the Parshendi but must stand strong with him against other lords who would see him disposed.  Meanwhile, a slave in their fighting force named Kaladin daily witnesses the true horrors of war until he realizes hidden powers within and he becomes a valuable asset to Dalinar's war effort.  And making her way across the ocean towards these men is Shallan, a young scholar who is on the path to discovering the truth between the Knights Radiant.

Librarian's Opinion: The Way of Kings is a masterpiece.  It will be a great recommendation for experienced Fantasy readers who love their genre.  However, it may not be a good spring board into the genre for new readers.  Sanderson's world is simply staggering in its amount of detail.  In order to describe all these fine details, the story is slow paced.  It picks up as the book goes on, building to a climatic battle scene worthy of the big screen, but it can be a lot to ask of a reader unfamiliar with Fantasy to wait until they are 600-700 pages in before forming any opinions.  The size is daunting and the pace does stretch to fill it out, but all those words pay back in the form of a fully realized and unique world and well-rounded, balanced characters, all of which Fantasy enthusiasts will appreciate but new readers to the genre may find taxing.

Elements of the Book

Fantasy world

To repeat, Sanderson creates a world that is staggering in its level of detail.  Roshar is a completely fantastical world, grabbing at the reader's imagination.  However, it may fail to latch on to the reader's brain.  Roshar is populated with strange crustacean creatures, spirits called spren that are manifestations of everything (from substantial things like rocks to the abstract, like creativity), and vicious weather patterns that scour the earth.  Because it is so foreign from real life, it can be difficult to picture in one's mind and thus appreciation for what Sanderson builds can be late in developing.  The book helps this issue by including art at chapter breaks supposedly done by the character of Shallan, so readers can see exactly how horses have been replaced by giant crab-like creatures.

Specialized language

Like many fantasy authors, Sanderson creates words and phrases to fit his world.  A character may wear armor and bear a sword, but this is not the same as donning Shardplate and wielding a Shardblade.  Words like "spren", "brightlord", and "artifabrian" (which is someone who creates fabrials, of course) are thrown around and may not be explained right away, if at all.  Sanderson, again like many fantasy authors, prefers to tell his story and let his readers puzzle out his world from context clues.  Perhaps the most unique thing about his language is that it is shaped by the world around it.  Storm creeps into familiar phrases, as storms are the daily curse of everyone's lives.  "Stormfather" replaces any god they might swear to and it's not unusual to hear someone say "that storming man!" when angry.

Morality tale

Fantasy tales are usually ones of good versus evil.  Way of Kings is no different, but sides are not clear.  Of course it makes for good story-telling to have betrayals, but the evil is not clearly defined.  The heroes are confused on how they might stop the coming calamity.  The evil is not confined to one person, but the sense of impending disaster is there.  The book's title is taken from a philosophical manuscript within the story which teaches lords how they should rule their subjects.  (It is not a popular text because it argues for a more compassionate rule.)  Main character Dalinar struggles to bring these teachings into practice, and in his struggle to be a more righteous man readers again see how the book is a morality tale.

Beyond mortal characters

Following the recent trend in fantasy novels, the story is told from the point of view of multiple characters, each in diverse situations.  These characters often have special gifts, which may be intrinsic or the result of magical items.  For example, warriors bearing Shards are exceptionally strong in battle and near impossible to defeat.  Shallan is gifted (or cursed) with visions of the true nature of spren.  Kaladin is also gifted with abilities that allow him not only to survive horrific conditions, but to inspire his fellow slaves.  Szeth the assassin holds strange magical powers that have not been seen for centuries.  Each character by the end of the book will find themselves and their newly-uncovered abilities tested.  (It also becomes obvious by the end that this theme of discovering hidden powers will build the main plot of the series.)

Similar Reads

• The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss--Like Sanderson, Rothfuss is another author reviving the epic fantasy genre, yet this book may be more accessible to new Fantasy readers.  Although of similar size, it is told from the point of view of only one character and its setting is much more similar to Earth.  The main character attends university, albeit a magical one, yet still panics over tuition cost and how to talk to girls--much more relatable.
• Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin--This book also introduces a fantasy world rich in detail, and tells a story through the eyes of multiple characters in a variety of situations.  Similar to Way of Kings, evil is not wholly contained to one person, but everyone can feel an impending sense of disaster as an unnamed threat gathers.  War and politics are major themes in both.
• Eye of the World by Robert Jordan-- This is the first in the fifteen-volume Wheel of Time series, which is considered a staple of the epic fantasy genre.  It also features a highly detailed world and multiple characters.  Eye of the World was published in 1990 and unfortunately Robert Jordan passed before finishing the series, but Brandon Sanderson picked up book 12 in 2010 to complete the saga.

Book Club Experience

For this observation, I attended the book club.  This club meets at 1:30 on a Monday, so I wasn't too sure what to expect.  Who would have the afternoon free...young adults who were students like myself, stay-at-home moms whose kids were in school, seniors?  Turns out it was all retirees!  (One actually was the retired librarian whose job I replaced, and I was told that another absent member was a retired reading specialist from the local high school.)

Since we mentioned him, here's my dog
 with his collection of decapitated heads
 I found under the sofa.

There were only two participants and the leader, perhaps due to the fact that it was bitterly cold outside.  (This meeting was back on February 8.)  The first ten or so minutes were spent socializing, of which I mostly to blame, because someone asked about my dog.  And I have a lot of stories about my dog.   Oops!

The members all seemed to be friends outside of the book club as well ("So-and-so isn't coming today, she told me last night at cards that she wasn't going to make it...") so the atmosphere was very relaxed.  It wasn't surprising that the conversation strayed away from the books on occasion.  In this sort of situation, the book club could have seemed clique-y, but they were very welcoming.  Maybe that's because there were so few of us, but I was asked to come back.  Neither member dominated the conversation, and everyone was careful not to talk over anyone.  One lady told me she actually worried about the club when the retired reading specialist joined, because she thought the woman would take it too seriously.

Bookmark with their schedule detailed

For this month, participants were to read a book of their choosing by Kenneth C. Davis.  If you're not familiar, he writes non-fiction on American history.  There were no repeats, and one woman (the one who was worried about the book club being taken too seriously) actually read a couple of the children's books he wrote because she "wasn't really a reader, I'm here for the socialization."  The leader had each person speak in turn about the book they read, herself included.  One lady had print-offs of the extra research she had done, so she could make her own decision on a president's career first, then see if it matched Davis'.  They all had questions for each other, and seem particularly fascinated by Jefferson's personal life.  I noticed that during this middle portion of the meeting that even though they were focused on discussing what they'd read, it was all about the content.  No one, not even the leader, talked about his writing style, or quality of his research, or anything specific to the author.

Eventually the discussion turned to recommendations of other unrelated books and movies/shows.  For example, I was asked if I had read All the Light We Cannot See and what my opinion of it was.  Then there was discussion on 12 Years a Slave, Love Actually, and another movie I can't remember that a lady had just recently watched.  Then it turned to the surprise birthday party they had all attended last weekend.  ...And then somehow got into their past love lives and current relationships of relatives.   After about twenty to twenty-five minutes of this, the leader decided to wrap up the meeting with some discussion about next month.  Everyone was to read a book by Margaret Atwood, and the leader had brought up a cart of all the available Atwood material, and let us know what was available at other branches or to be placed on hold.  One member was concerned that she wouldn't find anything to enjoy, as Atwood slants toward dystopia.

Here are pictures of the handout given to each member.  It features a review from NPR on Atwood's latest and the second sheet is a full bibliography of her works.

This book club really just felt like a social thing, a group of friends getting together for lunch (but minus the food).  There wasn't much emphasis placed on the reading(s) at all.  To be fair, there were only four of us (and I hadn't read anything) and the nature of the material also meant that discussion could easily stray from being specifically focused on Kenneth Davis to just over American history in general.   The book-focused discussion really only lasted perhaps 30 minutes of the hour and a half the club met.  How would the discussion go if everyone were to read the same book?  (If you enlarge the above image of the bookmark, you'll see that only one month actually requires members to read the same book.)  In that situation, the librarian might have tried to bring more structure to the group with prepared discussion questions.  But then again, I was specifically told that a member preferred the socialization.  Perhaps more structure, while making it a more effective book club, would have made it less enjoyable for the membership.  While I don't feel any urge to attend another meeting, I do wonder about going back and speaking with that librarian, if she feels this to be a challenge--balancing members' casual, comfortable expectations with structured discussion and reading selections that push boundaries.

RA Special Topics paper (condensed)

I explored the integration of graphic novels into Reader's Advisory.  It seems to me that graphic novels and comics are often ignored by librarians when a patron asks for a good book to read.  I argue that readers are more prepared to branch out into graphic novels now than they maybe have been in the past, and that there may be unexpected benefits to reading comics.  While there are a few unique considerations to keep in mind, we can use the same appeal factors as we do with traditional novels to match up our readers with new stories.

Librarians may be wary of recommending graphic novels.  This may be because of the negative stereotypes that have persisted ever since the 1940's.  You probably know the ones...the comics are for kids, that comics are perverted (a reaction to when graphic novels reach out to audiences who are not children).  Librarians have either avoided graphic novels themselves because of these stereotypes, or they assume their patrons hold them.  Yet if you look at popular culture, there has never been a better time to recommend graphic novels to new readers because they're probably already watching them!  Look at the popularity of superhero movies and of The Walking Dead.  Check out Comic-Con's soaring attendance numbers.  Readers may be more suggestible to graphic novels than we think.

Thriller

(Borrowing from some old projects I have done in the past, if you're interested, you can read more about persistent stereotypes here  and more about the effect graphic novels have had on popular culture here.)

Horror

Saricks appears to look at graphic novels as a genre in our textbook.  I argue that we should not, and instead we should view graphic novels as a format for storytelling, the way we do audiobooks, ebooks, and movies.  Within the format of graphic novels, we find all the genres we find among traditional novels.  This will require the librarian to be passably familiar with various materials, but that is the challenge presented by all genres.  As Saricks advises with the more niche genre of Science Fiction, fans are often enthusiastic about what they enjoy reading and are willing to share titles.  Many review sources and organizations such as YALSA publish "best of" and "top" lists of graphic novels, and there are always the Eisner Awards to consult.

While librarians can carry over the appeal factors for traditional novels to illustrated ones, there is a unique factor to now consider as well--art style.  Art is as subjective as any of these other factors, and can easily make or break a patron's decision to try a title.  For example, some will avoid any and all manga because they don't like the cartoon style.  Others may avoid hyper-realistic art if they find the sheer amount of detail too distracting.  Coloring may be an issue.  The Walking Dead is completely black and white...will a patron enjoy that?  On the flip side, would they enjoy the colorful 'splotch' pattern that overlays the pages of Scott Synder's Wytches, meant to convey the horrific hallucinogenic dream state that characters are in?  It would be best to be prepared with either the graphic novels at hand or a device handy with examples of the artwork to show the patron ahead of time.  Because while an art style may the be reason someone sets a series back on the shelf, it may also be the reason someone picks it up in the first place.

Mystery/Superhero

Graphic novels often blend genre.  When the author is not restricted to words, when their imagination can be illustrated as well, why not follow through with whatever their mind creates?  Humor is often blended into other genres, and we have begun seeing more venturous titles out of Image that blend several incongruous genres (see the caption for Saga) together.  Graphic novels could function as a way to ease readers from one genre to another, a way for them to experiment without realizing it.  We've talked about how Romance is a hard one to convince readers to try, yet when its appeal factors are dressed by those from Science Fiction?  Men read Saga for its space battles, yet they're reading about love and family, themes often found in Women's Live books.  An RA librarian could use this genre blending to help readers push their boundaries.

Sci-fi/Romance/Women's Lives

A warning when recommending graphic novels, however--any considerations like sex or violence need to be re-considered.  You may already be familiar with a patron's tolerance level on these matters.  But that tolerance may change when it comes to seeing instead of reading.  A reader may be okay with some gunshots in the climatic ending of their Thriller novel, but that doesn't mean they'll be okay with Rick Grime's blood-stained face every other page in the Walking Dead.  Sex might be alright in a book as long as its between a loving couple, but what about when those sex scenes are illustrated?  It's understandable that some readers may be much less tolerant of sex and violence in this format, but there are plenty of titles without either.  Again, it just requires the librarian to have a passable knowledge of the material.

I just quickly covered the key points of my paper, but I hope I gave you an idea of how we can bring graphic novels into RA.  If we don't lump them into one genre, but rather look at graphic novels as a format alongside traditional books that share the same appeal factor, I believe we can connect readers with more of the stories they desire.  And we know that many readers desire them, just by looking at pop culture trends!  There are new, unique appeal factors to be considered, yes, but the benefit readers may have of being able to explore a new format and perhaps a new genre in a blended title would make that extra effort worth it.

Week Seven prompt

Somehow, I have only ever read one James Patterson book.  The Angel Experiment, the first Maximum Ride novel, back when it first came out in 2005.  This seems mathematically amazing, considering how much I read and the fact that he's published at least 147 books.  (I got this number from Wikipedia, so I added "at least" since I can't tell when it was last updated.  Patterson's official website does not seem to give a grand total either.)

Since I have only read the one, I don't have any strong opinion on Patterson.  I don't avoid his books, I just...never seem to come in contact with one, except passing the latest back and forth half a hundred times with patrons.  Yet I was fascinated by "The James Patterson Business."

I'd heard some snide comments before about how "Patterson hasn't written any of his own books in the last ten years!"  It is hard to judge how involved he is in the process of co-authorship, since everyone seems to be under a legal agreement not to discuss it.  I'll agree it's an incredibly commercial process that seem to leave the concept of "writing as art" behind.  That may be unfair to say about the co-author, but they do have to adjust their personal style to Patterson's, which is (in)famous for being short and to-the-point.  But I have to say, I respect the business sense Patterson brought from his advertising career to his writing career.

Before I got a library job and enrolled here at IUPUI, I was a sales representative and the company was undergoing a re-branding.  So I'm somewhat familiar with the practices Patterson and his agents discuss in the article.  The article is 14 years old, so we have the benefit of reading this but then looking to our shelves and seeing the impact Patterson has had on how authors are marketed.  How many New books have covers where the author's name is in larger font than the title?  I've also noticed more than once how blurbs on the cover are authors talking about other authors, rather than the specific work.  I almost found the interview with his cover designer interesting.  Patterson knew from his time as an advertising exec the power of the visual, and he's clearly applied it to his books.  The stories of his interactions with stores and fans at signings (especially when juxtaposed with those rumors his behavior towards negative critics) put me in mind of customer service as well.

It's easy to drag Patterson through the mud on this.  Call him lazy, put down his books as works that coast by on name instead of merit.  Yet by using co-authors, he is giving beginning or less-known authors a chance to practice their story-telling and to get their name out there.  His constant best-sellers are boosting his publishing house and reflecting well on his agent.  According to his website, he gives a ton of money away to charities and scholarships.  And he gives the reading masses what they want--entertainment.  I can't fault anyone for finding his books enjoyable.  I mean, when I go to the movie theater, it's usually in the summer for all those action blockbusters with shallow but fast plots.  There are plenty of talented authors on our shelves who raise up the art of writing.  We can point a more discerning reader in their direction.

Patterson has been incredibly successful in turning his writing into a lucrative business.  Regardless of how you feel about the "art vs. commercial" controversy of his process, it's hard to argue with that kind of money.  And with those circ stats we see on his books!

Resources

• Zaleski, J. (2002). The James Patterson Business. Publishers Weekly, 249(44), 43.

Mystery Annotation

Career of Evil
by Robert Galbraith

Publication date: October 20, 2015

Number of Pages: 497

Series information: Cormoran Strike novels, #3

Geographical setting: London, surrounding area

Time period: contemporary

Subject headings: Private Investigators, man-woman relationships, England--London

Plot summary: When a severed leg is delivered to Robin Ellacott, her boss Cormoran Strike knows it’s a message directed to him.  During a career in the military police, in which he lost his own leg, Strike put away three men.  Each who had their life destroyed by that arrest, each dangerous, and each now released.  With the police chasing a red herring, Strike takes the investigation into his own hands with Robin joining him in the field, eager to become a detective into her own right.  But as her personal life begins to crumble and by throwing herself into work, is she setting herself in the stalker’s path?

Librarian's opinion: The mystery revolves around violence against women, which may be considered by some a tired trend in the thriller and mystery genres. The stalker’s chapters may be disturbing and the violence may be off-putting, but other readers may love the suspense. The biggest appeal for readers will most likely be found in the characters of Strike and Robin, as the author devotes many pages into giving them a realistic working and personal relationship.

Elements of the Book

Slow build-up

The pacing is deliberate and given the size of the book, that may not be acceptable to some readers.  Pages on pages may be devoted to exposition, either on the plot (clues and suspects) or on the character’s history.  However, there are chase and fight scenes to break up these sections, and no matter what, the characters are always moving towards the conclusion.  Suspense cooks the longer the investigation goes on, and with each new chapter from the stalker’s perspective as he hunts Robin.

Gritty tone

With chapters told from the stalker’s disturbing perspective, along with the subject matter of violence against women, it is a dark story.  The investigators often interact with criminals and are occasionally required to visit some seedy places.  The author’s choice of language, sometimes profane, also adds to this gritty world.

Cerebral

Clues are gathered through conversation and observation.  Characters then discuss these clues and their implications, or else mull them over in their minds.  The mystery is solved with these careful methods and logic, rather than by force and action like in a thriller.  Readers and characters know what has happened and why, they must solve only the who.

Character personalities

A large draw of this book are the main characters.  Cormoran Strike is a veteran who’s devoted himself to solving crimes, largely in response to all that he witnessed in his childhood.  Robin Ellacott comes across as the everyday, normal woman who craves a bit more excitement to her life.  In this volume, however we learn of her past and what trials she has gone through, why she is so interesting in criminal justice.  The interaction between these two, with the simmering romantic subtext, draws the reader in and makes them feel invested in their relationship.

Violence

While sex is talked about, and not always in a healthy way, it is violence that stands out in this book.  The main characters receive severed limbs in the mail and learn about crime scenes.  But the reader becomes acquainted with the crime scenes must more intimately through chapters set in the point-of-view of the villain.  There are fist fights between characters that may also set the reader on the edge of their chair.  Abuse and neglect are also discussed, along with the motivations and consequences of all these forms of violence.

Similar Reads

• Left for Dead by J.A. Jance--If you enjoyed the female perspective of Robin, you may enjoy this book.  Ali Reynolds helps Jose Reyes, a sheriff she owes a professional debt to, in investigating a Mexican drug cartel that is spreading across the border.  Although the setting is in Arizona, it deals heavily with Mexican social issues, which may give the reader a taste of a unique locale.
• Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson--Also set in Europe, the beginning volume of the Millennium series also heavily features man-woman relationships.  Investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist is joined by Lisbeth Salander in a classic "closed island" mystery, where they work to solve a decades-old murder case.  These are also series characters, as are Robin and Strike.
• The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith--The first Comoran Strike novel.  If the reader begins with and enjoys Career of Evil, the natural suggestion would be to point them in this direction.  The elements persist throughout the series, and they can see how this unlikely duo first came about.

Week Six prompt

The patrons at our library love romance and gentle reads!  But the horror readers are a limited demographic.  How to promote these books, maybe get some people to read outside their comfort zone?

Non-horror readers seem more likely to branch out to something spooky around Halloween.  Because of course, what better time of year to get into this genre?  To the left is a picture of a display I created (and totally ripped off Pinterest) for our Teen area last year.  While all the books on display contained Horror elements, many crossed genres with mystery, humor, and romance.  I added a couple graphic novels as well to cover that market.

It went over fairly well.  It was eye-catching to teens and adults, and even the littlest patrons liked the bats I had hanging from the ceiling (you can only see two, but there were seven or eight over the whole section).  I feel a display was the best idea, so patrons could look over the options and find a book that fit their mood, without feeling like I or any other librarian was pressuring them to read outside their comfort zone.  Horror's a tough one to recommend, since it can very easily be too much for an individual, so an alluring display is a good bet.

It might be fun this year to create such a display, but for adults.  Even non-horror readers might get into the spirit of Halloween if they saw titles by well-known authors like Stephen King and Dean Koontz available.  (I've noticed that the Odd Thomas books are popular among some of our patrons who normally never touch anything near horror.)  I'd also like to make it an integrated display.  Our horror movies go out like crazy, so why not try to lure the movie-watchers into becoming horror readers as well?  I could either set adaptions next to each other, or create a "if you like this <movie>, you'll love this <book>!" or vice versa.  We have audio books for King and Koontz as well that I could add.  (Our library's policy is currently no graphic novels above a teen rating, but as they prove popular still with younger adults anyway, I could probably still find some to add.)

Romance Annotation

The Last Song
by Nicholas Sparks

Publication Date: September 1, 2009

Number of Pages: 390

Geographical Setting: Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

Time Period: Contemporary

Subject Headings: Teenage girls; divorced parents; North       Carolina; love stories




Plot Summary: Seventeen year-old Ronnie Miller is shocked when her mother insists she and her younger brother Jonah must spend the summer with their father in North Carolina.  Used to the New York club scene, it is culture shock to arrive to the sleepy tourist town and the quiet life her dad leads as a retired pianist, working in his spare time on a stained glass window for a reconstructed church.  Yet when her summer vacation takes a rocky start, Ronnie finds herself getting to know her dad after three years of separation.  And when she meets Will Blakelee while protecting a nest of sea turtle eggs behind her house, her summer definitely doesn't go as expected.  The months in North Carolina seem like the best of her life as she falls in love and rebuilds the relationships with her family, but sometimes the best and worst go hand-in-hand.

Librarian's Opinion: This is a light read for those who want to kick back and relax with a good book.  Sparks hits all the emotional high notes, creating a wholesome story featuring characters who seek to improve themselves throughout.  I particularly enjoyed how the relationships explored in this book were not only limited to romantic ones.

Elements of the Book

Simple, yet mature characters

As in many romances, Sparks' characters fit neatly in their roles--it is easy to tell who is the good and who is the bad.  A few characters are more ambiguous, yet each either face their own challenges or exist to present challenges to others that then causes that character to grow and mature.

Romantic, not steamy

Although some may worry since the main characters are teenagers, there is no sexual content in the books.  In fact, the topic is barely brushed upon at all.  Instead, it is the emotional and thoughtful side of Ronnie and Will's relationship that is explored.

Christian undertones

The story is built on Christian fundamentals, as to be expected early on when Ronnie finds out her father is constructing a stained glass window for a new church.  Later in the book, when the Miller family is at its lowest, there are many discussions revolving around God and the Bible.  Yet the religious aspects are not overwhelming should the reader not be so inclined.

Emotional

The author goes all out to take the reader on an emotional roller coaster ride.  The reader may feel angry at Blaze's betrayal of Ronnie, fearful of what Marcus may do next, happy for Ronnie and Will as they fall in love, and sad for the children when Steve reveals his illness.  Sparks does a good job of mixing plot points together to keep the reader feeling one emotion to the next, but ultimately ends his story on a hopeful note.


Similar Reads

• One Summer, by David Baldacci--Known for his political thrillers, this book stands out among Baldacci's works.  In this novel, a father works to rebuild his family after tragedy strikes over the course of a summer.  Like The Last Song, this novel deals with family relationships and grief.
• The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd--An emotional coming-of-age story about a teenage girl who escapes to her mother's hometown to learn about her past.  While the mysteries of her past unfold, she learns about beekeeping from a trio of sisters that befriend her.  Similar to Sparks in characterization and in use of emotion.
• A Walk to Remember, by Nicholas Sparks--From the same author.  Main character Landon Carter reminisces about his high school romance with the minister's daughter.  A romance between young adults with Christian overtones, and an emotional twist at the end, sure to appeal to those who enjoyed The Last Song and want to read another Sparks.