40. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

Ah, Nicholas Sparks. This book recounts the love story of Allie and Noah, who "now" live in a retirement home. Allie has Alzheimer's but before the disease progressed, she wrote the story of their courtship down and "now" Noah reads it to her everyday. I read this specifically because it was on the list and finished the book in two hours or so. Two hours of my life that I won't get back. It was sweet. Very sweet. Not quite sickening but bordering on it. I don't think I need to see the movie. The biggest problem in this book is the writing - it's unimaginative and relies too heavy on the sentimentality of the plot. I can see how it became a best seller as a result but in my opinion, it's not a great work of literature by any stretch.