The Pact: A Love Story

Rating:
Summary: Deep yet NOT boring-Better than any Lifetime TV movie!
Review: Although this book was pretty deep as far as the subject matter-at the core it is a great story about teenage love, and maybe perhaps obligation, that we sometimes feel to a partner who we've been with for a long time. And the reasons we stay with them even though we think they really aren't "the one."
This book had me guessing pretty much until the end-I couldn't figure out what was going to happen or who did what until the very end. Although even the end has you guessing.
Picoult portrayed young love, but mostly obsession, beautifully and with mastery. If you love lifetime movies, you'll probably read this book more than once!

Rating:
Summary: I loved this love story!
Review: I'm new to Jodi Picoult and I am now a true fan! What a great story. Jodi does an amazing job of capturing the reader in the first few sentences...I could not and did not want to put this book down! I cried, laughed and cried again! I found myself not wanting it to end...this is my new favorite book! Some people were disappointed with the ending, but I found it to fit the book! I highly recommend this book, I can't wait to read more from Jodi!

Rating:
Summary: Wow! Felt so real.
Review: I just finished reading this book. Amazing! I was in tears before I finished and had to keep reminding myself it was a book. The characters felt so real to me. I wanted to reach out and help them. Help them overcome their problems and go on with their lives. Picoult is an amazing author. I can't wait to read more of her books.

Rating:
Summary: Like a Sucker Punch to the Gut!
Review: Did he or didn't he?

That question plaques your mind after just a few chapters of The Pact. Picoult really stikes gold with the Hartes and the Golds, just your average upper/middle class perfect families until tragedy strikes. This novel is told with the use of flashbacks in both Em's and Chris' voice, in addition to their respective families, which shows that things are never what they seem (which I've been telling my mother for years). Sometimes boundaries are needed, and in this book its hard to figure out if its the parents, the kids, or the parents and the kids. I laughed and I cried, and cried somemore. To me, a novel that pulls at your emotions they was The Pact does is truly a well-written novel.

Regardless, this book moved me so much I went straight to Picoult's website and decided to read more of her work. I thought it was a truly poignant story of what is happening across the country today.


Rating:
Summary: Writing-cheesey, story good
Review: I cringed several times when I read this book as sometimes it felt as though I was reading a trashy romance novel as the writing is extremely cheesey. For the first 100 pages I was quite bored and regretted starting the novel as I always finish every book I start. However once one of the characters gets put in jail the whole book comes to life and grips you until the end.

I kept changing my mind all through the book as to whether I thought the accused was guilty of the crime or not.

It is the kind of book you might take to the beach or on holidays.

Rating:
Summary: A sad and disturbing story wonderfully told
Review: When I first picked up "The Pact", I was a bit skeptical. The book had been made into a Lifetime network film, so I was a little bit worried that the book might read like a script from a B-movie. I almost put the book down after the first scene in the Chinese restaurant because the dialog seemed to be something right out of a movie of the week. Although I've never seen the Lifetime movie, I suspect that this scene is included in the film.

Fortunately, I had the good sense to read beyond the first scene. The characters in this book, particularly Emily and Chris, will stay with you for days. I still get teary about Emily because suicide was not her only option. It never is! Several times I felt myself almost yelling at the Emily character to reach out for help. Although I've never been suicidal or gone through situations like Emily's (I don't want to spoil anything to future readers by giving out too much information), I really related to her. I remember being a confused 17-year old too.

I liked Chris, but I can't comprehend why he chose to do what he did. Still, the character was likeable and I genuinely cared about what happened to him.

As a parent of a young child, I found this book hit me close in the heart. Just afer finishing the book, I made certain to tell my child how much I love her and that she should know that I am always there for her, no matter what.