An engrossing and touching read.
919311
I started AND BOTH WERE YOUNG because I knew it was about a girl who leaves for school.  Since I am about to leave as well(except for college) I thought it would be an interesting read.  I was not disappointed.
Flip and Paul are beautiful characters, full of doubts and pain.  However, in each other they find answers to their doubts and a balm for their pain.  Watching their relationship unfold is sweet in every way first loves should be.
L'Engle's writing is beautiful and captivating. My mind had little room to wonder. Although the book is classified as young adult, I feel like any age will find it as a great read that can transport them out of their surroundings into the snow-covered country of Switzerland.
4544772
I found Always and Forever an engrossing read, one that skillfully portrays the things - race, money, love -- that connect and divide the characters in this vivid era and locale.  We see how two women with the same father but different mothers and skin colors can grow up in the same home, yet are separated by the inequality of their birth.  Yet neither finds the path to true love easy.  The setting, 1830s Louisiana, is seamlessly interwoven so that it doesn't shout "research!" but rather the flavor and color of that time and place.  This is the first story I've read in the antebellum Louisiana setting, and I found Craig's descriptions and plotting made me want to read more stories in this period.

The two main characters, Josie and Cleo, are subtly held in contrast to each other.  Cleo's story of her struggle to survive the life forced upon her and still find love is especially gripping, and Josie's journey to overcome her privileged birth to become a mature and responsible woman keeps you interested throughout.  Both have their own compelling love stories which are separate and yet interwoven.  I found myself rooting not only for each in their individual stories, but for the two women to eventually find their friendship again, just as when they were young girls.

This is Ms. Craig's debut novel, and I'll be eagerly looking for more from her in the future.
612973
A great read.  A very touching read about everyday life and how it can suddenly change and effect many.
Every time I put it down I looked at it a few minutes later and picked it up to read more.  I read it in 1 1/2 days.
406735
One of the most touching and enlightening books I have ever read.
4820862
This was a touching book about family and loss, and how people hold on to hope. The author has a real ear for authentic dialogue - I always felt like I was overhearing actual conversations when I was reading. The characters were well done, even though many of them are not necessarily appealing, for various reasons - they still interested me and I wanted to know more about what made them tick. When the book was over I wanted to read more, to know what was going to happen. I really like this author, and look forward to reading more.
2452726
Excellent and interesting, as well as, touching material.  I couldn't put it down.
413719
I became engrossed in this story.  The caution is that the author captures the horrors of war, in this case the Civil War, in terms hard no to visualize.  In addition, some of the characters are truly despicable, although we likely have such specimens in our midst.
On the other hand, I also found individuals of high character and genuine tenderness.
In short, I guess the story reflects life's spectrum experience.  It was a very good read
511702
What an amazing and touching read. I feel so blessed to have been able to read about this soldiers life. Kept me enthralled  straight to the end.
650570
Delightful and engrossing reading.  About aging and death and sex and caring for one's parents and aging husband.  A love story that is poignant and sometimes very funny.  The narrator considers reaching out for anonymous sex as an antidote to aging and dying but - well I won't give any more away.  A real mediation on life, death, family and the meaning of things.  This is my first Erica Jong book and I loved it.  Beautiful and touching writing.
4171689
This was one of those books that I couldn't  put down. It was such a touching story and well told didn't want it to end.
2661579
Jennifer Haupt has written a knockout novel telling a deeply engrossing story of understanding. The human condition and delicate emotions that ebb and flow throughout the search for peace in our lives is intricately examined in both a dynamic and evocative fashion. A story that satisfies both the heart and the mind, and one I would recommend to any reader in search of a touching mystery.
3852740
A good story that unites  multi- generations in such a way that people can relate to at some
 period in their own life in one way or another.  Such a touching story.  I couldn't help but shed a few tears.
 but shed a few tears.
4549679
Brunt tells a heartwarming tale of a young girl and her relationships with family, especially her sister and uncle.  The richness of the story develops as the author explores society's fear of AIDS and the personal struggle of its victims.  I found the book compelling .
4910618
I read this book in one sitting.  The story had me so engrossed I couldn't put it down.  I found myself getting personally involved with the characters, and the last few chapters were nothing short of surprising.
334709
This novel deals with loss in a most interesting way.  The old and the young are supportive to one another in a poignant rendition of the " generation gap. "  The four main characters are well developed,  with each having his/her special attributes.  It is a very good read.
4388069
It is an easy read yet so touching. Personally found some parts upsetting, but that was because sometimes life is not fair. Read the book and you will know what I am referring to.
4410935
I learned quite a bit about the diverse cultures of the characters in this moving novel. While they were somewhat foreign to my personal experience, the author brought them to life in such a way that I found myself caring for each of them deeply. A beautiful, poignant book.