Journal Entry 1 by carlissa from Miami, Florida USA on Friday, September 21, 2007

From the Publisher

When Jack St. Bride arrives by chance in the sleepy New England town of Salem Falls, he decides to reinvent himself. Tall, blond, and handsome, Jack was once a beloved teacher and soccer coach at a girls' prep school—until a student's crush sparked a powder keg of accusation and robbed him of his reputation. Now, working for minimum wage washing dishes for Addie Peabody at the Do-Or-Diner, Jack buries his past, content to become the mysterious stranger who has appeared out of the blue.

With ghosts of her own haunting her, Addie Peabody is as cautious around men ad Jack St. Bride is around women. But as this unassuming stranger steps smoothly into the diner's daily routine, she finds him fitting just as comfortably inside her heart—and slowly, a gentle, healing love takes hold between them.

Yet planting roots in Salem Falls may prove fateful for Jack. Amid the white-painted centuries-old churches, a quartet of bored, privileged teeage girls have formed a coven that is crossing the line between amusment and malicious intent. Quick to notice the attractive new employee at Addie's diner, the girls turn Jack's world upside down with a shattering allegation that causes history to repeat itself—and forces Jack to proclaim his innocence once again. Suddenly nothing in Salem Falls is as it seems: a safe haven turns dangerous, an innocent girl meets evil face-to-face, a dishwasher with a Ph.D. is revealed to be an ex-con. As Jack's hidden past catches up with him, the seams of this tiny town begin to tear, and the emerging truth becomes a slippery concept written in shades of gray. Now Addie, desperate for answers, must look into her heart—and into Jack's lies and shadowy secrets&3151;for evidence that will condemn or redeem the man she has come to love.
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paperback.
 

Journal Entry 2 by carlissa from Miami, Florida USA on Saturday, September 22, 2007

I will be starting a bookring for this book. The usual bookring rules will apply:

1. journal book when you receive it.
2. read book within 1 month.
3. journal again when you finish reading the book and let us know what you thought of it.
4. mail book to next person (media mail or surface mail is ok).

List of participants:

1. rosepetal2 (IN)
2. Aberpeter (WA)
3. vzfamily (OH)
4. nynjagrrrl (WI)
5. SeamonkeyofTVCH (CA)
6. carlissa (FL)

Journal Entry 3 by carlissa from Miami, Florida USA on Monday, September 24, 2007

mailed to rosepetal2 today. I hope you enjoy the book! 

Journal Entry 4 by rosepetal2 from Belleville, Illinois USA on Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Received in the mail today. I'll start on it tomorrow and update when I've read it. Thank you for letting me participate in this ring. 

Journal Entry 5 by rosepetal2 from Belleville, Illinois USA on Wednesday, October 24, 2007

I've read several books by this author and enjoyed all of them. I thought it was well written and she does a good job of making the characters very lifelike and believable. I have pm'd the next person on the list and will mail it out as soon as I get an address.
Mailed 10/26 DC# 0306 2400 0001 1785 5174 

Journal Entry 6 by Aberpeter from Kirkland, Washington USA on Wednesday, November 07, 2007

The book arrived yesterday - I will be starting it soon 

Journal Entry 7 by Aberpeter from Kirkland, Washington USA on Saturday, December 08, 2007

This book was hard for me to really get involved with. It may have been due to the lack of time I had to dedicate to the book or that I was so angry with how others treated Jack. After I read a third of the book, my paced picked up and I started to enjoy the story. I disliked Gillian and thought someone needed to smack some sense into her. And I was not at all surprised by the very last paragraph - it actually explained a lot about Gillian.

The book made me experience a lot of emotions. Even though I was quite angry throughout many parts of the book it was written well and well worth the read. 

Journal Entry 8 by Aberpeter from Kirkland, Washington USA on Wednesday, December 12, 2007

the book is on its way to Ohio 

Journal Entry 9 by vzfamily from Willard, Ohio USA on Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Received! So sorry, it had acidentally been put up with packages coming in the mail. I'm reading another Picoult bookring. I'll read this one next. Thanks! 

Journal Entry 10 by vzfamily from Willard, Ohio USA on Monday, February 04, 2008

I finished this book this weekend. While this was essentially the same Picoult formula as far as the trial as well as giving us all facets of each character, I found some of it a departure. First - I found the main characters more out of a typical, dysfunctional Anne Tyler novel. And secondly, I thought that the grey area in this book wasn't as obvious. It wasn't about rape, it wasn't about witchcraft, it was about the 'WHAT IF' someone is innocent. 'WHAT IF' they are accused of a crime they didn't commit. Until you know all of the facts - how do you feel about it. How WOULD you feel if you had a daughter in the same town, or if heaven forbid it WAS your daughter...

SPOILER....




OK - I had surmised what happened during the last sentance at one part, but it still shocked me. But finding out what he had done years before - he is a disgusting creature with repeat behavior. HE is worse than he was portraying Jack. 

Journal Entry 11 by vzfamily at Postal Release in Willard, Ohio USA on Monday, February 04, 2008

Released 4 yrs ago (2/4/2008 UTC) at Postal Release in Willard, Ohio USA

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Sent this along to nynjagrrrl this morning! ENJOY! 

Journal Entry 12 by nynjagrrrl from Elkhorn, Wisconsin USA on Sunday, February 10, 2008

This came in the mail yesterday. Thanks for sending it! 

Journal Entry 13 by nynjagrrrl from Elkhorn, Wisconsin USA on Thursday, February 21, 2008

I finished this book in a few days because I wanted to see what would happen to Jack. It is scary to think of being charged with a crime that you didn't commit. I was surprised with Addie. I am not sure if I could have support Jack in that situation. 

Journal Entry 14 by SeamonkeyofTVCH from Fountain Valley, California USA on Thursday, March 06, 2008

Salem Falls arrived today. I'll get to it right after I finish my current book 

Journal Entry 15 by SeamonkeyofTVCH from Fountain Valley, California USA on Friday, March 14, 2008

Finished the book.. took awhile to get into it and I felt frustration, wanting to reach in and shake some people, but it did keep me reading. I wanted to smack Gillian and was not at all surprised at the last paragraph, had sensed that for awhile.

Thanks for sharing it.

Will PM you, Carlissa,so it can return home to you.

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03/30/2008 : Book is wrapped and ready to go.. have had a crazy week or so, unexpected funeral included, but it will go out soon and I'll journal when it goes out to you, Carlissa. 

Journal Entry 16 by carlissa from Miami, Florida USA on Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Salem Falls has returned home. Thank you for the bookmarks, BC pencil and the cat on the bookshelf label! 

Journal Entry 17 by carlissa at media mail in By mail, Traded with another Bookcrosser -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, May 08, 2008

Released 4 yrs ago (5/8/2008 UTC) at media mail in By mail, Traded with another Bookcrosser -- Controlled Releases

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Sending to guinaveve in trade. I hope you enjoy it! 

Journal Entry 18 by guinaveve from Mason, Ohio USA on Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Thank you for sending this to me! I look forward to reading it. I love to get books with several journal entries already! 

Journal Entry 19 by guinaveve from Mason, Ohio USA on Wednesday, February 04, 2009

I was very caught up in this story. Usually when I am so engaged in a book, I don't want it to end, but I really wanted to find out what happened with Jack. I had however figured out early on what Gillian's issue was that comes out at the very end of the book.
You have to wonder how often the problems Jack had happen to people in real life. I would assume most innocent people would not accept a plea to a lesser charge, but it is hard to say since most criminals state they are innocent regardless.
After starting the book, I started to wonder if I had read this before. Turns out, I had read a similar book several years ago with a man moving to a new town that had been accused of rape in his previous town. There were some plot similarities though I don't remember the book clearly or even the title. I read it about a dozen years ago.
I am going to leave this at my OBCZ today at Colors Cafe in Mason. Picoult is a popular author around here, so hopefully it gets picked up and enjoyed.
 

Journal Entry 20 by guinaveve at Colors Cafe in Mason, Ohio USA on Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Released 3 yrs ago (2/4/2009 UTC) at Colors Cafe in Mason, Ohio USA

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Leaving on the fireplace to the left when you come in the door 

Journal Entry 21 by ColorsCafeMason at Colors Cafe in Mason, Ohio USA on Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Released 3 yrs ago (2/4/2009 UTC) at Colors Cafe in Mason, Ohio USA

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If you are the finder of this book, welcome to the site. Please make a journal entry so that I know it has been picked up and found. To do so is free and you can do it anonymously. You can read the book or not, keep it, pass it on to someone else you think might enjoy it, or leave it in a public place like I did. 

Journal Entry 22 by ColorsCafeMason from Mason, Ohio USA on Wednesday, February 04, 2009

On the shelf