I Am Number Four

I am currently reading the book I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore. Right now I am on page 53. This book is about a group of beings who were sent to Earth from a different planet because their race was being killed off, and they have to live among us. They are incredibly strong and fast, but otherwise look like normal humans. So far, three of the beings have been killed and John Smith is number four. He and his guardian Henri just moved from Florida to Paradise, Ohio to escape the Mogadorians. I like the book so far because it didn't have a very long exposition and got right into the rising action. It's to see any themes, but I have started to see a change in the main character. John Smith started out the story as a shy guy that mostly kept to himself. However, on his first day at his new school he stood up to the school bully and made friends with a pretty girl named Sarah Heart. These lead me to think that there might be another side to John I have yet to see. One of the most important quotes from the book is "They are hunting us, and they won't stop until they've killed us all. I am Number Four. I know that I am next." John said this right after he discovered Number Three was killed and the Mogadorians would all start to come after him. I am really curious to see if John can continue to out run them, or what he will do if they find him.

I just finished reading the book Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. This was the third book in a series called "The Hunger Games". In this book the main character Katniss Everdeen has to decided whether or not to be the face of the rebellion she started with her first hand full of poisonous berries, and truly embrace the mockingjay she represented to the people. The two major themes that stuck out to me in Mockingjay were  finding the balance of humanity in war (doing what is morally right), and being your own person. Gale was the perfect example of going against what was morally right. He was so blinded by his hatred for the Capitol that he was willing to condemn anyone associated with them to a death that the Capitol would have given any rebel. He had no problem killing a whole mountain full of people with the justification that the Capitol would had done worse. Being your own person is a theme that was mainly centered on Katniss and Peeta. Peeta first told Katniss before the first Hunger Games that he wanted to die who he was, "to show them I'm not just a piece in their games." Katniss was again reminded of this by President Snow. He asked Katniss if she really knew the rebels or if she had yet again been used in some one else's game. The three characters that changed the most were Gale and Katniss. Gale during the war seemed to become a different person. He helped to make weapons and bombs that prayed on human sympathies and emotions. He also became indifferent to the survival of humans and his relationship with Katniss distanced. Katniss herself was ravaged by the war. She had lost so much and seen so much evil that she feel into a deep depression. This was so different from the bristling fierce girl we first saw who fearlessly took her sister's place in the reaping. After Katniss came out of her depression she started to see the beauty of life and even started to let herself love and be loved again. I think this new view Katniss had made her the best character because it showed that even seeing the worst things in the world life goes on. This is reflected in one of my favorite quotes of the book, "The promise that life goes on, no matter how bad our losses." I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone to read of either gender, and any age.

I am currently reading Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker. I have read to chapter 49 (p. 297). So far in the book, Kate has gotten very close to solving her friend's murder but she still has one piece of the puzzle to solve. I think the book is great and well written. It has great suspense tactics and good side problems. I think the authors wrote this to write a fun yet serious and intreging mystery. The theme of the book is friendship. The authors wanted us o think about what makes a true friend. The best character is Kate, because she has gotten more confident and she has grown in the friendships of Liam and Seth. A cool quotaion is "Whoever said 'the truth hurts' wasn't kidding". I like this quotation because it describes what Kate has to go through in the whole book. I am wondering if it was the Sisterhood or the Brotherhood who killed Grace and why Kate is getting ghostly emails from her.

      I finished The Blind Side by Michael Lewis. The ending was even more interesting then the middle because Michael started to look into colleges and the Collins both went to Ole Miss and they are trying to guilt him into going to Ole Miss kind of but that don't realize how much they are doing that until after he decides he's going there. Michael goes and talks to someone about it because they caught on the what the family was doing to him and how they weren't letting Michael make the decision so they talked to Michael about it and he got really upset when they convinced him that's what the Collins were doing and he left for a while to find his mother. When he couldn't find her Leigh Anne found him again and apologized and he got to go to school where he really wanted to in the end.

       I thought the book was amazing and really explained things to great detail and I as a reader got the full affect. I could probably read this book over and still enjoy it the same amount because it's that interesting. The author does a really good job of finding ways to speak out to the readers.

       I think Michael Lewis wrote this book to teach the readers how important it is to stay true to yourself and I think that's part of the theme and not allowing others to take over what you believe.

       Michael Oher really showed how strong he was at the end of the book by figuring out that he needs to follow what he believes and not listen to the Collins just because they took him in when he was lost and bought him things and helped him. He helped me understand the theme really well and I'm glad the author made it that way because that's how readers tend to understand it the best.

      "Michael's gift is that the Good Lord gave him the ability to forget. He's mad at no one and doesn't really care what happened. His story might be sad, but he is not sad." This quote is amazing. It really explains the theme of the book and Michael himself. This really caught my eye and makes me think about not holding on the whats in the past and looking at the future and others aren't controlling that of mine. I am.

Pride and Prejudice Post #3

The book that I'm reading is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Last time I left off at chapter 42 and I've read through chapter 61, the final chapter of the book.

So, Elizabeth and her aunt and uncle, the Gardiners, take a tour of Mr. Darcy's house, Pemberley, because they think he's gone. The servants at the house are all telling her how Mr. Darcy's so nice and generous. Mr. Darcy arrives, which is awkward considering she rejected him. He still behaves kindly and politely to both Elizabeth and her relatives who are of a lower social status and whom Darcy would have normally scorned if Elizabeth had not rejected him. Elizabeth also meets Darcy's sister, Georgiana. A letter from home arrives saying Lydia had eloped with Wickham and that they had run away. Since the two were not legally married, this would disgrace their family and Elizabeth hurries home. Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Bennet went to look for Lydia and Mr. Gardiner eventually finds her. Wickham agrees to marry Lydia legally if he recieves an income. They think Mr. Gardiner paid him, but really it was Mr. Darcy. Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy return to Netherfield after Mr. Darcy's encouragement and Mr. Bingley proposes to Jane, which she accepts. Lady Catherine somehow found out that Mr. Darcy wants to marry Elizabeth, but she wants him to marry her daughter. She asks Elizabeth to promise she won't marry Mr. Darcy, but Elizabeth refuses. On a walk Darcy said his feelings had not changed. Elizabeth accepts the proposal and both Jane and she are married.

I still think that this book is very good! I'm really happy that Elizabeth finally fell in love with Darcy and I think it's so sweet that Mr. Darcy would do everything that he did for Elizabeth including being polite and nice to her lower class relatives when he would have normally not even wanted to talk to them, bringing Bingley and Jane back together, and paying Wickham to marry Lydia. This one was of the most importance so her family wouldn't be disgraced and he could marry Elizabeth. Some of the themes of this book are pride and prejudice, both of which Darcy and Elizabeth possess. After Elizabeth rejected Darcy and he realized how he must have looked to her, he became aware of his pride and was inspired to do the kind things for Elizabeth and her family. We also see that Mr. Darcy fights through his pride and his prejudice against lower class people and treats the Gardiners with respect. Elizabeth also changes after she receives Mr. Darcy's letter and realizes that the pride she took in her own judgment allowed her to overlook Mr. Wickham's true character and underestimate Darcy's. The best two characters are Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth because Mr. Darcy is so kind and generous and Elizabeth is so clever and thoughtful. A quote from chapter 56 says: "You have no regard, then, for the honour and credit of my nephew! Unfeeling, selfish girl! Do you not consider that a connection with you must disgrace him in the eyes of everybody?" This was said by Lady Catherine de Bourgh when she was trying to get Elizabeth to promise not to marry Mr. Darcy. I find this quote interesting because Lady de Bourgh is only concerned with Mr. Darcy's "honour and credit" and not with his true feelings. I feel like this is very ironic... why would she want him to sacrifice true love in order to save his reputation when he would obviously be happier marrying Elizabeth, whom he actually loves (and it probably isn't even going to disgrace him)?

A question I have is: why did Wickham want to elope with Lydia when she had no money? Maybe he was just desperate...? Or he knew Darcy would pay him income...?

      I'm reading the book The Blind Side by Michael Lewis. I have read a little over half the book and it's getting really interesting. When a family sees Big Mike walking in the streets late at night the wife, Leigh Anne, invites him to come home and sleep on their couch because she knew he was going to sleep in a random place around town. This family happens to be really into sports and after they find out he's doing football, even the little 11 year old boy, helps him with his strategy of the game and conditioning to prepare. The family eventually takes Mike in and trusts him with everything.

      This is very strange for a christian family to do and Leigh Anne is treated poorly by her friends about her decision but i think this makes her want to call Mike her own so they legally adopt Big Mike. I really like this book and it's getting hard to put down because a lot is going on with the friends, family, and classmates of the kids and how they now have a black living with them.

       I still think the theme is about finding it in yourself and figuring out your life alone. No one can make your decisions. Yours is going to be the best one no matter what people tell you. Follow your heart. I think the author also wanted the reader to think about how you treat others. People are people and you should treat every one of them how you would want to be treated.

       I still like Michael the best in the book because he is battle through some crazy things and he stays strong through it all and continues to think of others before himself and it get him so far in life and he's an all around better person and he can honestly say that about himself.

      Another favorite quote of mine is "Don't worry where I am. I'll tell you when I get there." I think this means that Michael knows he's not where he wants to be yet and he's kind of ashamed of it but he knows he's going to find a way to the place he feels he should be and when he gets there everyones gonna know about it.

     

   

Wolf Brother #3

I am reading  Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver. I am currently on page 96 in chapter eleven.

                Torak and Wolf have been captured! After twelve days without Fa, Torak is captured by a hunting party from the Raven Clan. He has shot a buck on their land and must die to pay for his mistake. However, because he claims innocence he will fight Hord, a large 19 year-old clan member. Hord’s sister, Renn, was part of the hunting party that found Torak, and she captured Wolf. As Torak and Hord fight, Torak realizes that in order to defeat Hord he must use wit, not just brute force. Once Torak has won the fight, Renn comes forward with an interesting discovery. She has found the dog whistle that Torak has crafted for calling Wolf. One of the clan prophecies tells of a listener that will rid the Forest of a demonic bear and restore peace. A clan meeting is called to decide Torak’s fate. Is a sacrifice brewing?

                The book is getting even better. Torak has had his first encounter with man since he was very little. I also really like how believable the story is. New topics keep popping up everywhere. The theme of the book is growing up. Torak has to grow up once his father dies, and is forced to make very adult decisions early in his teenage years.

                The best character in this book is Torak. He has grown in maturity and ability while being alone in the Forest. Torak has been alone for about twelve days now. He has made his first kill and discovered his guide is a lone wolf cub. He is definitely a trusting character.

                “A shadow attacks the Forest. None can stand against it… Then comes the Listener. He fights with air, and speaks with silence… The Listener gives his heart’s blood to the Mountain. And the Shadow is crushed.” (Paver 83-84) This quote is important because it foreshadows Torak’s future in the story. Torak is the Listener.

                In this section of the book we also learn the answer to one of my questions. Torak’s mother died when he was young. She was a member of the Red Deer Clan. Torak’s mother died; perhaps this is the reason Fa and Torak left the clans.

Questions:

1.       What part does Wolf play in the prophecy if Torak is the Listener?

2.       How does Wolf know the way?

3.       Will Torak be sacrificed?

               

        I'm reading the book The Blind Side by Michael Lewis. I have read about a quarter of the book and this part of the book is mostly introducing the point of the story. It's not about the characters in the book at all it's about a football player, his struggles, and how he overcame them. This is probably in the book to bring drama into the story and show how hard it can be to make decisions and overcome fears in the game of football.
     
       When the story really begins it's about a large African- American boy, Big Mike, who has talent in all sports but his dad left and his mom is a drug addict and he doesn't really have a home but another father is trying to get his boy into a school so he decided to try and get Big Mike into school too. The problem is that the school only contains whites, not another black went there, and it was a christian school and Big Mike was not white nor a christian. The school does end up taking Big Mike in as a student, mostly because the coach thought he would be an amazing defensive tackle for his team. The teachers didn't realize how much he didn't know book wise and after practices started the coach found out he wasn't very smart on the field either.
   
       I think Michael wrote this book because he was a football fan or player and wanted people to understand it's hard to be one. He really understood the emotions and explained them really well, especially in the first part of the book about the football player Lawrence Taylor and him ending a career of another player.

       The author wanted us to think about difficulties in life and getting through them with yourself and to listen to your heart and to not let others tell you what to do. You know what's best for you.

      I believe the best character in this book so far is the main character, Michael Oher. He is strong and dependent and shows the theme of the book really well and i'm sure leaves an impact and all readers. Michael learns to adapt to things like the school and all the new people and teachers. He learns that it's important to think of others and it will impact him later.

      "But when he came off the line it was like one whole wall was moving." (page 4) I like this quote because it's straight to the point but also gives you the best picture in your mind and really gives you an idea of what type of person Lawrence is.

       I'm wondering why they have the christian school not want non-christains to be a part of it because I know at least today that it's not really a big deal at all if you are or not they really take anybody in. In the book it was like a whole deal but i can't really tell if they were all against the fact he was black or they really thought it was bad to have a non-christian attending their school. I don't know if it's clear that that's what they mean and I'm just missing it or what.






     

        I just finished reading the book A Bend in the Road by Nicholas Sparks. This book is about a sheriff named Miles Ryan who lives in New Bern, North Carolina who lost his wife in a hit-and-run accident two years earlier. He meets Sarah Andrews, his young son Jonah's school teacher, and slowly but surely starts falling in love with her. But neither of them know that they are connected by a shocking secret about the accident that will change their lives.
        My favorite charecter is Sarah because she is kind and always there to help people when they are in need, like Jonah when he is falling behind in class. Themes I think the author wants us to think about are forgivness and faith. Miles and Sarah both had times when they were forced to forgive each other and other people who hurt them no matter how hard it was and still keep faith in their love. I really recommend this book to anyone who likes romance or mystery novels.

Post #3

The book I am reading is The Last Song and the author is Nicholas Sparks. I just finished Chapter 31 and I'm done with the book. The protagonist of the book is Ronnie, but Jonah, Steve and Will are some important characters too. The end is the saddest part of the book because Steve, Ronnie's father, just died from cancer. He got into an accident with fire at the beginning of the book, but it turns out Will and his friend caused the fire. Jonah, his son, was emotionally attached to his father's death and this made the book very depressing. When Will burned down the church and gave Steve cancer, this really started up another conflict between Ronnie and Will. At the end of the book Ronnie and her brother go back to New York with their mom and Will ends up going to a college a couple hours away from Ronnie. The conflict is resolved and that made the book great! Nicholas Sparks gave a great lesson about how love can happen if you do it right. Obviously love is the theme and this novel and it was mentioned throughout. My favorite character at the end of the book happened to be Steve because he treated his daughter with respect and loved his children so much. “Nothing that’s worthwhile is ever easy. Remember that,” was one of the quotes that I thought was really cool and deep. I wonder if Ronnie accepted the pianist scholarship and became very successful. 

The Scorpio Races

   I am currently reading The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. I haven't gotten very far in this book. This book is about two characters, Kate "Puck" Connolly whose parents were killed when she was younger. It's just her and her two brothers Gabe and  Finn. Puck, as she's called in the book, never wanted to enter the Scorpio Races. The Scorpio Race is a violent and deadly race where many of the riders end up dying or are maimed. They ride horses from the see who eat meat, these horses are violent and attack anything they can. After Puck's parents die they are extremely low on money and there is a threat that her and her brothers are going to be evicted from their home, and her older brother is leaving them to deal with the money problems. So Puck's only choice is to enter the race. She is the first girl to enter and she is the only person who is riding a normal horse instead of one from the sea. Sean Hendricks is the other character that this story is about. Sean is nineteen and has been riding the horses from the sea for years. He has won the Scorpio Race four times and is considered almost impossible to beat. All he wants to do is save enough money to buy a house of his own and  the horse that he always rides in the race but he doesn't have enough money to buy the horse. Right now Puck and Sean are training for the race.
       I like this book so far it is very interesting and unique. One of my favorite parts of this book is that  the author wrote from the point of view of Sean and Puck. The one thing that I think is also great about this book is the capall uisce also known as the horses from the sea. I like how Stiefvater sort of contorts the sea horse image and it makes more monstrous. I have never read a book anything like this one it is new and original.
       So far my favorite character is Puck. I really like this character because she is strong. After her parents died she had to step up and take on a mother figure for her younger brother. I like her because she would do anything for her family. After her brother decides to abandon her and Finn, she doesn't break down any cry and beg  stay, she figures out a way to get money to pay for her house. Although Puck is super tough she isn't invincible. Actually Puck is terrified, especially of the horses from the sea because they killed her parents. But she buries that fear and goes through with the race.
      I thing one of the themes that the author is trying to portray is courage. Puck knows that there is a very little chance that she can win and there is a very good chance that she will die during the race. But she knows that there is no other way to save her house. So even though Puck is scared she does it anyway and she sticks with it till the end.
    Some questions that I have about this book is what really happened to Puck's parents? I know that they were killed by the capall unisce but I don't know how. And why is Gabe just leaving what's left of his family   to move to the Mainland?
   

Wolf Brother #2

I am reading  Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver. I am currently on page 45 at the beginning of chapter 6.

                Since last time, Torak has learned more about caring for himself. He has fought off “fever”, or infection. The infection was taking over his wound from the encounter with the bear. He slowly nursed his forearm wound back to heath. There has been no sign of the demon-bear. At the end of chapter five, Torak finally realizes the wolf cub’s purpose. He is Torak’s guide. Before Fa dies he told Torak that his guide would find him. Torak puts together the puzzle pieces and begins teaching the cub that he is alpha in this pack. As their relationship builds Torak begins to talk to the cub and asks him questions. However, the most important question that Torak has, How do I get to the mountain?, remains unanswered.

                So far, the book is very interesting. Torak has needed to overcome many obstacles and difficult times. Torak is a very inspiring character.

                “Your guide will find you. Could it be that the cub was his guide? He decided to put it to the test. Clearing his throat, he got down on his hands and knees.” (Paver 44)

Questions:

1.       Where is Torak’s mother?

2.       What is Torak going to do when he finds the bear?

3.       Will he be able to communicate with the cub?

Before I Die. - Emily Ira

I am reading a book called Before I Die by Jenny Downham. I am 3/4 of the way done. And it has been pretty interesting actually. She is already going through her cancer treatment but knowone knows about it. She doesnt go to school anymore and she only has one friend. Her friend tells her what to do and she does it with out asking questions becasue she could die whenever. I think it is good because it tells about real life because it actually can happen to someone. I think she wrote this to show that things like this actually do happen and that they can work through anything if they believe. I think she got motivation because it does happen in life and everyone takes advatange of there life. I like her little brother because he is so energetic and happy all the time. "Lots of people are unhappy, but they don't run away." I think it is important becasue it says never to give up on something.

Old Yeller Second Post

       I have just finished reading Old Yeller by Fred Gipson. The further I read, the better the book got. Lots of things happen in the second half of the book. Travis and Old Yeller only grow closer to each other as companions, even when they are both injured in a wild hog accident. No matter what happens to the family, Old Yeller is always there to help them out or, in many cases, save them in a dangerous situation. This occurs when Mrs. Coates and Lisbeth (the Coates neighbor's granddaughter) went to get firewood from the forest by their house when a gray loafer wolf comes and tries to attack them because he has hydrophobia, which is like rabies. Old Yeller fought the wolf off and ended up saving their lives, but even once the wolf was dead, Travis knew that he couldn't take the chance of Old Yeller getting the sickness and going mad as well, because he might bite him or his family and transfer the sickness to them. As hard as it is for him, Travis knows he can't let Old Yeller live.
        Travis is still definitely my favorite character because of what a strong person he is. He cares only about taking care of the farm and his family while his father is away which is a big responsibility. He's dedicated, patient, and kind to his family and dog which shows a lot about his good character. I think a main theme the author wants people to think about is courage and the strength within sacrifice, because as hard as it was for Travis to do so, he was strong enough to let go of Old Yeller for his family's safety.

Hi right now I am reading a book in the Mitch Rapp series by Vince Flyyn. It is titled The Third Option. In the book so far, Rapp was on a quick mission in Germany to assasinate an arms dealer to Saddam Hussein. This shows that the book is a few years old. Mitch goes in there to kill the german when the partner he is with shoots him in the chest after the job is done. Rapp goes unconscious. He wakes up five minutes later because he had kevlar on. He safley gets out but is afraid people are after him so he travels aroound europe to avoid followers before returning to the U.S. Menwhile the director of the CIA is dying fast and politicians are the ones after Rapp. They are also after the job as CIA director. I think this is a good book so far because in this story it is not so much about the field work in the CIA as it is the political side of the CIA and other government positions in the government. The reason the author wrote the book was to continue the Rapp series. The best character in the book is Mitch Rapp because he isnt perfect but still knows what to do.

    I am Currently reading the book "The Power Of Six". It is the second book following "I am Number Four" It is Written by Pittacus Lore. I am half way through the book. The story leads off with number 7, Her human name Marina. She along with the rest of the nine Lorien people are hiding. The Lorien people are mostly human except their genetics and powers. Three have died(#1,2,3) and Number Four, the main  character in I am Number Four, named John is the next person to be assassinated and hunted by the mogadorians. The book is good so far because I read the first one and it makes you want to keep on reading. Pittacus Lore adds suspense when the mogadorains and Loriens attack one another, but I think there could be more action like in the first book.  I think that she writes these types of stories is because she simply enjoys fiction of aliens and humans fighting one another. So far in The Power Of Six there isn't really a strongest character because they all posses special powers individually but the person that has matured and mastered his powers the best is John from The first book. The theme is very hard because the fact that the lorien are running from the mogadorians and have to travel through many different states and countries to stay hidden. To be honest I am not sure what exactly what the idea Pittacus Lore wanted her readers to think while reading this book. A cool quote is "Some of the mogadorians don't know the meaning of our spell that holds us together."
 Since there were nine lorien that survived from their planet and made it to earth, so far 3 have been killed by the mogadorians and the Lorien have to be killed in order , ( number 1, 2, 3,) in order for the next one to be killed. Since number 3 has died John (number 4) has to be killed next for number 5 to die, and so on. Why is some of the beginning of The Power Of Six confusing, as in where they were. It goes from Number 7's school and church to her having weird dreams and then her being captive and it is hard to tell if it is really happening or if she is dreaming.

Post #2

The book I am reading is The Last Song and the author is Nicholas Sparks. I have just finished Chapter 25 and am excited to go on. The protagonist is Ronnie and she meets Will earlier in the book, but they have now started a relationship. Right now Ronnie and Will are going to his sister's wedding, but Will's mother doesn't approve Ronnie so a big conflict is introduced. This book is getting even better because so many conflict occur between this couple. Nicholas Sparks wrote this book to show how strong people can be and how a family can come back together. The theme of this book is love and he is trying to portray the conflicts involved in it. My favorite character now is Will because he is very polite to Ronnie and her family. His family has gone through a lot, but he still is strong. "A joy as intense as pain," is one of the quotes that I thought was really cool. Ronnie's dad has had problems with breathing lately and I want to know what is going on with him.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Post #3

I am reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.  I am on chapter 7 right now.  In the beginning of the book, Tom and Huck tiptoe through the Widow's garden.  But, while Tom was tiptoeing, he tripped on a root, and Jim, one of Miss Watson's slaves hears him from inside.  Tom and Huck duck down and try to sit still, but Huck starts to feel an uncomfortable itch.  Jim later falls asleep, and Tom and Huck walk into the kitchen.  Tom took candles from the kitchen, even though Huck thought that they were going to get caught.

I like this book a lot, mainly for its southern dialect or language.  Tom Sawyer wrote this because he wanted to show the world about how mischievous Tom Sawyer can be.  The main theme in this book is Tom being a rascal in as many ways as he can possibly be.  I think the best character is Tom, even though he is very mischievous, he is smart for thinking through all of his plans.  Tom has not really grown much because he is still a rascal.  "Where it won't do for you to scratch" -Tom.  The main reason I like about that quote, is that you can tell there is southern dialect.  I have no questions about The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

The She post #2

     The She post #2. I just finished the book The She by Carol Plum-Ucci. Evan his brother and his friend, Grey, decide to go out o a boat because they hear a physic say that the She will be "hunting" today even though the weather is clear. They decide to visit the place where Evan's parent's boat was supposed to have sunk. So that both of them could get closure and prove that the She doesn't really exist.  They get to the canyon and wait all till night. The boat is attacked by the She, and Evan realizes that he was right about how his parents died. However when Grey contacts the Coast Guard and tells them what happened they don't believe her. The book then tells how Evan thinks of the She. It is no longer a "hag" but a lady. He understands the sea better than he did before. In the epilogue It's Evans graduation day and he is still trying to figure out where Grey vanished to. She sends him a letter that proves his parents were not drug mules and that they really did die out on the sea. The story ends with Evan opening up a small boat renting business and him being at peace with the sea after everything he has gone through.
       I really liked the idea of this story it was interesting and unique. However for me it was hard to stay interested in in the story. I really enjoyed the beginning and the ending but the middle of the story was kind of boring. There were certain parts in the story where it was interesting and I didn't want to stop reading and there were some really good details and unexpected surprises. But overall the middle lacked intense acton and was dull and just filler information. I sort of just wanted to skip the middle pat of the book straight to the end.
      I think one of the reasons that  Carol Plum-Ucci wrote this book was to say that there are some things that science can't explain. Just because you don't have hard evidence to prove something doesn't mean that it doesn't exist or it can't possibly happen. There are some things in life that people will never be able to prove but that doesn't mean that it didn't happen. Another reason I think that she wrote this book is to say/show that even if something bad happens to someone they are strong enough to get over it. You shouldn't let the bad things in life control your life. Evan was terrified of the sea, he hated it because his parents died he refused to go boating or to even look at the sea. He let the anger and fear of the sea take over his life. Then after the She attacks he finally looses that fear and he starts to understand the sea better.
      I still think that Evan is the best character. I like how he changes from the beginning of the book to the end. When he first goes to visit his grandpa near the sea he hates it he can't wait to leave and he can't even look at the sea without being sick or freaking out. After spending a few days at the boat house and learning more about his parents supposed death he starts to loose that fear and it turns into determination to prove his parents were innocent. At the end of this book his fear of the sea is gone completely he understands and respects the water. I really like how the author made Evan grow. He has changed a lot from the  beginning of the book to the end.
     One quote that was at the end of this book was "Well maybe divinity just isn't that artless." Evan was talking about the She when he said this. I think that this is a cool quote because it's basically saying that not all things are black and white. There is more to things than meets the eye. This quote is specifically about the She in this book. It tells how the She is a woman not a witch, she acts and feels human. She has emotions and "She takes whom she will, but doesn't eat."
     Some questions that I have after finishing this book are what happens next? The epilogue didn't really sum things up very well she didn't say what happened to Evan what he does next other than start up a boat renting business. Another thing that I'm wondering is does Evan ever find his parents remains? He knows that they were not on a small ship trying to escape the D.E.A. So where are they? Are they in the bottom of the canyon where they were attacked by the She or are they somewhere else? And finally where is Grey? What ever happens to her after she enters Witness Protection Program? Does she ever come back? I really wish that she would explain more and give more details about what happens to everyone else after the attack.

Game Post #2

I am reading Game by Walter Dean Myers. I am on chapter 4 (30 page chapters).  It is now basketball season and Drew is starting his high school team as forward.  In his first game, Drew's team won by 12.  Drew scored 15 points and was one of the main reasons that his team won.  He also has been hearing about more gang shootings near his street and he is starting to get nervous.  He doesn't let this ruin his basketball career thankfully, because he is basically the all-star of his team.  Also Drew's grade in English is bad and he has to try to work it up, he doesn't like English at all, but he wants to continue to play basketball.

I think that this book is very good because I like basketball a lot.  The author wrote this because he wanted to have Drew go through a rite of passage.  Walter Dean  Myers made Drew have bad grades because he wanted to have Drew mature a little bit, or basically show that Drew is better than that.  The main theme is Manhattan gangs, they always seem to be on the news and the shootings occur close to the street that Drew lives on.  I think that Drew is still the best character because he continues to persevere, even though his English grade isn't very good.  "The reason that Puerto Rican girls are the best looking is that we got the best mixture" --Ricky.  The reason that I think this is because I think it just shows you what type of personalities Drew's friends have.  I have no questions about my book.

I am reading Fairest by Gail Carson Levine. I have read to chapter 13. So far in the book, Aza has been asked to be lady in waiting for the new Queen Ivy. She has also being forced to illuse for Ivy (Aza can make her voice sound like its coming from somewhere other than her, so she would make it sound like her voice is coming from Ivy) in a society where voice and beauty are most important. Aza possesses a magnificent voice but no beauty other than her eyes. I like the book so far because it I have no idea what is going to happen next. I think the other wrote this book to make a fun twist on the story of Snow White. I think this because I am seeing some similarities between the 2 stories. The theme of the book is not to judge a book by its cover. The author wants us to get to know others before we make an assumption. The best character is Aza, because she has to overcome the obstacle of being ugly in a society where beauty is very important and anything less is frowned upon. She has gotten a bit more confident and I believe she will be very strong by the end of the book. A good quote is "I was born singing. Most babies cry. I sang an aria." This is showing how important singing is, because it is the first sentence in the book. I am wondering if Ivy is evil and if the king will recover.

Game Post #1

I am reading the book Game by Walter Dean Myers.  I have finished reading chapters 1 and 2 (almost 30 pages is a chapter).  Game is a book about a teenage boy named Drew. Drew plays basketball at a ghetto, city  based high school in Harlem, New York.  You can tell he is from a city based high school, because he watches the news sometimes and he always hears about shootouts and stabbings on a street close to his.  Drew's mom doesn't like that there are a lot of shootings, and she usually cries when she hears about them.  She cries because she knows that the kids that are in the shootings, and the others that get stabbed, have families and brothers and sisters of their own.

When it comes to basketball season, Drew is very excited.  He wants to at least go to a division one college, and later the NBA.  Drew knows that he is one of the better players on his high school team, so he knows he will start.  On the first practice, there are two new white kids.  A lot of the players back-talk them because they aren't used to seeing white people try out for basketball.  Drew's team isn't worried at all about the new kids because they think that they're all better than them.

I think that this book is good, mainly because I can kind of relate to Drew.  I can relate to Drew because at my old school, people basically had to try out for the team, instead of everyone who tries out automatically makes the team.  Also I can relate because Drew and I are both city boys who come from bigger schools.  I think Walter Dean Myers wrote this mainly because he writes a lot of other sports books.  He has a lot of knowledge when it comes to basketball, which is what I enjoy playing.  I think Walter Dean Myers was trying to make the point that just because if someone isn't wealthy, or from a good neighborhood like Drew, that doesn't mean that that person can't be good at anything, mainly sports.  The best character is Drew.  Drew is the only character that you get to know very good in this book so far.  Drew is the best character because he is very tough, and he also is one of the only kids from his neighborhood that isn't in a gang or does drugs.  "What's happening with the youth of America?  Well, if you're talking about the young people from our inner cities, the picture is far from pretty.  Today two high school boys were involved in a vicious robbery and shoot-out in New York's Harlem community." -News reporter.  This is important because there is a lot of crimes in Harlem, and the way the news reporter describes the scene as, "a vicious robbery" makes it more dramatic.  It says that Drew goes to a big school in Harlem, so my only question is: How many people go to his school?

Touching Spirit Bear

Im am reading the book Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen. I have read through chapter 13 and so far in the book Cole Matthews has really messed up his life. He has really bad anger and in the paking lot he caught Peter Driscal and smashed his head into the cement. He ends up having to go to this island to learn how to manage his anger. To control his anger he has to climb this mountain and roll a boulder down it each day. He also soaks his body in freezing cold water each day. He see this really white bear the has been spying on his for a long time.

 I really like this book and it is very suspenseful. It makes you want to keep reading it because you want to know what happens with the bear. The theme of the book is courage because Cole has to have enough courage to get his head strait and get his life back on track. I like cole because he is the most talked about in the story and I think he will get his life back on track. He's grown because he is accepting his punishment and is bathing in the cold water every morning. I have no questions so far in this book.

Old Yeller Post 2

I just finished reading the book Old Yeller by Fred Gipson. There has been some very thrilling moments in this book like when Ma gets attacked by a crazy-sick loafer wolf. Old Yeller is there to save Ma from the wolf. Arliss nearly gets mauled by a bear, but Old Yeller is there to save the day agian.

 I really liked this book because it was about a dog and it was very suspenseful. The theme of the book is courage and love. Travis has to have patience and find a way to love Old Yeller, which he does end up really loving Old Yeller at the end of the story. I think Travis is the best character because he finds a way to like to dog and really matures throughout the story. I have no questions about the book Old Yeller.

Git-R-Done Post 3

I have just finished Larry the Cable Guy's book Git-R-Done. The first half of the book was about how he had come to be a comedian, and where he grew up. the second half he got creative making wierd chapters about everyday observations and nascar. Its all very funny. I love it. Hes just funny about everything.I still think that he wrote this book to be funny, because its what he likes to do. I have finally figured out a theme for this book and its comedy. It was so simple I couldn't figure it out. Larry is the best charecter, because he is the only charecter. It seems as though he has gotten funnier throughout the book. My new favorite quote from the book is "Thats funny and I don't care who you are." He says a really funny messed up joke and then he says the quote. All I want to know is why he ended the book so sudden. He didn't really talk much about his modern life.

The Grapes of Wrath (Post #3)

I am still reading The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. I've read much farther and now am on page 365 of 502. I haven't read as much as I would have liked to over break, but like I've said before, this is a very complicated book and takes a lot of rereading to comprehend it.

There has been a lot that has gone on in the book since the last time I blogged. Most importantly, the Joads have made it to California, what they believe is there new home. However, like they were warned, it is nothing like they thought it would be. All of the residents of California don't want any "Okies" coming into their home in fear of a rebellion. Everyone who has travelled to California (hundreds of thousands of people) are incredibly malnourished and have no money, and worst of all...there's no work. The Joads started out with twelve people and are now down to eight (either from death or the person willingly left).

I began this book last year, but shortly into it I wuit from boredom and lack of understanding. What I realize now is that if I would have read just a little bit more I would have realized that this is a phenomenal book; it's great. It has drama, humor, love, family...and most importantly, it's realistic. The Grapes of Wrath is based on the Great Depression and the migration of immense amounts of people travelling to California, so it is partially factual. The great thing about this book, though, is that it shows the true horror of what these "Okies" had to go through. They literally had to go through Hell to just get to California, and now that they're there they're being treated like dirt. I am almost 100% positive that I will never go through what the Joads had to go through, but after reading through this book I know that I'd probably never survive what they had to go through. It must be absolute torture, and Steinbeck did a great job portraying that pain. That is also why Steinbeck wrote this book, I believe; to show the pain and suffering that these innocent people had to go through. Also, to make it known to his readers that most of us probably wouldn't survive.

The theme, now, is suffering. Also, how the Joads handled their suffering. How would you feel if you gave up everything (your home for the last 200 years, your possessions, your family items, personal items...everything), to live a better life. First of all, how would you feel after doing this? I know that I would rather die then leave everything behind. What the Joads are doing...it's like starting over; and that's incredibly hard to do. Just imagine what it would feel like to have to give that up, and then not know if the end result would be worth it. Then, after giving everything up, you realize that it in fact was not worth it. You threw away everything for nothing. Most of us will never have to do this, and I hope that no one will ever have to do this...but just thinking about it is what Steinbeck is trying to make us think about. Do you think that you could do what the Joads did?

The best character, now, is Ma. She is the strongest person in the family, and probably one of the strongest characters I've ever read. In the book, when they're almost to California, she does something that stands out to me, but I really don't understand it. She lies to the guards about Grandma being sick, even though she was really dead. Something about her lying and risking everyone's life (mostly hers), just makes me think about her in awe. She would risk her life to get her family into a better place. and that's a quality in a person that is very rare.

"They had no arguement, no system, mothing but their numbers and their needs. When there was work for a man, ten men fought for it- fought with a low wage. If that fella'll work for thirty cents, I'll work for twenty-five...If he'll take twenty-five, I'll do it for twenty...No, me, I'm hungry. I'll work for fifteen. I'll work for food. The kids. You ought to see them. Little boils, like, comin' out an' they can't run aroun'. Give em' some windfall fruit, an' they bloated up. Me, I'll work for a little piece of meat." This quote, though not the most important, tells a great amount of information about the "Okies". It shows the desperation that they hold for work...and most importantly, for food. These people are on the brink of death from starvation, and they'll do anything for some food; they'll even give up the opportunity of money. Then, imagine how many people would kill for a job, even for a job that pays in food. All of the men, they're trying to make the best offer to the employer to get hired; they're incredibly desperate.

I'm hoping to finish the book soon, within two weeks. I've spoken to Mr. Cocking about The Grapes of Wrath, and he immediately told me that it was an incredible book, but the last page is what makes it banned from many schools. So, I'm very excited to get to the ending and read the controversy that makes this great book so bad.

Git-R-Done Post 2

I am reading Larry the cables guys Git-R-Done.I am on page 195 of 264.The first half he is still talking about how he started off. Now hes staarting to talk about random stuff, but its still funny. I love this book it is hilarious. the thinks of the most random stuff. He wrote this book to be funny. I just think he likes being funny, sharing jokes, and being famous for them. There is no main theme, because the first half is technicolly an autobioography.Larry is the best character, because he is the only character in the book. As the book progresses he seems to be getting funnier.Git-R-Done is still my favorite quote. It is what he says, and he made it. One day it just took off and I think it is pretty cool. I have no questions at this moment.

A Walk To Remember (Post #2)

Over spring break, I read A Walk To Remember by Nicholas Sparks. Normally, I wouldn't read a book like this, but I decided to test some new genres. I usually read contemporary fiction or real life dramas, but not love stories. However, I wanted to try something new.

This books focuses on the romance of Jamie Sullivan and Landon Carter. Like many other high school romances and fairy tales, Landon is the popular guy and Jamie is the least popular girl in school and is very Christian. They are both in a drama class and grow very close when Landon needs help with his lines. Predictably, they fall in love. Later, Jamie tells Landon that she has leukemia and has stopped responding to her treatments. They marry, which was Jamie's dream, and she later dies.

Though this would not be a normal read for me, I did enjoy the book. It was a tragic tale of two innocent humans who fell in love, but in the end their love wasn't enough to keep Jamie alive. Something that I really enjoyed about the book was that it was realistic. When someone has untreatable cancer, it's very obvious that they will not survive, no matter how much love they receive. So, I was pleasantly surprised that Sparks kept the ending very believable. Now, I wasn't happy that Jamie died because I wanted to see her die, but I was happy that the book didn't turn into a fantasy world where everything is perfect. I actually compare the death of Jamie to the trial of Tom Robinson in To Kill A Mockingbird. In the latter book, if Tom wouldn't have been convicted, the book would be very unrealistic...the same goes for if Jamie would have lived.

Sparks wrote this book to display the innocence of blind love. Landon and Jamie are high schoolers...they think that they're invincible and that nothing can touch them, especially Landon. He believes that everything is perfect and that nothing can go wrong, but he in fact is wrong. I don't think that Sparks was trying to display that all good things come to an end, however he partially did. I think that he was trying to get his readers to believe that true love has no boundaries; it is limitless. This is the first book of Sparks that I have read, but I know that most of his other books are romance novels. He is trying show that love can affect anybody at anytime, and that is the message/theme. There are endless possibilities of who can be affected by love; like I said, it's limitless. Never rule out the chance of falling in love, because it can happen to anyone. But, you also have to keep in mind that love is not immortal; it can be affected by things. For instance, Jamie dying from her cancer. Something that Sparks makes known at the end of the book is that Landon still has undying love for Jamie. Love, he's trying to say, will go on forever, no matter what has happened previously.

Jamie Sullivan is by far the best character. She was brave, fearless, compassionate, and caring. Jamie was very Christian and wanted to make a difference in other people's lives; and she did. Jamie did everything in her power to make the lives of other's the best possible, and because of that she was a great person. She taught Landon how to be a better person. Sparks, I think, tried to make Jamie be a living model of what it means to live. The only criticism I have about Jamie is that she seems slightly too good to be true. She seems too nice and good...and that makes her a little unbelievable. Overall, though, she was a great character and even inspired me to try and be a better person.

 A question that I have for Sparks would be, first of all, did you try to make this story seem almost like a fairy tale? Why did Landon fall in love with Jamie when he didn't even care about her? Also, why was Jamie outcasted so much? I know that she was "different" and was very Christian, but why did everybody not like her? If she was such an incredible person, why had nobody seen that?

Overall, this was a great book that truly did make me want to become a better person. I definitely will be reading more of his books in the future.

Pride and Prejudice Post #2

This is my second post about Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I've read from chapter 16 to chapter 42 and a lot of things have happened since my last post.

Mr. Wickham tells Elizabeth that Mr. Darcy cheated him out of his inheritance which makes her hate him even more. Mr. Bingley invites the Bennets to a ball and Elizabeth is forced to dance with Mr. Collins. Mr. Darcy also asks her to dance and she agrees but then later regrets it. The Bingleys move to London which makes Jane very unhappy. Mr. Collins asks Elizabeth to marry her but she politely declines. Then he asks her friend Charlotte and she accepts. They get married and Elizabeth visits them at their house which is near the mansion of Lady Catherine De Bourgh (his patroness and Darcy's aunt). Elizabeth sees Darcy there at Rosings and he asks her to marry him. She says no politely at first but then she accuses him of separating Jane and Bingley, making Jane miserable, and of stealing Wickham's inheritance. Mr. Darcy writes a letter to Elizabeth explaining he realized Bingley was in love with Jane but he didn't know that Jane was in love with Bingley. He intervened and caused Bingley to move away from Netherfield, thinking it was best. He also explained that Wickham is a liar and tried to elope with Darcy's sister, Georgiana, for money. This causes her feelings for Darcy to change. When she gets home she sees Wickham and acts coldly towards him. The militia is moving to Brighton and Mr. Bennet says Lydia can go there for the summer. Elizabeth decides to take a trip with her aunt and uncle and they think Mr. Darcy won't be at Pemberley, so they decide to go there and take a tour.

The book has gotten even better since I last posted. A lot has happened and I'm eager to keep reading. I'm really happy that Elizabeth finally realized that Mr. Darcy is a kind-hearted person and that Mr. Wickham is not. One of the things I think Jane Austen wants us to think about is that appearances can be deceiving. At first Wickham seemed really nice and charming, but when we heard Darcy's side of the story, we find out he's really a greedy person. We also think that Mr. Darcy is cold-hearted until when we read his letter; we find out he's actually a nice person, even though he's a little shy. Now I think the best character is a tie between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. Both have changed a lot throughout the course of the story. As I said in my first post, both of them were very prideful and Mr. Darcy has prejudice against people of lower status than his. Now Elizabeth isn't as prideful as she was before. When Elizabeth read Darcy's letter, she realizes how her vanity had not allowed her to see the truth about Wickham her character changed. An important quote that I've read since the last post is: “In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” This quote is said by Darcy when he is expressing his feelings toward Elizabeth and asking her to marry him. It is important because Darcy finally realizes that Elizabeth hates him and it gives him chance to do something about it. Elizabeth also realizes how much Darcy is in love with her.

A question I have from reading this far is: How did Darcy get Georgiana out of the elopement with Wickham? This wasn't explained in the book and I was wondering.

       I am reading a book called The She by Carol Plum-Ucci. I am on page 162 out of 280. In the beginning of the book it starts off with Evan Barrett (the main character) as a nine year old boy. He lives by the sea and his family have been sailors for 12 generations. There is a fallacy called the Ella Diablo Agujero which means the she-devil of the hole, but Evan calls it the She. The She "eats" ships when she's hungry. Evan's parents die at sea during a storm, but he blames the She because he can hear a screeching that only a select few can hear. Eight years later Evan returns to his old home for Thanksgiving and he finds out that his parents were accused of being drug mules and selling them in Jamaica. Evan has a hard time believing this because he went to someone who has "magic hands" and he tells Evan that a huge wave was the reason the ship went down. And to top it all off he is starting to remember surpressed memories about his parents and the night they died.
       So far this book has been very good. It has characters that you like and the story is interesting. The author will add something in the story that I didn't expect to happen. My favorite character is Evan. I like him because he's a good person but he's not too good. He has his flaws which makes him seem more real and human. He has an interesting personality. Since he lost his parents he helps out other kids who also lost their parents. He had a nice sense of humor but he is also serious when he needs to be. He looks out for and protects his brother, just like his brother protects him. He's grown a lot from when he was a kid. He got over the superstition of the She and  has grown more responsible and he is mature most of the time. Evan looks out for people he cares about or people who are having difficult things happen to them. Evan is kind of like Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird. Evan is good demonstration of compassion and empathy in this book.
    A quote from this book that I like is "Whatever your problem is, or whatever you want to say, just say it." This quote is important because this whole story is based on this quote. If Edwin  had originally told Evan about the the investigation on his parents by the D.E.A then this story would have never taken place. Evan would have accepted his parents death/disappearance and just gone back to school after Thanksgiving. Another important thing is that it's easier to deal with problems when you know exactly what it is, instead of having to guess.

Vampire Diaries part 3

I have not read much further in my book, Vampire Diaries Return of Night Fall by L.J. Smith but I have a new favorite character, Damon. He is the boy that in all of the stories does not get the girl . He is the girl's best friend that has to watch her fall in love with the super cool jock. Damon is my favorite because despite the fact that she doesn't like him, he stays to protect her. Finding this new favorite character also helped me find the theme. Friendship and loyalty I believe is the theme. All of the characters though good times and bad stick to together and stand up for each other despite their differences. In this book everyone is working together to save Elena and Stefan even though they all don't get along. This really showed me that anyone can work with others if they all share a common goal. I am right now really likely this book because every one is starting to become friends and working together. I think the author wrote this to make people happy when the read it. I think she wrote this so that people could read a romantic book with some action. "closets seat not in danger" is a quote said by the evil villan. It shows that he is a coward and gets others to do his dirty work. This was cool to me because it is show true that in almost all stories the evil villan doesn't do his own evil plans. The one question I have about this book is where is Stefan he is one of the male leads and he has been gone for a long time.

Killing Lincoln Part 1

I am reading Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard. I'm on page 67, just about to start chapter 13. This book is set in 1865, fourteen days before President Lincoln is assassinated, during the Civil War. So far its been all about the battles and the two sides strategies and the war seems to be close to over. I think that the book is pretty good, but sometimes its hard to follow with all the different names and directions of the troops within each side. I think O'Reilly and Dugard wrote this so people could find out the real story of what happened to Lincoln, it seems like a topic most people don't know alot about but it is really quite interesting. They probably wanted you to think of the story from many points of view, so you could understand it in its fullest.

"They ride hard. Their fate comes down to one simple word: 'Charge!" I think this is important because alot of the Union and Confederates strategy towards the end of the war is to just charge and go all out.

Questions:
How has the Union not won yet?
Does Lincoln believe all races are completely equal or just doesn't believe in slavery?

Wolf Brother

I am reading Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver. So far, I have read to page 28. In the first three chapters Paver is establishing the character, Torak. Torak is a young boy that lived with his father in the Forest. They lived on their own and hunted for food. Life was good until a possessed bear attacked them at their campsite. Due to his injuries, Torak's father dies the next day. However, Fa leaves Torak all of his supplies and hands over his special knife. Torak is aware that the bear will be coming back for his Fa, so he takes off running. He runs for a while, until he discovers more of the bear's carnage. As he walks through he happens upon a lone wolf cub. The cub's family has drowned in a flash-flood. Both cub and boy are on their own for the first time. What will become of Torak and his new-found friend?

I think that this book is good. It has a mystical taint to it. I am interested to see how Torak will avenge his father's death and save the Forest from this evil bear. I think that Paver wrote this book for reader entertainment. This book is very good so far and 'keeps me on the edge of my seat'. I have the problem of not wanting to stop, which shows that she did a great job!

The theme of this book is learning to let go and rising to the challenge. She wanted young adults to realize that you can conquer the evil bear in your life and anything is possible as long as you put your all into it. The best character in the story is Torak. He has had to run away from the only thing he knew. He is on his own now in this unforgiving Forest. He can also get into an animal's mind, but he is just discovering this.

"But what kind of bear stalks men -- then vanishes without making the kill? What kind of bear plays with its prey? And where was it now?" - Chapter 1, Page 2. This quote describes the bear and shows what Torak thinks of it. The bear is a main motif in the book.

 Questions:
1. Why is the bear possessed?
2. How did the bear become possessed?
3. Where is Torak's mother?

Pride and Prejudice Post #1

The book I am reading right now is Pride and Prejudice, a classic, written by Jane Austen. I have just finished chapter 15 in the book, but the chapters are really short. Pride and Prejudice is set in England during the late 1700's or early 1800's. The main character, Elizabeth Bennet, is 20 years old and lives at Longbourn. She has 4 sisters (Jane, Mary, Catherine, and Lydia).

The book starts out when the Bennets find out that a wealthy man named Mr. Bingley is moving to Netherfield. The sisters are unmarried so this news is exciting for the family, especially for Mrs. Bennet who wants her daughters to marry into wealth. Soon there is a ball and the Bennet daughters meet Mr. Bingley. Mr. Bingley and Jane (the oldest) fall in love and dance most of the evening. Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley's friend, is unhappy at the ball and refuses to dance with anybody. This causes people, especially Elizabeth, to dislike Mr. Darcy. Later on, Jane is invited to Netherfield. It is raining outside, but Mrs. Bennet makes Jane ride on horseback despite her protests. Jane becomes ill and the Bingleys insist that she should stay with them until she is well. Elizabeth walks over to take care of her. Elizabeth notices that Mr. Darcy is watching her a lot which makes Miss Bingley jealous. When they get home, Mr. Bennet says that his cousin, Mr. Collins will be visiting. Mr. Collins is important to the family because if Mr. Bennet dies, Mr. Collins will inherit the estate. He would be allowed to do anything he wants with the house and property (it's called entailment, like from To Kill a Mockingbird. And Scout was right, it is bad.). Mr. Bennet gives Mr. Collins permission to marry Elizabeth (his second choice next to Jane, but she's "soon to be married"). The next day, Mr. Collins goes with the sisters to Meryton where they see Mr. Denny, a friend of Lydia. Mr. Denny has a friend with him named Mr. Wickham who is a soldier. The sisters are all charmed by him, but when Darcy and Bingley come by, Elizabeth notices some hostility between Wickham and Darcy.

So far I think Pride and Prejudice is good. The characters are interesting and well developed. Jane Austen put time into every character so that we can visualize what he or she might look and act like. I think Austen wrote the book because she loved to write romance novels. Because she has written so many other love stories and because of her intricate characters, I think she just really liked writing and wasn't doing it for money. I believe the themes in this book are social class and, as the book title suggests, pride and prejudice. In my opinion all of these themes work together in the book. Darcy is reluctant to socialize with people from a different social group because of his pride which causes him to have a prejudice against them. Since I'm not very far into the book, these themes aren't well established yet, but as I read on I know they'll become more developed. I think the best character is, of course, Elizabeth. She is very clever, intelligent, and bold, yet she is caring when it comes to her sister Jane.

An important quotation from this book is "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." This is the first sentence of the book. It is important because it sets up the entire plot. It also sums up the entire story. Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy are in search of wives and the Bennet sisters are also in search of wealthy husbands.

One question that I have is: Why does Mr. Collins want to marry one of the Bennet sisters when he is related to them...?

Post #1

The book I am reading right now is The Last Song and the author is Nicholas Sparks. I have just started reading the book and I'm in Chapter 3. At the beginning of the book Ronnie (the protagonist) and her brother,  Jonah, have been shipped off to her dads house. Ronnie has had a horrible personality since her father left their family. Her mother told her that if they went to their father's house that they would get along better. This book has started out very good, because there is already a conflict that is introduced to in the book. Nicholas Sparks wrote this book, because he is showing how a family that is separated can work things out and make up and this was his motivation because this has happened to many families before. The theme of this book is love and he wants us to think about all the conflicts involved in it. Jonah is my favorite character because he brings out a lot of personality and tries to cheer up his sister. Jonah has learned from his sisters mistakes and that is helping him grow into and great person. I just started my book so I don't have a cool quote yet. I wonder if Ronnie will change into a whole new person and treat her family with respect.

Currently I am reading the classical book The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. I'm only on page 15, but I'm interested already. So far the main character has been introduced. He is a young boy named Tom Sawyer, and he lives with his Aunt Polly because his mother is dead. Tom is quite the sly rascal and seems to always be able to trick and talk his way out of doing any work. This book seems good to me because of the way it was written. Tom says such comical things and comes up with the best of ideas to avoid work or anything he doesn't like. I'm not sure yet what the theme or the author's purpose for writing this book is. I haven't gotten far enough into the story to see any growth or changes in character to say who the best character is either, but hopefully I will as the book continues. An important quote I found in my book is "He had discovered a great law of human action, without knowing it--namely, that in order to make a man or a boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to attain." We use this concept today in things like the stock market and supply and demand. Advertisers even use the idea that when there is less of something more people are likely to buy it. These are deeper concepts so it was surprising to me to see a young boy discover them. I'm curious to see if this idea will be carried throughout the book. I had a question about Tom's brother Sid. I didn't quite understand how they were related since Tom's mother had died. Another question I had was the setting of the book. It said that Tom was a poor boy, but I was still wondering where he lives and what his house is like?

Raiden T. American Assasin.

Right now I am reading American Assassin by Vince Flynn. I am on page 322 of 367.  In the story A guy called Mitch Rapp is described to us as s 23 year old who lost his fiance in a terrorist bombing of an airplane. (not a real bombing just one made up). This younger CIA worker - recruiter stumbles upon him and sees him as a likely candidate for an operative. He gets through the training and beats up an instructor in a fighting match and breaks another ones arm. Basically saying, he has skill. When he is done with training he is sent on an assassination and breaks the rules but he gets the job done faster and cleaner than the CIA can do. Rapp, one of his old instructors ( Hurley) , and an agent he went through training with (Richards) are sent on an a negotiation - get the captured agent out alive in Beirut when Hurley and Richards get captured by the same terrorists that captured the other agent. they are tortured a little bit and Rapp is stuck not knowing where they are or what to do. I think it is interesting because Flynn shows an exciting sequence of events that could be possible in the world of the CIA. The author wrote this book because it is the beginning of a series he has been writing. His motivation was to show us Rapp's first mission and how he dealt with training. I am not sure there is a big picture in this book but if there is it is about trying to get over the past and how Rapp deals with the death of his fiance. I think the best character would be Rapp. The author makes him look like a sensible guy who while has his good moments can be a little out of control or rash. So he is not too good to be true. He has been able to think less about the terrorist bombing in the book because he has been kept busy with his new job and he is able to experience some revenge at this point. I do wonder why there is a business man being held hostage and why a CIA agent was sent to negotiate his release and why the terrorists have been holding them for so long.

Git-R-Done

I am reading a book named Git-R-Done by Larry the cable guy. I am on page 82. Its a pretty funny book so far, and hes just talking about how he became a comedian and the stuff hes done along the way. I really like this book, because hes really funny. All of his jokes are stupid funny. He'll just be talking about something and it will lead to something he did. All the stuff he does he makes it out to be hilarious. I think he wrote this book, becasue he likes to be funny. He just likes to share his jokes. The theme is comedy. The author wants you to think about how he came to be where he is. Larry is really the only charecter and he does really change, because its a autobiography. Git-R-Done is his cool quote I think. It goes with everything. Like if your at a football game Git-R-Done. It means like whatever you do Get it done right. I don't really have any questions at the moment. He really just comes out and says everything.

Raiden T. Timeline

Hello! I am Reading a book called Timeline by Michael Crichton. I just finished the book.What happened is that this company discovers time travel on accident. the fund this archaeological dig in rural France. The archaeologists start asking questions on why the sponsors know much more than the archaeologists. Like an undiscovered wall and tower. The professor goes and has a conversation with the owner-president of the company. The head professor goes back in time and gets lost. The people next in line to lead start asking questions. The sponsors bring them in and explain the situation to them. They elect to go back and find him. In there first 5 minutes back their two body guards get killed by a group of English Knights. The three college age students are left back in mid evil Castle Guard France searching for the lost professor. They get caught by both French and English lords. They will inevitably get caught in a battle between the French and the English. Will they ever get back? To make it more interesting. They only have 37 hours to stay in France or they can never return. They eventually find the professor just to get recaptured by the English... again. They eventually make it out but Marek decides to stay in time. He wanted to see what it would be like to grow old in mid evil era. This is a very good book because the author is able to make a blend of compelling science and amazing history. I think the reason the author wrote this book was to make a blend between the mid evil era and new sciences that are  emerging or will emerge. I think the author is trying to show that one and the other ( mid evil and present times) don't have to be locked at as a separate time, but that someday the two can be brought together. The best author. I think the best character in the story is Andre Marek because he is able to show blend in with the people and show the other characters in the book how to live in the time period. Andre has maybe not learned about the mid evil era but he did learn more about himself in the process because he learns that he wants to live in the mid evil era. A quote from the book is "His Family motto, echoing Richard Lionheart, appeared above the coat of arms: Mes compaingnons cui j'amoie et cui j'aim, ... Mi di, chanson. "She paused." 'Companions whom I loved, and still do love, ... Tell them my song." This quote from the book is important because it shows that Andre still had a good sense of companionship and legacies while he never forgot his friends, never would and wanted his descendants to remember him.

I am reading the book Old Yeller by Fred Gipson.  This book takes place in Birdsong Creek, Texas in the late 1860's. The story revolves around a dog named Old Yeller who a teenage boy named Travis finds out on his farm one day. After a while, Travis learns to understand and love Old Yeller on the many journeys together. I am halfway through the book and I like it a lot; mainly because of the strong bond that grows between Travis and Old Yeller, as well as the entire family. I think that is the big theme that the author wants readers to understand, the beautiful connection that can occur between people and animals. I personally think Travis is the best charecter because of the great responsibility he takes on of running the family farm while his father is gone. As the book goes on, Travis discovers more about himself and the person he wants to be when he grows up, with Old Yeller right by his side.

I just finished a book called Just Listen, by Sarah Dessen. In the book is a family made up three daughters: Kirsten, Whitney and Annabel. Their mother got them all into modeling at a very young age. The protagonist in the book is Annabel Greene who encounters a life changing experience one summer before her junior year. Her best friend since the seventh grade, Sophie, has a boyfriend who's name is Will Cash. At a party, Will trapped Annabel in a dark room and forced himself upon her, causing this situation to look like something it wasn't when Sophie walked in on them. Sophie and Annabel's other best friend, Emily, disowned her when they thought she was sleeping with Will. As Annabel suffers in misery through her junior year with personal family problems along with being an outcast, Owen Armstrong saves her from herself and did something no one else had ever done for her: Listened. This book was really good because valuable life lessons were taught to all of the characters. I think that maybe the author wrote this book to teach her readers to not be afraid to speak up about serious situations. I believe Owen is the best character because he teaches Annabel to be herself always, and to always be honest with people. He and Annabel grew up together during the course of the book. The best quotation is from Annabel when speaking to Owen about her situation from the past summer, "Just listen, don't judge... just listen." It's important because it's powerful, and also the title of the book. Some questions about this book is why did the author make all of the Greene sister's models? Why does Owen love being so honest with people, all the time?

Ty Appleget Post #2

I am reading the book Breaking Dawn. Stephanie Meyer wrote this book it is one book in a whole series. I am pretty far through the book I have about a hundred pages left. Bella and Edward are running from the Voturi, Alice and Jasper run awaway from the Cullens so they don't get caught by the Volturi. It is a great book it there is a lot of action in this book. The author probaly wrote this because she wanted write something different than other writers. The theme is probaly vampires and romance. That love overcomes everything. Jacob because he is the most important character. He became leader of the pack and imprinted. When Jacob imprints, he says "If you want to hurt the baby your going to have to go through me." This means the pack can't hurt him or the baby. I have a question about why the book of Venice is so importand to destroy.

From Crank to Glass and finally...

Fallout.

Although I've only managed to tackle a small chunk of the book so far (Page 301 out of 663 to be exact), Ellen Hopkins has honestly earned my seal of approval once more. Hopefully, she won't spring any surprise endings upon me, I'd hate for that to happen. Reading Crank, and Glass was heartbreaking, and I'm pleased to see two more brilliantly described faces coming into focus. Previously youthful, Hunter Seth Haskins is all grown up into a dashing young man. Summer Lily Kenwood and Autumn Rose Shepherd, are also pulled into the picture, Kristina Georgia Snow is their only link to each other, for she is all their biological mother, yet she fails to fulfill the role of "mom" in her downward spiral with the monster (meth) Hunter still lives with his "parents", Autumn lives with her Aunt Cora and her grandfather, and Summer lives in a broken foster home.

It chills me to the bone to think that Ellen Hopkins has interweaved wispy threads of truth into Kristina's story, to think who was behind this. This series hasn't slapped me across the face with the words "Just say no" over and over, it has burned true stories into my brain. It’s like the story is from the point of view of the meth itself and not from the user. The Crank series is loosely based on the life of Ellen’s daughter. This alone really sets this story out from the others because Ellen had actually witnessed and experienced what meth does to a person and their loved ones. Knowing that Ellen was not an outsider looking in when she wrote this book really ties everything together. Although Ellen had probably never tried meth herself, it had touched her life in a way. Ellen is simply a humble guide to readers as they look into Kristina’s life. Her purpose is to provide raw information about meth and the people it claims, and then let the reader decide what to do when meth rears its ugly head.

Fallout has not exactly been the happiest book I’ve ever read, but I’ve managed to pluck out a favorite from the group of genuine characters. Hunter Seth Haskins has been the one character throughout the whole series who’s life had been created in the demented environment in Kristina’s life. Now, in Fallout, someone has hit the unmute button and Hunter is 19 years old. He has morals, he has respect. Never touched drugs, but has grown familiar with alcohol. Hunter seems cool as a cucumber on the outside but on the inside he’s got his own opinions, and they aren’t exactly sugarcoated. He is the only one of all three of Kristina’s children who’s been given a good childhood, and been brought up with little or no error. Sure, he’s arrogant and a bit stubborn, but that’s what makes him my favorite character.

Armed with an extensive vocabulary and pure empathy, Ellen has managed to spin off countless pages of astounding poetry. She even has taken situations that may sound a bit unappealing, and warped them in the best way possible. When I picked this book up in the library and read the back I immediately knew I was going to read it. “So you want to know all about her. Who she really is. (Was?) Why she swerved off the high road. Hard left to nowhere, recklessly indifferent to me, Hunter Seth Haskins, her firstborn son. I’ve been choking that down for nineteen years. Why did she go on her mindless way, leaving me spinning in a whirlwind of her dust?” This told me that this book was what happened after the dust settled, what was left. Who was left. Why. Ellen isn’t asking you to read the book when she wrote that, she is inviting you to read it. She’s a guide, not a mentor. She wants you to ask questions and to provide all possible answers.