Over the summer, Mr. Booth asked you to read at least two novels of your choice.
1) Briefly tell me what you read, including the titles and authors.
2) I want to know what you liked about the books, what you learned and, more importantly, what matters to you about the book's content.
*Make sure to adhere to proper conventions and proofread your response. If, for some reason, you did not read two novels, tell me about two novels you have read and answer the above.
Over the summer I read two books; Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, and Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo. They were two very different books but, I enjoyed both very much. Catching Fire is the last book in the series, The Hunger Games. The series is by far the best I have ever read. I couldn’t put any of the books down and enjoyed every word in each book. I learned how a corrupt government can change a country and how everyone fights for what they think is right. I enjoyed the book because of how different it was from the world today. However, in some ways the world was the same. I also liked how the book stuck to one main theme; survival. Heaven is for Real, was also a very good book. I’m not the most religious person so I’m not sure why I choose the book but, I’m very happy I did. I liked how the book was in a fictional story format even know it was a true story created from memories of how their son visited Heaven and came back to tell stories about it. It made me think about how there really may be a Heaven and how Jesus really loves us all. The books content was important to me because, it showed me that people believe in miracles and sometimes, they happen.
ReplyDeleteOver the summer, I read The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks, and This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen. Let me just start out by saying that I did not realize that I read two of the most "fluffy" books ever. I apologize for that. Anyway, I chose to read The Notebook because I thought I would enjoy it since I like the movie. Boy was I wrong. It was the most plotless, dull, pointless thing I have ever read. Ugh. Bad choice by me. I suppose the tiny storyline that is there is somewhat creative, but that storyline was scarce. I did learn, however, that, every once in awhile, the movie *is* better than the book. The second book I read was This Lullaby. It was about a girl who thought she knew what she wanted in a relationship, but really didn't. It's not as lame as I make it sound. It was actually really good. It had likable characters, and an interesting story. The main thing I got from the book is the idea that people can, and will, surprise us all.
ReplyDeleteEllen Savarese
The 2 books that I read over the summer were, the book thief By Markus Zusak, Also I read the book series Pendragon by D. J. MacHale. All the books I found Fantastic and would recommend them to any one! The Book thief was a very good book and thing I loved most about it was the diversity of the plots. The book has some adventure and romance and action and they all blend together really well to make a phenomenal book. Also the narrator of the book was death, that was really cool to me and it really set the book apart and made it different. The other book(s) that I read over the summer were the pendragon series. Tough a little lengthy these books were great also. I loved that there was a lot of action in them. Also because they were in a series, the plot was able to have many different sub plots and it made the books so much more intricate and interesting. Both books were fantastic and I would recommend the m to anyone
ReplyDeleteOver the summer, I chose to read the books Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn’t Have) by Sarah Mlynowski, and Between Sisters by Kristen Hannah. I usually don’t like super girly books, but these were actually good. I enjoyed Ten Things We Did because it made me laugh, and made me wonder how on Earth these girls got away with some of the things they did. This book taught me many things, but the most important is to never lie to my parents. Her life was jacked up because of a few decisions she made. I don’t usually lie to my parents anyway, but this was just an extra warning. The content of this book was fairly meaningful to me. The main character did a lot of things she shouldn’t have, but she found a way to get through all of them. Between Sisters was something completely different. I liked this book because, surprisingly, I enjoy a book that makes me cry. I learned from this book that no matter how much you think you hate a person, you need to respect them. You never know when something life threatening will happen. The content of this book was also meaningful to me. Throughout the book I laughed and cried, and it made me think. When I finished this book I went to my sister’s room and hugged her.
ReplyDeleteOk, so I have a little problem. I read probably 10 or 20 books over the summer and I don't know which 2 I wrote down. I think I wrote down The Davinci Code by Dan Brown and it was amazing! I loved the cliff hangers, the details, and the amazing thought behind everything. I definitly learned about different religions more and it really made me think, what do I believe? Is Christianity really all Dan Brown says it is? What really mattered to me in the book was the thought process behind it. I love books that force you to think. Now I am randomly selecting a book that I read over the summer, so I'll go with the Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan.I adored that it was 'spoken' by two characters, who are hilarious. I learned a ton about greek mythology which helped me to understand other books. (I read a LOT!) What mattered to me in the book was the way everything could have actually happened in real life. I mean, sure there's magic, but the way it's described is as if there is magic at work in the world now, just hidden. All in all, I would most definitly recommend those books(and the other 18) to anyone interested at all in reading.
ReplyDeleteOver the summer I read "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown as well as "Flags of Our Fathers" by James Bradley. Both were phenomenal books. Both are very recommendable books. "The Da Vinci Code" was a great mystery-detective fiction novel. I learned about the history of the Roman Catholic Church and some mythical ideas with the Templar Knights and the Priory of Sion. I love all the historical attributes that Dan Brown included to the story. It gave me a different thought about history and a possible alternate universe. "The Flags of our Fathers" was an absolutely amazing book. I had trouble putting it down. It is written by James Bradley Jr. Upon his father's death he discovers he was one of the famed flag raisers at Iwo Jima in 1945. His father was a Navy corpsman who tended to the wounded and dying soldiers. He rose the flag with Mike Strank, Rene Gagnon, Harlon Block, Franklin Sousley, and Ira Hayes. I love the deep information the book provided. It talked about there childhood, how they got into the armed forces, there service in the force, when they met on Iwo Jima and raided the beach, and it covered what happened after Iwo. I love how the author worked so hard to capture as much information as he did. For example, he interviewed family, friends, and comrade who knew the six service men. He also interview soldiers who survived Iwo as well as some family of the Japanese soldiers. I learned about the time period, different war zones in the Pacific Theatre, and the Battle of Iwo Jima. What matters to me most about the book is you really felt like you were there. I felt saw soldiers turn to dust, blood, the moans of the dying, and the disgusting wounds encountered by the soldiers. It really gives me respect for our soldiers. It really was a wonderful book that I would recommend to many, but you may need a strong stomach. Overall, these are some of my most favorite books and I wouldn't of encountered them without the summer reading packet and this assignment.Over the summer I read "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown as well as "Flags of Our Fathers" by James Bradley. Both were phenomenal books. Both are very recommendable books. "The Da Vinci Code" was a great mystery-detective fiction novel. I learned about the history of the Roman Catholic Church and some mythical ideas with the Templar Knights and the Priory of Sion. I love all the historical attributes that Dan Brown included to the story. It gave me a different thought about history and a possible alternate universe. "The Flags of our Fathers" was an absolutely amazing book. I had trouble putting it down. It is written by James Bradley Jr. Upon his fathers death he discovers he was one of the famed flag raisers at Iwo Jima in 1945. His father was a Navy corpsman who tended to the wounded and dying soldiers. He rose the flag with Mike Strank, Rene Gagnon, Harlon Block,Franklin Sousley, and Ira Hayes. I love the deep information the book provided. it talked about there childhood, how they got into the armed forces,the service in the force, to when they met on Iwo Jima and raided the beach, and it covered what happened after Iwo. I love how the author worked so hard to capture as much information as he did. Like interviewing family, friends, and comrade who knew the six service men. He also interview soldiers who survived Iwo as well as some family of the Japanese soldiers. I learned about the time period, different war zones in the Pacific Theatre, and the Battle of Iwo Jima. What matters to me most about the book is you really felt like you were there. I felt saw soldiers turn to dust, blood, the moans of the dying, and the disgusting wounds encountered by the soldiers. It really gives me respect for our soldiers. It really was a wonderful book that I would recommend to many, but you may need a strong stomach. Overall, these are some of my most favorite books and I wouldn't have encountered them without the summer reading packet and this assignment.
ReplyDeleteThis summer I read Peter and the Star-catchers by: Ridley Pearson and Dave Barry and then I read The Second Summer of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by: Ann Brashares. What I liked about Peter and the Star-catchers was the was the story was told explained how "Peter Pan" got his skills and the ability to fly. So, it basically was the true story of Peter Pan. The book wasn't really informational with true facts, but I did learn about the differences between different fantasies. What matters tome about the books content is, I find it very descriptive. When I read this book, I was able to imagine the setting and the environment better in this book than in any others.
ReplyDeleteWhat I like about The Second Summer of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants was it's a simple story about a group of 4 best friends finding who they are by them selves, but encountering complications along the way. I learned reading this book somethings as a girl are just meant to be done by yourself. I also learned as a girl things in life will never get easier, whether you believe your life is perfect or not. What contents matter the most to me in this book was how each one of the girls dealt and found a solution to each of the challenges they ran into. I LOVED SUMMER READING!
Over the summer I read a couple of books, one being the required 'Lord of the Flies' by William Golding. It was a pretty good book and one of the things I really liked about it were its relations to the world and its society. I learned about the power and hate that can be seen in all of us-just some show it more than others. The fact that Peter stayed true to himself and who he was throughout the book until he died really mattered to me, because it shows that there are people strong enough to stand their ground in a world full of chaos when everybody else seems to be giving in. People like Peter are really important to maintaining the goodness and innocence of the human race while others may turn into savages. The other books I read this summer were the first few of the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. Never being a big reader before, I never expected to read them as fast as I did, but as soon as I picked up the very first one, I did not put it down until I was finished.I liked how even though I had already seen the movies, the books were different and I could always understand things better when I was able to reread a paragraph or two if I didn't understand. Whenever somebody told me that the book of a movie was so much better, I never understood it. I always thought, "but...you have to reeaaadd it...". Now, I have learned what they mean. These books were nearly a hundred times better than the movies. What really mattered to me was how humble Harry was although he was so famous. I think that was so cool because he felt that he didn't even want to be known worldwide, but he could not help it.
ReplyDeleteI read Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card and The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. I liked the science fiction themes in Ender's Game and it made me think about how cool it would be to live in a world where advanced spaceships, intricate space stations, and deep space travel is really possible. It made me think of where we are in technological advancements and where we are headed. Ender’s Game taught me that if you have a talent that is really special and unique, to nurture it because it may make a difference in the world. Ender Wiggin is a tremendous strategist and leader but, because he is one of the youngest at his school he is ridiculed; this discourages him and he fails to nurture his talent until later in the book. I really enjoyed watching Ender develop throughout the book. Watching him conquer every obstacle in his way really gave you the sense that you were right there in the book. The Da Vinci Code was an amazing book. I loved how real world places and artifacts were incorporated into to the book; it made the book more real to me. I also enjoyed the deep web of connections between prominent historical figures, places, and works of art. The Da Vinci Code leaves you with the thought: “what if?” it makes you ponder the conventional history that is taught to us. This book taught me to look at things with a different eye. Robert Langdon, the main character in the book, teaches symbology, a fake class about the study of symbols throughout history, what you might see as a circle, he might see as ancient symbol of royalty. It is this ability to see stuff through a different eye that allows him to solve the mystery at hand. I highly recommend both books but, especially the Da Vinci Code the ending is jaw dropping
ReplyDeleteOver the summer I had the same problem. I read maybe 10 books, and of course I can’t remember what I wrote down. That’s pretty much me typically. So I will just tell you my two favorite, they are The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting and Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce. The Body Finder was so much fun to read. I actually was up will 1am finishing it. It was a weird book about a teenage girl like a lot of us, with a special gift for sensing dead bodies. I just like all the humor and how much I could relate to her everyday life, like going for runs in the morning. Although I didn’t really learn anything from it. Still it was a great book. Then I read Sisters Red. It’s also a great book. It was really mystical and yet again it’s about a couple teenage girls with a knack for hunting down wolves. I liked it because it was also a very funny book, but at the same time there were some situations that were hard to hear. I learned a lot from just how they acted... like lying is really bad, especially with family members. My friends suggested both of these books and now I suggest that other people should read them too.
ReplyDeleteOver the summer, I read two books with similar concepts. One of them was "Lord of the Flies", which was a book written by William Golding to portray what society was like back in World War 2. At first, my attitude toward the book was less than enthusiastic. I could barely read one chapter at a time before I had to take a brake. However, I really liked how the author was able to put different aspects of society into different events in the book. Some of these included how Jack turned against Ralph in his desire for power and how order and formality quickly evaporated into thin air. A lot can be learned from this strange yet interesting book. It taught me how laws and power can only last so long, and that people with the power may not always have it. I also learned that by forgetting what's important like forgetting the littleun in the forest fire can lead to serious consequences. What matters to me about the book's content is that William Golding was absolutely correct in his writting. He couldn't have put it more clearly even if some of his scenery explanations were a bit confusing. Even today, I still think that some of what Golding wrote is still true. If we open our eyes to see the truth is his words, we might be able to do something about it. Then again, it might just be part of human nature itself. The second book I read this summer was Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. This book also relates to the way society works. In this book, a revolution against the capitol has already been brewing steadily for a while, and in this book, it finally reaches it's peak. When the war begins, it's a fight to overthrow a power thirsty government that leaves the occupants of it's land going hungry all over the 13 districts. What I especially liked about this book was that the unity within all these fighters is so great that the capitol is no match for the rest of them. Even Katniss, the main character and the symbol of the revolution, finds herself caring for people she didn't even know existed. I loved seeing them fight so valiantly and smartly, though it did come at a cost of spilling innocent blood. There was so much to learn from this book, including that if we can unite as a people, we can overcome just about anything. What mattered to me most about this book is that there is so much love and compassion put into this fight. There are people fighting for their children, their families, their brothers, and sisters. They care so much as to put thier own lives in danger. In a functioning society, I think that that is the most important part. To unite as one, and care for one another. Thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteOne of the books I read over the summer was Sleeping Freshmen Never LIe by David Lubar. It was a humorous story about a young boy starting a new high school. It was written unconventionally through journal entries and "blog" type writing. The book followed Scott, the main character, throughout the year as he found new friends and learned how high school operates. As the reader, you learn not to judge someone by stereotypes or before you've actually talked with them. Two of Scott's best friends at the end of the story are students he originally planned to try to avoid in the hallways.
ReplyDeleteI also read Go Big or Go Home by Will Hobbs. The novel details two best friends story after a mysterious meteorite lands in Brady's bedroom, and strange occurrences begin to happen. It's a story about being adventurous and taking risks but knowing your limits, and how strong a friendship can be. Especially everything friends are willing to do for each other.
I enjoyed these two books (along with a couple others) because I could relate to the characters, and the books had meaning that wasn't obvious from the outset. When I found out what the author was really trying to tell the reader about, it made the novels much more interesting to read.
-Rick
I read "Invisible Monsters" by Chuck Palahniuk (author of fight club), "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson, and "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" by Jamie Ford.
ReplyDelete"Invisible Monsters" is easily one of the best books I've ever read. It was a very quirky novel with a complex plot line. The tone was very sardonic, as Palahniuk's books tend to be, and it made many questioning jabs at society today. The main character was not the normal heroine, but rather a shallow-on-the-surface-and-most-of-the-way-through ex-model with a slightly deeper back-story. I think there is a lesson to be learned in this book for everyone.
It took me a while to get into "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo", but once I did I couldn't put it down. The novel is very intelligently written, and all the characters are well developed. Once the plot thickens it is difficult not to be enveloped in it. I haven't read a crime thriller this intricate, unique, and well written in a long time, and as a lover of mystery and suspense it was a refreshing change of pace.
"Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" was a sentiment historical fiction better than most I've read in the genre. It explores the containment of Japanese American citizens during World War II, and the relationship between a Chinese boy and a Japanese girl in a time when their ancestor's countries were at war. The book narrates the war time as well as the present, in which the Chinese bot, and old man now, discovers relics of the war that may have belonged to his Japanese friend. It is brilliantly written, and I would definitely recommend it.
Over this summer I have read both "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding and "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, which were my favorite by far. The first book "Lord of the Flies" was quite hard to grasp from time to time in the very beginning of the book (mainly from chapter 1-3). The way William Golding introduced this book was very interesting since it drops the reader right off to the island with the children. However, the book was counter-acted by the brilliant images projected in my mind straight from his exuberant ways of description. Through reading this book I have really learned that in order to understand a book you must stick to it even if it doesn't make any sense, because it always tends to turn into a great book in one way or another. Besides the main idea of understanding a book, this particular book really opened my eyes to the world around me through the metaphors not straight from the text, but beyond the writing into the real world. Through this book, I have most definitely taken out that the way Golding creates this books relates so much to the real world. In example, the creativeness of creating Jack took the place of a dictator or as known as a "Hitler" figure as to having lost his original power but then takes the hunting group and creates a small empire. Since the book was written after World War Two it tends to take many places in the history, but it does have to do a lot about what we do today. For instance, Ralph (the main character)creates the goodness in people (the passion, the persistence, and the "right" way to go about things) but another main character, Piggy, creates the more political side to things where he develops a more Democratic way of thinking between the two separate groups. But, overall, it was a fantastic book to read. My other book "To Kill a Mockingbird" is truly a great book to read too. Based on having so many characters it creates different scenarios throughout the book allowing you to keep your interest. In the same matter, it develops such great differences of today's racism and back in the 1920's or the 1930's where nothing was the same. However, I have really taken out of this book that racism is always going to be a major problem in the world but all we can do is fight for those that need it the most, the stricken upon by racism. The way Tom Robinson really shows that racism is crucial in this world, really does give him the right to be called the "Mockingbird" in the story. These were both truly amazing books and i highly recommend it to any person in high school.
ReplyDeleteThe books of my choice were "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen and "A Game of Thrones" by George RR Martin. Two very different books by nature, but both satisfying. I loved Jane Austen's witty humor and the fact that it was a very practical love story and not mushy-gushy. I tried to read it before in sixth grade but found it slightly above my comprehention level. Second time around, I understood it completely and loved it. I now consider it one of my all time favorites.
ReplyDelete"A Game of Thrones" to me is comparable to "Lord of the Rings," at least the story line (No one can compare to JRR Tolkien's storytelling,) and "Pillars of the Earth." It is epic and full of nasty delicious schemes. I loved it so much and am currently making my way through the rest of the series. The TV show is also amazing.
What I look for in a good book, is to learn at least a handful of new words or phrases. I always love when I read a book written so well, that I notice a change in my writing style. It happened with "Pride and Prejudice." Then I look for plot line. Some people can stay all of the way through with a mediocre story. Well I can't. If it get's so boring, if the characters aren't entertaining enough or the fight sequences not detailed enough, I quit. There is no point in spending time on a bad book.
This summer, I read (in addition to "Lord of the Flies") "The DaVinci Code" by dan brown, and "Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman?" by Eleanor Updale. I truly enjoyed reading these books. "The DaVinci Code" is about two histy buffs, Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu, who are looking into a murder that shows the conflict between Opus Dei and the Priory of Sion. Both of these arre religions. The whole idea between this conflict is whether Jesus was married, back in bible times. I always love a good mystery, and this is one of the best i've found. I learned so many things about history and these two religions. I also learned things about the Jewish language. Some things mentioned were confusing to me because they conflict with some of my beliefs. Two of my favorite genres is historical fiction and mystery, and this book is both! I would definitely read it again.
ReplyDeleteThe second book I read was "Montmorency, Thief, Liar, Gentleman?". This book follow a thief who is released from prison and starts a new life. He was caught in the act of stealing when he fell into a machine factory and got mangled pretty badly. But, one of the doctors had sympathy on him and fixed him up, then showed him at science and medicine conventions. There, the prisoner learned many things, particularly about London's new sewage system. The prisoner, when free, went by the name of Scar and Montmorency. He used the sewer system to get all over the city quickly and then used the name Montmorency to live like a gentleman. I really like this book because Scar has to be an actor. I learned many acting tips from this book, especially how to observe someone, and then copy what I observed. I love to read, and both of these books I would read again.
Over the summer I read the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. My brother had read this series and told me that they were fantastic. They were! The books are pretty much for anyone. There is romance, action, and it just tells a story. I would absolutly recomend these books to anyone who is simply looking for a good book to read. I would love to talk to Suzanne Collins about her thought prossess and what went through her mind while she was writing these books.
ReplyDeleteOver the summer, I read The Princess Diaries, by Meg Cabot, and Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine. I LOVE both of these books! The Princess Diaries was both witty and interesting. I would definitely love to read the rest of the series. Ella Enchanted was also a fabulous read. I thought it too was witty, but it contained more adventure and action as well as romance. I didn't really learn much from either of these books. However, they were entertaining all the same! Reading is wonderful :D
ReplyDeleteOver the summer, I read Lord of the Flies of course, and then Something Borrowed by Emily Griffin and The A Circuit by Georgina Bloomberg and Catherine Hapka. I enjoyed reading Something Borrowed, but couldn't help but think that the ending was too typical? I really enjoy reading Realistic Fiction, which this book was, but I thought that the ending was too much of a fairytale type one. I won't say what happens, just in case someone is reading it or wants to, but I will say that the book was okay up until the ending, when everything mostly worked out perfectly. A good ending is great, but this one seemed too good to be true. I still enjoyed reading the book, but always dislike it when things work out too perfectly - for me, it takes the realism out of the book. The other book I read, The A Circuit, was a horse book and centers around three riders named Tommy, Zara and Kate. Tommy and Zara are rich and can buy any horse they want (the book is set in New York City, but the stable is in upstate New York) and already own 3 horses themselves, while Kate has issues at home and must work for everything she has. All three girls start to become friends through their mutual love of horses and talent for riding. Unlike Something Borrowed, this book was far more realistic, which I really liked. What matters to me when I read a book is how realistic the book is, and if the characters seem like real people. In the Something Borrowed, the book wasn't super realistic with the ending, but the characters seemed real. Both elements were there in The A Circuit, which made it a great fun read. I liked both of these books a lot!
ReplyDeleteDuring the summer, I read 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher, and Room by Emma Donoghue. Both books were somewhat frightening and disturbing, but great reads.
ReplyDelete13 Reasons Why was a fictional story told from the perspective of a teenager named Clay Jenson. Clay recieves 13 tapes in the mail with no return address. Upon listening to them, he discovers 13 horrifying reasons why his friend Hannah Baker committed suicide. I enjoyed this book's surprising twists and turns and its fascinating plot. I learned that much more may be happening in a close friend's life than one knows. It is necessary to communicate with those who are important to you. What matters to me about the book's content is that Hannah made the wrong decision killing herself. There are always alternatives such as counseling or therapy.
Room by Emma Donaghue is another fictional story written from the perspective of five year old Jack. Jack's mother was kidnapped at age 19 by an older man. She and Jack, who is the offspring of his mother and the kidnapper, are forced to live in a small shed in the abductor's backyard, which Jack calls Room. The story is about Jack's efforts to understand that there is a world outside of Room, and he and his mother must escape in order to survive. I enjoyed this book's thrilling action and humorous narrations. I learned to avoid dangerous situations and to take necessary actions to escape a dangerous situation. What matters to me about Room's content is that with effort, anything can be accomplished.
Over the summer, I read "Big Girl Small" by Rachel DeWoskin and "A Dogs Purpose" by W. Bruce Cameron. "Big Girl Small" Was about a little person who got into a huge scandal at high school, and most of the time, I get lost in books like these about half way through, but this one was so well written and I could barely put it down. I learned that prefrming arts based schools are very dramatic and that just a regular high school isn't that much better (Always good advice for in coming freshman.) The one thing about the book is that it is slightly harsh languaged, but in a way, that made it almost more endearing.
ReplyDelete"A Dog's Purpose" follows a life of a dog who is reincarnated a few times. It's a funny book and the whole time I read it, I was reminded of my dog. There's one section where the dog's owner leaves for school so the dog chews up the house, which is exactly what my dog did my first day of school when we first got her. It's a very relatable book, and has it's touching moments. This book definitely has that, be nice and you'll end up well. Both the books kinda had that modo, but "A Dog's Purpose" had that more so.
These books are recomended to everyone (Just FYI, "Big Girl Small" is a VERY mature book) times a million...not over exagerated. :D
Over the Summer I read only one other book aside from "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding because I thought it included the two. I read "Song of the Sparrow" written by Lisa Anne Sandal. The premise of the book is that Elaine, the main character, lives in a base camp for war with about 300 to 400 other men. She calls them her family but she truly only has two brothers and a father. It describes, in poem format, "The Song of the Sparrow" as a nervous feeling she gets when she is around Lancelot, a leader in the camp. Along the way, there are complications. She fights trying to act like a woman and being seen as a woman to the other men as opposed to being seen as a child and being treated as a child by the other men. In the end, she finds her true love and friendship. I love the way Lisa Anne Sandal organized the pages. They are quick, short paragraphs, so I find that it is easier to concentrate and keep involved in the book. One reason I found that I loved the book was that first, she delivered adjectives and setting in such a unique way, I found myself contemplating what it would look like or how I would feel particularly. Although this book relates to older times when women did all the sewing, day by day, and the men fight with swords and arrows it seems easy to relate to when it comes to emotion and tragedy.The genre is Romance and Action. If you are a gushy hopeless romantic then I think this is the right book. In general it was an easy, yet captivating, read and I would definitely suggest reading it to anyone. "Lord of the Flies" was a long read because of the annotations, but I think it gave off a good message and symbol in a broader view.
ReplyDeleteThis summer , I read "Rosebush" by Michelle Jaffe and "Girl, Stolen" by April Henry. "Girl, Stolen" is a fiction story about a girl who gets kidnapped accidentally. Cheyenne was sitting in the back of her step-mom's car when high-school drop out Griffin steals the car, thinking it will be useful for his father's "business", not knowing Cheyenne is in the backseat. Cheyenne can't do anything to help herself because she is blind, and it dosen't help when Griffin's dad finds out Cheyenne's dad is the president of NIke. I loved this book because the author alternates between Cheyenne and Griffin, and she throws many surprises in to keep you guessing. I learned and realized that if a blind girl can help herself through a kidnapping, anyone who can see should be able to much easier, but they need as much bravery as she had to not give up.
ReplyDelete"Rosebush" by April Henry is a mystery about Jane, a girl who woke up from a coma to find herself in the hospital after a Memorial Day party, temporarily paralyzed and with no idea how she got there. Everyone tells her it was an accident, but as she gets more visitors and hears their stories about that night and how she was found in a rosebush, she begins to think nothing about that night was an accident, and her suspicions were confirmed when she gets a call from the person who did this to her, saying she was meant to die. I loved this book because mysteries fascinate me, and I could never guess what was going to happen next. I learned that I shouldn't go to parties and get drunk-especially without a ride home, and that the only person you can trust in a book is the main character.
Over the summer I read the first two books in the series, "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins. I enjoyed "The Hunger Games" series tremendously. I could not put the book down. No matter what I was doing, I was thinking about what was going to happen next in the story. It was so suspenseful and just superb. I loved them both. I have yet to read the third and final book in the series though. In both of these books I enjoyed the fact that they were both full of action. Every page had something going on, something exciting, not just talking. It was all action. I also liked that it was a page-turner. I have rarely come across a book that I actually enjoyed to read. I could not and would not put the book down. I put everything else on hold until both of the books were complete. I learned that when you actually have true love, you will go to through anything to keep it. Katniss experienced true love between Gale. She went through hell and back just so they could be together. I also learned that when a life of someone you love is at stake, you will endure anything just so they do not have to bear it. Katniss took Prim's spot in a sacrifice. I don't know if I could do that on the spot. She put her life at risk just so her little sister would not have endure "The Games."
ReplyDeleteOn a different note, what matters to me about the books content is that just one person can make a change. It does not have to be a group, although a group would certainly be helpful, but it just has to be one individual. Katniss was that individual. She sparked the whole revolution just because of some simple act. She was defiant against the "capitol" and no one in any of the districts had ever seen someone rise against it. They were all afraid and cowaring because of the capitols sheer strength. But, the capitols strength was no match for Katniss Everdeen. Once the spark was started by Katniss, it spread to wildfire.
Over the summer, the two books I read were "The Guardian" by Nicholas Sparks and Lord of the Flies by William Golding. My first book, "The Guardian",was a creepy love story involving two people in love and a stalker. This book was more of a chick flick book but was still interesting and fun to read. What I got out of it was to keep trying and never give up and that I don't really enjoy chick flick books. The other book I read was, "Lord of the Flies". The idea for the story was interesting and fun to read. I liked the action of the book near the end and the developing plot in the beginning. The book had a deep meaning about society and what would happen if it got out of control and made this book fun to read.
ReplyDeleteThis summer I read "The Thief Lord" by Cornelia Funke and "Five People You Meet in Heaven" by Mitch Albom. I thoroughly enjoyed both of these books, but the latter was my favorite of the two. I liked it so much because it had a mystery that i could think about and it also connected to many things I was thinking about every day. The book was on my mind constantly. It made me think and that's what I want in a book. It gave me a new look on heaven and life here on earth. "The Thief Lord" I didn't like as much but it was a good book. It had a combination of action, mystery, and fantasy which made it very interesting. What mattered to me about this book is that even though someone has bad intentions they can still be good people and show a little bit of heart. I am glad I chose to read these books.
ReplyDeleteOver the summer Mr. Booth asked all incoming freshmen to read at least two novels of choice. I decided to read You by Lisa Schroeder and Chasing Brooklyn by Charles Benoit. In You the reader was the main character. This book carried me through high school as a 15 year old boy. There was parties, drugs, alcohol, and breaking into school after hours. The book ended wanting me for more. The last words from the book were, “Before tenth grade even began. And you’re thinking this can’t be it” In the novel Chasing Brooklyn, a girl named Brooklyn was a regular teenager, until disaster strikes. Her brother, Gabe, and boyfriend ,Lucca, were killed in a terrible car accident. The driver, Gabe, was responsible for the accident. He was under the influence of drugs. Brooklyn and Nico (Lucca’s brother) keep seeing their dead loved ones. Brooklyn see’s the culprit in her dreams. He chases her and wants to kill her, while her brother is trying so hard to tell Nico to help her. The book is about a race to help Brooklyn before it is too late. I liked how both of the novels were extremely relatable, two teens going through hard times. That pretty much applies to every teen out there. In You I learned that when you hang out with the wrong crowd you end up not so innocent in the end. Peer pressure kicks and next thing you know, you are a repeat offender for breaking into school. In Chasing Brooklyn I learned that when a gut feeling kicks in, you listen to it. I also learned that you should confide in your friends because believe it or not they are probably going through the same thing as you. What matters to me in the books is that they are very relatable and that’s what kept the books interesting.
ReplyDeleteOver the summer I read 5 books. I read the required Lord of the Flies by William Golding, Angels and Demons by Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown, and The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Lord of the Flies has a deeper meaning to me ever since we talked about it in class but while I was reading it, I wasn’t very interested in the book. In the Dan Brown books, I was really intrigued by the element of Christianity and other faiths. The whole idea of what I think is wrong is right to some other people. The hidden messages in those books were really interesting and they opened a whole new door of thought for me. I loved reading about the murders and how it all wound down in the end. All of the suspense and the dramatic irony made me want to keep reading those books without putting them down. I also really enjoyed all the historical aspects and how most of the landmarks that the main character, Robert Langdon, went to are still there today. I also really enjoyed going to another place, to another country, to another world. I felt like I was part of the story and that is what I think is good writing. Another really good book that I read was The Help. I originally started to read the book because the movie was coming out and my mom loves that book. I fell in love with the book from the beginning. The book is an empowering story that shows how we are all the same no matter what color or race we are. I really liked how the author put the book in different perspectives throughout. With the dialect and seeing something through someone else’s eyes really give you a whole new perspective and understanding to the situation. I was very immersed in the story about these 3 women and their struggles. I loved how I was scared for the characters like I was actually part of the story myself. These great books have really changed my outlook on a lot of things and I am very glad that I read them. I would most defiantly recommend these books to all who want to read them.
ReplyDeleteOver the summer I read to books “The Lovely Bones” by Alice Sebold and “The Dead-Tossed Waves” by Carrie Ryan. I loved both books! “The Dead-Tossed Waves” was one of the kind of books that sound weird but are extremely interesting to read. It wasn’t the kind of book you learn much from. It was more of a book for entertainment. The Lovely Bones was also a great read. I think the message the author was trying to get across was that life goes on. In the book the main character, Susie Salmon was murdered and her family was trying to cope with her death. Eventually they moved on, even though they still remembered the past. Both books were a great read!
ReplyDeleteOver the course of the summer, I read "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J. K. Rowling and the autobiography "Bossypants" by Tina Fey. I found the Harry Potter series interesting and I enjoy reading the other books inside of the series. The novel kept my interest from the first page until the last, and I would highly recommend it to any reader that likes wizards or fantasy. From this novel, I connected to the main character Harry because as he was going to a brand new school and so was I. Tina Fey's novel "Bossypants" would be as humorous and informational as any autobiography could come. I learned so much from this novel, about myself and about how to prepare for the events that you can't prepare for. The message that I acquired from this book was to just look at life with a smile and you'll do fine. These two books were a great summer read!
ReplyDeleteOver the summer I read two books, "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding and "I Know What You Did Last Summer" by Lois Duncan. I would say both books were pretty good, but Lord of the Flies really disappointed me in the end. I read all those pages thinking that the ending would be miraculous but really I was left feeling like there was more to be told. There were 198 pages leading up to the point where Ralph is finally being chased and then on the verge of death is rescued? What an awful ending in my opinion! Like I said, there were 198 pages only to be about a page and a half about how they got rescued and everything is going to be okay. In a classic novel like that, I expected there to be a much more dramatic ending then a happy one, but I guess that is just the way books typically ended back then. The other book I read, (I Know What You Did Last Summer) was not only entertaining throughout, but also gave me a bit of a scare. Not very often can a book make me a little bit frightened, and this one did the trick. I can see why it was made into a horror movie because it was pretty freaky. My summer reading ended up going pretty well though, and I'm glad I read such a famous piece of literature such as "Lord of the Flies".
ReplyDeleteOver the summer, I read Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin and Linger by Maggie Stiefvater. Elsewhere is a book about a girl named Liz who dies in a car accident and goes to a place kind of like heaven. It is a city kind of like Earth but everyone ages backwards. When they are babies, they are sent back to Earth. I liked how this book was different than other things I've read. It was an interesting intake on where you go when you die and I enjoyed reading it. Through Liz's struggles to adapt, I learned that instead of being a pessimist and not doing anything about something, you should make the best of every situation and you might end up loving it. The book's content matters to me because it was a really interesting and exciting read and although it is fictional, it's extremely motivating and inspiring. My other book, Linger, was the sequel to another book called Shiver. It follows a girl named Grace who's boyfriend, Sam, was a werewolf, but in the first book, she cured him. In the book, Grace gets sick from some mysterious illness that a dying wolf gave her. It follows the struggles that she and Sam have to find out what's wrong and try to cure her. I liked this book because it was very intense and it was a really good sequel to Shiver. A lot of times, the sequels to books are really bad, or a disappointment compared to the first. This one wasn't. I think it was way better than the first. I learned from this book that if you love something, you should never give up on it, even if it seems like it's too late to do anything. I also learned that you should always trust what you feel inside, your gut feeling, instead of someone else's shady or sketchy dianosis or solution. I liked the content of this book because it had a lot of things that I love. It had romance, comedy, a little action, and some drama. It was truly a very interesting book that kept me turning the pages. This summer, I read two great books that I really enjoyed. Elsewhere and Linger ended up being two of my favorites!
ReplyDeleteThis summer I read "You Know When the Men Are Gone" by Sibohan Fallon, and "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. Both books were a wonderful read! "You Know When the Men Are Gone" is a collection of short stories that take you into the lives of men in the military and their wives and families living at the military base. Some chapters focused on the emotions of the men being gone, and others of the tension when they finally return home. I felt all of the stories were left with loose ends leaving the rest up to the reader's imagination. "The Last Lecture" was an amazing book about one dying man's last lecture and the legacy he wanted to leave for his children. Throughout the book Pausch reflected on his childhood dreams and how he worked to achieve them. These two books are astounding and I would recommend them to everyone!
ReplyDeleteI read "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett, and "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart. "The Help" is a book set in the early 1960s in Mississippi, where most households had black women called the "help". The basis of this book is on the help and how one woman, Skeeter Phelan, decides to write a book using the biographies of help from the town. I loved this book so unbelievably much. It was from many different point of views (some of the help's, Skeeter's, and the ladies' in town who think the help are pretty much worthless) and it was a heartfelt story that really pulled at my heartstrings. The way the help were treated was horrendous and the whole way through I was rooting for Skeeter to persevere. I learned from this book that the help were a lot like slaves, even though slavery had been abolished many years before. What matters to me about the books content is that it's historically accurate but still fictional. That's what, in my opinion, made this book great... all of this stuff could and probably did happen, but it wasn't a memoir or biography, which made it easier to read. The second book I read, "The Mysterious Benedict Society", is about a 4 gifted kids who pass a series of tests and find themselves in the hands of Mr. Benedict, a gifted man himself. The children then are told they have to pose as students at a school and solve a mystery. I really liked the way this book showed how talented kids are, and the way they use their brains. I also really liked the challenges the kids had to face on their journey. And lastly, what mattered most to me, was the way this book shed good light on teenagers and showed that if we put our mind to something, we can do just about anything. Like Gaby said above me, I would recommend these books to anyone!
ReplyDeleteThis summer I read The Art of Racing In The Rain by Garth Stein and Grass For His Pillow by Lian Hearn. The Art of Racing In The Rain is told from the perspective of a dog about his own life. The dog lives with a man named Denny, Denny is an auto mechanic and an amateur race car driver. The book has it's title because Denny is fantastic and racing in the rain. That is also the moral of the story. In order to be a good driver in the rain you have to be able to initiate a bad situation so that you know when its coming. If you know when its coming you wont lose control, this can be used in everyday life too. Grass for His Pillow follows a boy named Otori Takeo and a girl named Shirakawa Keade. It takes place in a feuding land somewhere in Asia. Takeo and Keade love eachother but Takeo is not able to be with her because he is taken captive by a group called The Tribe. I love this story because of its vivid descriptions and its action packed plot, this book is a page turner.
ReplyDeleteThis summer, I read "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" by Kim Edwards and "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. Both authors used all different perspectives and it really made the stories come alive. As Hailey explained above, "The Help" if set in the early 1960s in the south when black maids were still treated similarly to slaves and looked down upon by their white employers. Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan decides to write a book about the black maid's experiences after hearing some of the other women speaking badly about the maids. I learned a lot more about the lives of black maids and how they were treated and what their lives were like at that time. I loved the whole idea of the book and I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDelete"The Memory Keeper's Daughter" is also set in the 91960s and is about a doctor named David Henry who in the middle of a snowstorm, has to deliver his own twins. When the twins are born, he notices that one; a baby girl has Down syndrome while he baby boy is perfectly healthy. He chooses to give the baby over to the single nurse on hand, Caroline, so that she can take the baby to an institution and tells his wife that the baby died. However, Caroline leaves town with the baby in order to raise the little girl on her own. This is a great story about love, sadness, and regret. The author's use of changing perspectives made it very easy to understand every character and I learned, through Caroline's perspective much more about Down syndrome and how people with Down syndrome were treated at that time. I absolutely loved this book and it was a beautiful story that really moved me as a reader. With both books what really mattered to me was that both authors took on a difficult topic and made it into an amazing story and also that both books were very believable even though they were both fictional stories.
This summer, I read " Change of Heart" by Jodi Picoult and " The Anatomy of Wings" by Karen Foxlee. Both of these books really changed my view on a lot of interesting topics. "Change of Heart" is a story about a prisoner, Shay Bourne, who is on death row. His final wish is to donate his heart to the half sister/ daughter of his victims, Claire Neale who needs a heart transplant in order to survive. The book takes place at the prison where Shay is kept and it also follows the life of June Neale, Claire's mom, and the wife and mother of the victims. The storyline is really different from anything I have ever read because the plot is so complex. Shay Bourne cannot technically donate his heart, because of the way he will be killed. Many characters come into the book and try to help him get his dying wish. The book ends in such a twist that it makes you rethink everything you've ever thought while reading it. This book matters to me because it's such a serious subject, but also such an amazing book. The book was so believable, even though its hard to imagine something so terrible happening. "The Anatomy of Wings" was also a serious subject for a book. This book is about a girl named Jennifer Day. Her older sister, Beth, just died, and she is trying to make sense of what happened and how she could have prevented it. The book flashes back to when Beth was alive, and how Jennifer knew all of her darkest secrets, but decided not to tell. Maybe because of this, Beth ends up dying. This book really made me think of what I would do in Jennifer's situation, and how far I would go to protect the ones I loved, even if it wasn't the right choice. This author described the stages of grief so well, that sometimes it was hard to read. I found it really interesting that the story of Beth wasn't the main point, it ended up being the people she left behind. Even though these books were both difficult topics and complex story lines, I thought they were both two of the most memorable books I have read.
ReplyDeleteThis summer I read Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix. My favorite book by far had to be Hunger Games. The book is about two teenagers who are living in a place called Panem were every year each "District" chooses two teenagers to fight to their death on TV against the other districts fighters. Panem’s government does this to show that not even teens are safe from the jurisdiction of the Capitol. I absolutely enjoyed reading every page of this book with all of the action, dialogue, controversy, and passion/love to fight for someone you care about it was very hard to put the book down after I picked it up. What matters to me about the book s content is that the two teenagers picked from district 13 would rather die than be separated. As for the other book I read I also liked the story line of Found by Haddix. It was very to the point and kept the story interesting. The story revolves around an incident were a flight attendant finds a whole plain of infants with no pilot. Throughout the book it takes you on a journey to find out the reason behind the story of a real mystery. The content that I like about the story is the determination the teens have to figure out their past. Last I learned that all books have meaning and none should be left unread.
ReplyDeleteI read maybe 12 books not including graphic novels and fanfics. Since I can't really list all the names of the books due to the fact that it'll take a while to remember, I'll just name the two most memorable books/series. I read "The Alchemist" by Michael Scott and the series of "Beautiful Dead" by Eden Maguire.
ReplyDelete"The Alchemist" was outstanding. It was exciting and jam-packed with alchemy, magic, and action. I loved how the truth was always so unbelievable that there could of been endless possibilities to how the story would flow. Legend, Myths, stories; there was always truth to them and facts hidden in them. I loved it. It's a book that makes the reader want to keep reading. I almost never put the book down. I put it down only once because I had to go eat which suffocated me since it was at a very crucial part. I learned from the book that things are not always as they seem and that trusting can go a long ways; in negative and in positive terms. What mattered to me was where the story would lead. I guess it all happened too fast and with too many facts that I couldn't digest. From the beginning of the book, I wanted to know how it would end and I'm not that impatient.
"The Beautiful Dead" is intriguing in a very eerie way. It was about a girl who aimlessly walked through life when the love of her life dies before he could ever fulfill the promise of meeting her in the little coffee shop in the mall. She silently wedged through life wallowing in her own despair that is until she meets them, the Beautiful Dead. They persist through a year trying to find out either the cause of their death or the murderer. This book was really captivating. Why? I really don't know. I think the reason I was really into them was because in the time period where I picked up those three books, the weather outside was very weary so I guess because the depressing books matched the so weather well that it hyped up my interests and emotions towards the books.I didn't necessarily learn something. I mean, I learned better word choice and those type of necessities but a moral; none at all. There probably is one or a couple, I just never really got it or thought about it. What contents mattered the most to me were how the main character found out the perpetrators and how the murders was placed.
This summer has presented me with various opportunities, including giving me the right to have experienced "The DaVinci Code" by Dan Brown and "1984" by George Orwell.
ReplyDelete"The DaVinci Code" is a true masterpiece. The plot is unbelievably good; it's turned my opinion into one of a critic, all of whom agree on its value, calling the book an unfathomably intelligent thriller. The new information this book has provided me with is countless. Learning about about the many injustices occurring in the world today, in such a modern time, has truly astonished me. This book has changed the way I think about the world we all live in, which is the sole requirement for making the list of my all-time favorite books.
"1984" is one astounding book. Its of great value, but not my favorite genre. The lessons learned from "Fahrenheit 451" were repeated. This book's content has made me more cautious which I am grateful for.
This summer, I read the books "Angels and Demons" by Dan Brown and I also read "A Walk to Remember" by Nicholas Sparks. I honestly cannot say which one was my favorite. Both of them were intriguing and I could not put them down.
ReplyDeleteIn "Angels and Demons", I learned about the conflict between Religion and Science. It astounded me when I read it because I realized what the different beliefs of both were. "Angels and Demons" had me analyzing both sides more intensely than I have before. I especially liked the suspense and the action in this book. One thing I liked about the book's content was the point of view being switched between the characters throughout the entire book. I like to be "inside their heads" when I am reading. It is interesting to see how all of the characters' thought processes are different and what their opinion is during a certain event.
"A Walk to Remember" was an amazing book. I loved the plot line of this book and could not put it down. I also liked the character's depth in the book. I learned to be able to not judge someone by their appearance because they may not be who they appear to be. The content in the book was amazing! The characters came alive and Sparks had a brilliant plot twist in the story. I loved the way he tied the loose ends together at the end of the novel.
This summer I read "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen and "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett.
ReplyDeleteSara Gruens book is very heart-wrenching. I read the first chapter in a drivers-ed class and almost started crying. This book stays interesting because it switches between the younger days of Jacob Jankowski and his time in the senior center. It’s hard to tell which experience was better. I truly learned a lot about the circus from during the Great Depression. Each chapter includes a picture from the time and many interesting "facts" about life on the trains, in the Depression, during the Prohibition, and the excitement of the townspeople when a circus came to town. Even one struggling to survive was greeted with excitement. The description of the way the animals were treated I find very important. Things were just not right. The animals were pushed till they died, stabbed, and even beat just for not knowing what to do.
"The Help" showed great insight to the 1960's during Martin Luther King's time. They are set in Jackson, Mississippi, which was one of the worst towns for blacks to live in. I now understand what kind of a risk it would've been for Miss Skeeter to publish a book about the black maids that worked for her friends. I wish "The Help" had come out 50 years ago because it would have made some real change. It definitely relates to "Lord of the Flies" by William Goulding because there is a lot about what causes social change and what it takes to challenge the system. All you need is an idea. I love the funny moments like "two-bite Hilly" which is two bites of a pie made with questionable material. It is so cute to see the pride of the black community when the book comes out.
Over the summer I read "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch and "Lawn Boy" by Gary Paulsen. The last lecture was a great book with a lot of life lessons. I expected the book to be boring because it was an adult non-fiction book. To my surprise the book was very entertaining. There was not a boring page. I don't think I'll ever forget some of the things book taught me. Of course one of the things it taught me was to live life to the fullest. The other book I read this summer was "Lawn Boy". This book was about a twelve year old boy who receives an old lawn mower in the summer. He starts making a decent amount of money for mowing in his neighborhood. Eventually he gets help from a neighbor and his business grows rapidly. This book had helpful tips about money and how to invest smartly. I enjoyed the plot a lot and it was a fun read.
ReplyDeleteDuring the summer I read the books, "The Hangman's Curse" by Frank Peretti and "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding- along with lots of other books I read in my free time.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed "The Hangman's Curse" because it was book that showed the truth about what really happens inside a high school. This book spread light specifically on bullying and the consequences of it. Lots of real-life situations are portrayed, which can be taken to heart as lessons for the future. I also really liked that at the end of each chapter the book tended to leave me hanging on to a specific question. The novel really kept me on the edge of my seat! Frank Peretti does an excellent job of diving into the reality of today's hottest issues.
The book "Lord of the Flies" was an amazing read as well. Mostly because I could really see connections on human nature that I had seen in "The Hangman's Curse." Golding shows the diversity of humans when we fall away from civilization. At times the book honestly scared me because the intensity that many of the boys were thrown into. The plot of the book was written exceptionally well, although at times I found some of the dialog to be a bit dry. Otherwise, the novel was an interesting read, and can't wait to get into all the discussions about it!
Over the summer, I read "Black Hawk Down" by Mark Bowden and "Stormbreaker" by Anthony Horowitz. These were both great books and I'm glad to have read them.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I can say right off the bat is that "Black Hawk Down" is not a book for the feint-hearted. There are a lot of gruesome happenings and descriptions and they are so detailed that you can get a perfect picture in your head. However, these factors along with the nearly nonstop action really brought me into the book and they are the reason I loved the book. It also taught me that you always have to stick together, never lose faith, and never quit. What really mattered to me was that is reminded me that everyday, men and women of the United States army are risking their lives to keep everyone else safe and secure. That is something that I will always be thankful for.
"Stormbreaker" is definitely an action packed book as well. However, this is less gruesome and violent, nonetheless a great book. It took me no time at all to get into this book. I had read the other books in the series and I just had to read this one. This book taught me that you never know what you may get into or why you are doing/are forced to do something, but it will eventually all become clear. What mattered to me about this book is that I am about the same age as the main character. He experiences the loss of his parents as a young child, and then the death of his uncle, his last living relative, as a teen. If that happened to me, I'd be right there in his shoes, sad and revengeful towards the man that killed my last living relative. So this book, like "Black Hawk Down", reminds me to be thankful for what I have, be it freedom and safety or family.
Over the course of this summer, I read "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince," by J.K. Rowling, and "Lord of the Flies," by William Golding. I have always enjoyed reading the Harry Potter books, and this novel was no different. There was mystery, romance, and action. However, one of the things that I liked most about the book was that everything didn't turn out perfect. The arguably most liked character in the Harry Potter series did not live past the 6th book. Dumbledore died at the end of the 6th book, breaking every reader's heart. Of the many teachings of this book, I learned that not all novels end positively. This ended, again, with the death of Dumbledore. The thing that matters to me most about this books content is that no matter what you are doing or how you are feeling, friends can always help and will always be there. This was proven many times throughout this book. They saved each others lives and helped make each other feel alright.
ReplyDeleteI also read the novel of "Lord of the Flies." One of the things that I liked in this novel was the fact that, in my mind, the boys did the unexpected. I really did not think that Jack and his tribe would hunt Ralph with the intentions of killing him. I did not understand that nor expect that. From this book, I learned that a group of people that work together can be extremely powerful, whether it is accomplishing great things or horrific things. This group of kids on the island had the ability to kill 2 boys, something each would not have had the ability to do on their own. The thing that mattered most to me was that in society, there will always be people like Ralph, and then people like Jack. They are 2 forces that act against each other. This book opened my eyes to the true rivalry between the 2 of the kinds of people in society.
This summer I read, of course, "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding. I also read "Catering to Nobody" by Diane Mott Davidson. I really enjoyed "Lord of the Flies" because there was a lot of symbolism and it seemed as if most of the things that happened in the story had a greater meaning. I think that the plot took awhile to get going, but overall I really liked it. One of the main points that stood out to me was that people have a tendancy to want to be on the top. Ralph and Jack were constantly battling to be the leader. Humans like to be in control. "Catering to Nobody" however, didn't have quite as much symbolism. It was about a teacher that was murdered because she was a threat to a doctor who had been breaking the law. The storyline was a little complicated to follow, but overall it was a very nice read. The book had a lot of suspense but there was one message that I felt applied to me. The main charater, Goldy, went out of her way to solve the mystery of this teacher's death. She went against everyone else in order to find out the truth. It taught me to be bold in what I believe and not settle for what the others have come to think. Both of these books were enjoyable to read, but they both had themes that can be applied to life today.
ReplyDeleteThis summer I read 2 novels. 2001: A Space Odyssey, By Arthur C. Clarke, and The Da Vinci Code, By Dan Brown. I liked that both of these books were very engaging, challenging, and interesting. I also enjoyed the fact that they were on two of my favorite subjects, mystery and science fiction. I learned from 2001 that even in the 60's and 70's, people were thinking heavily about space and what's out there. I learned from The Da Vinci Code that not only are people capable of making great stories and mysteries, there is some definite question as to some of recorded history. In 2001: A Space Odyssey, it really matters to me what happens to the main character, Dave. He is on a space mission and flight to Saturn, where his ship is run by an intelligent computer named HAL. Soon out on the voyage, HAL begins trying to take over the ship, and kills one of the crew. Dave must survive, and disconnect the computer, showing man's triumph over machine. In the Da Vinci Code, it really matters to me the Dan Brown shows that history is really a fable with some truth, that has simply been agreed upon by all of humanity. Dan Brown is fictionally saying that the Catholic church is lying about what really happened in history. All in All, the two Novels were interesting, meaningful, challenging, and I was glad I read them over the summer.
ReplyDeleteDuring the summer I had read several books though two of books that really stood out were "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld and "Shiver" by Maggie Striefvater. There are several aspects about each book that I enjoyed and made me want to keep reading them. They both follow the aspect of ideas that could never really occur in real or perhaps current life. "Uglies" had that aspect of the future where what was said in the book could actually occur though not at any time even close to the 21st centery. It had exelent writing styles and the over all plot made it difficult to even put the book down while reading it. "Uglies" has adventure, romance, and suspense. "Shiver" was filled with major points of romance that had all of the readers just going "aw" in their minds. Along with this idea that werewolves truly do exsist. I loved the whole story line of the book and just the general idea of it. Through both of the books I learned several lessons. From "Uglies" I've certainly renforced the idea that no one should be judged by what they look like on the outside, but who they truly are. This lesson was also expressed in "Shiver". Other lessons that were shown through "Uglies" was to fight for what you believe in and to truly trust in your friends. From "Shiver" I had learned that if you truly believe in something then you should not give up in going after the goal or idea. The crutial points of the book "Uglies" that matter to me are when Tally had to choose wiether to become a Pretty or if she was going to defend her friend Shay, another instince that really stood out to me was when Tally had gone to Smoke and seen the huge culture shock. Some events that occurred in "Shiver" that had substancial importance to me were when Grace had first met Sam as a human and had the sudden realization that he was the one wolf that she was always watching, and when Sam had died as a human and wolf and Grace had to decide wether or not she was willing to risk losing Sam perminitally. Overall both of these books are some of my favorites and there is many a things to like about them, learn from them, and events that are substancial and matter to the many that have read the books.
ReplyDeleteOver the summer, read a TON of books! At the moment, I have no idea which I wrote down, but two of the books were "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen, and "Streams of Babel" by Caroline Plum-Ucci.
ReplyDeleteI chose to read "Water for Elephants, frankly, because I wanted to see the movie. I have a policy about reading the book before I see the movie, and although I still haven't seen this movie in particular, I'm glad I chose to read the book. "Water for Elephants" is set at a circus around the 1930's, which was very interesting for me to read about. The way Sara Gruen described the menagerie, and especially the elephants made me wish I could go back in time and watch the shows myself. One of the deepest aspects of the book was Marlena's struggle with her abusive marriage to August. They had been married for years, and Marlena was smart enough to know it was dangerous for her. But she never did anything about it, because at that time it was not proper to get a divorce. She just let it go on, until Jacob comes around and shows her what she's been missing. It showcased how easy it is to convince yourself things are perfect when you want them to be.
The second book I read, "The Streams of Babel" was set in spring of 2002 in New Jersey, right after the Twin Towers fell. In it, four teens living in a small town, Trinity Falls, fall sick at the same time. It starts as harmless cold symptoms, but soon after, they are hospitalized. On the other side of the world, a 16 year old cyber spy finds evidence that terrorists have been poisoning the water in a small town somewhere in America- Trinity Falls. I enjoyed this book because it opened my eyes to how vulnerable Americans are to Bio-terror. I had never thought about it before, but someone could be poisoning the food, or the air, or the water, and I would not know where to look for it. Although I have calmed down a bit now, when I first read the book I was afraid to drink tap water for about a week. The lesson I learned was to be open to the fact that bio-terror does exist, but trust the water company that the water is in fact safe!
Over the summer, I read "Wanted" by Caroline Cooney and "Deadline" by Chris Crutcher. Wanted definitely taught me how not too write a book. All of it was about the girls mind and there is to much franticness for my taste. However, she was very good at descriptions and the mystery story line was always on edge. Once I started, I just couldnt put it down! Deadline however was a much more preferrable read. Its story line was well thought out and planned, and I enjoyed how you can really feal what the character feels! Chris does a great job pulling all the characters into the story and I viewed this book as though I were going to die in six months and this was my story. Overall, I very much enjoyed both books
ReplyDeleteJack
Over this summer, I read "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett and "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld.
ReplyDelete"The Help" was a masterful, smart novel about black women in the south when they could only work as maids and were treated poorly by their white counterparts. I loved how accurately this books portrayed the actual racism, but also the love between certain white families and their maids.
In "The Help", one of the main characters Aibeleen has raised too many white children to count. She befrends Skeeter, an upandcoming white writer for a local newspaper, and together they decide to endeavor on a risky, crazy journey; to document the hardships and love of a maid's life. They decide to use real stories of actual maids, which is a problem. The maids around the area don't want to risk giving their own personal stories to Skeeter for fear of punishment by their white "families". The book had a beautiful, intelligent voice, and Kathryn Stockett perfectly weaved the voices of black maids with white women with all the different components of the small Alabama town.
On almost the exact opposite note, "Uglies" is set in a futuristic dystopia where beauty is everything. From the time you are born, to the time you turn sixteen, you are branded "ugly". This is a commonly and widely accepted fact and no one seems to care. When one turns sixteen, they receive an operation that makes them beautiful...and "pretty minded". The main character, Tally, is just another sixteen year old waiting for the operation so she can go and have fun all the time with the "pretties". That is, until Tally meets Shay. Shay has decided that she doesn't want to turn pretty, and runs away to live with a group of other runaways...with Tally reluctantly in tow. I loved "Uglies" and would gladly read it again, because of the message it puts across. Westerfeld proves that being pretty isn't everything, and having a brain is much better than being beautiful, even if the ones around you don't recognize it.
I loved both of these books and strongly believe that every high schooler should read them both, especially "The Help".
Over the summer I read The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks and the first three Harry Potter books. I chose to read The Notebook because I have heard really good things about the movie and the book. I have never seen the movie or read the book (obviously). I decided to give the book a shot, and found that I really liked it.
ReplyDeleteThe Notebook was a great book for a few reasons. First, it was definitely original. I had never read or seen another plot quite like this one before. It was creative, well thought out, and I was always captivated by it. A second reason I liked this book was because it was very believable. I felt the story was very real and that it actually could have happened. Finally, I liked the book because it as such a sweet story. I am usually not the type of girl who gets all mushy while reading, but this book was different. It was so cute and true, and I feel like almost anyone could relate to or connect with some part of the story. That, to me, is the most important thing about a book. If you can't relate to one of the characters or connect with the book in some way, it isn't a successful story. Nicholas Sparks did a great job writing this book and I really enjoyed it.
I liked The Notebook, but I have to admit that I liked the Harry Potter books more. I am a huge Harry Potter fan and have seen all the movies multiple times. However, I had never read any of the books until this summer. I LOVED them! They were so creative, captivating, and humorous that I had a hard time putting them down. J.K. Rowling put so many details and humor into the books, and they are amazing. Something that I liked about these books that I also liked about The Notebook was that they seemed so real. Even though it is about witches and wizards, I found it very believable. Finally, I liked the books because they were so much fun to read and they truly entertained me. They weren't educational books, and they didn't really teach me many life lessons, but I enjoyed them because they allowed me to escape to a whole different world. It is really nice, sometimes, to read a book and get so in to it that you forget about everything else. I honestly went into another world while reading these books and I loved it!
I enjoyed the summer reading books I read this summer and would definitely recommend them!
I had a question for anyone to answer to.
ReplyDeleteFor vocab #3, do you use the words used for problem #1 for problems 2-5? Or do you use the roots and suffixes?