My first quarter book was sharp objects by gillian flynn. This novel is a mystery novel that starts off by a reporter visiting her hometown with the investigation of a murder story. As a twist, the reporter is a lowlife living woman addicted to alcohol, sex, and drugs. As the investigation continues she finds herself a little more and develops some relations along the way. I would recommend this book because the story starts off as you thinking she an innocent young woman and a twist just got handed toward you. There is also a murder mystery solved in the meanwhile so it keeps the reader interested. I have no connections to this book which I think is the reason why I like it because its something that I haven't experienced it and this book gives me a chance to.
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Quarter 1 SSR
The book that I read was Mind Gym by Gary Mack and David Casstevens is based on inner excellence and it was 224 pages long. In this book the authors talk about all of his experiences with failure and how he worked with other athletes in the highest platforms with their self excellence. All of the exercises and tips that they give their athletes are very clever and helpful. They ask the athletes about their problems and give them mental exercises.
I really enjoyed this book because it also helps me with my mental struggles when playing or just in general. This step by step book could be useful to anyone including non-athletes. None of the excercises are hard to do and it's very interesting to try them out. I recommend this book to anyone since it's short and helpful.
I really enjoyed this book because it also helps me with my mental struggles when playing or just in general. This step by step book could be useful to anyone including non-athletes. None of the excercises are hard to do and it's very interesting to try them out. I recommend this book to anyone since it's short and helpful.
First Quarter SSR
Khaled Hosseini's novel, And the Mountains Echoed is a 402 page realistic fiction novel that follows the story of a desperate Afghani family who sells their youngest daughter to a wealthy couple and takes course over fifty years and four generations. Interestingly, Hosseini chose to create the book through the eyes of multiple narrators as oppose to a first person or focused omniscient narrator. Each perspective gives a different take on the family's decisions and personal lives. Pari, who is the daughter of Saboor is taken to a Kabul unaware of her fathers intentions to the Wahdati's who are eagerly awaiting their new child since they are unable to conceive a child of their own. Saboor also believes it his in his daughter's best wishes she lives with a rich family since they belong to a poor and struggling family. It all seems beneficial except Abdullah, who is Pari's brother, have a very strong bond which is being completely uprooted and destroyed because of this event. Throughout this story, many marital issues transpire with lack of love and Pari's new parents withhold vital information about Pari's true identity and her real family. However, she eventually ends up marrying and seeks the truth of her true self.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel as I am familiar with Hosseini's writings and admire his concise yet descriptive writing style. He is able to describe things vividly without having long, fluffy drawn out sentences. Within this book are a lot of interesting folklore that is obviously not found within our culture and has insights of wisdom through stories or wise family members about morality and life. Personally, I am also a fan of realistic novels as I find them to be more appealing since they are plausible and aren't extremely farfetched. Especially since it covers real and prevalent issues in less developed countries. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that does have similar literature interests, or just enjoys literature as a whole since it is a beautifully crafted novel.
SSR Quarter 1 Assignment
During the first quarter of the school year I read a non-fiction novel written by Julia Alvarez called In the Time of the Butterflies. This book is 344 pages long and is based on real events about 4 sisters and their lives growing up in the Trujillo ruling in 1994. The book is about the Mirabal sisters, known as "the butterflies," each describing every part of their lives and the tough situations they go through. The four sisters, Dede, Patria, Minerva, and Maria Teresa, each struggle against the dictatorship they're being ruled under. Trujillo can ask for anything he wants and he gets it, if not there's a consequence. The girls grew up with fear of him but then realized they had to fight for their country, Dominican Republic, in order to stop murders that he causes. I really loved reading this book because it is told from different perspectives and each character focuses on every part of their lives and breaks them down into further detail.
Each girl grows into a strong woman and they eventually save their country, but sadly three of the sisters died, and only Dede was left. This book talks about the strength of women, and the power of having faith. All of the sisters put in their effort to save their country and they succeeded. Slowly throughout the book, the sisters were each making their families larger and larger, but one sister lost faith when she had a miscarriage. I do not want to spoil much of the story, but the main reason why I recommend this book is because it is filled with great detail about their lives and focuses on the strength of sisters when they unite.
Each girl grows into a strong woman and they eventually save their country, but sadly three of the sisters died, and only Dede was left. This book talks about the strength of women, and the power of having faith. All of the sisters put in their effort to save their country and they succeeded. Slowly throughout the book, the sisters were each making their families larger and larger, but one sister lost faith when she had a miscarriage. I do not want to spoil much of the story, but the main reason why I recommend this book is because it is filled with great detail about their lives and focuses on the strength of sisters when they unite.
SSR Quarter 1
In the young adult fiction novel , Glass, written by Ellen Hopkins, a new mother battles her addiction with crystal meth, she is torn between her love for her family and her love for drugs. Within these 681 pages,the main character Kristina learns throughout the story about, the importance of family. She shows signs of weakness and desperation throughout the series.
Kristina changes dramatically within the novel .In the beginning of the story, Kristina decides to raise her son and live in a sober state. She plans on staying in that mentality for the better of her son, her family, and herself. Later, Kristina rebuilds her relationship with crystal meth. She lets go of her admiring family and pulls herself into the cold hands of crystal. She begins spending the holidays with strangers partying instead of being with family. She first makes a goal for recovery and later relapses into a severe addiction.
In my opinion the novel is very somber and grave. In hopes that Kristina would have recovered from her addiction, I was constantly left in disappointment. Glass exhibits how addiction does not only affect the addict, it also impacts their loved ones. The author writes this story based upon her own daughter's life, she stresses the sadness and hurt the family experiences within the novel to create awareness of addiction. I would not recommend this book to readers seeking lighthearted stories.
First Quarter SSR
For the first quarter SSR, I read the horror fiction novel, The Shining by Stephen King. The book was about 447 pages long. The story takes place in a hotel as one of the main characters, Jack Torrance accepts the job as a caretaker for the hotel during the winter. While being informed of the tragedies that had been occurred in the hotel, Jack still takes the job taking his wife and son with him for the winter. As the story goes on we learn about Jack's temperament and his alcoholism which he tries to control. Jack's temperament led him to lose his job as a teacher which was why he had to move and find a new job. Jack is a complicated character who desperately tries to hide away his demons. Jack's wife, Wendy is flat character, after the incident with Jack and her son, had been dwelling on the thought of divorce. Although, she had not talked about that much since Jack had finally stayed clean for quite some time and seemed like a changed man. Jack's son, Danny is a young boy who can see in the future. He's believed to have "the shining". Through "the shining", he befriends an imaginary boy named Tony and also begins to get seizures . He tries to keep quiet of all the visions he sees since he does not want his parents to worry.
The hotel is introduced to the Torrance's as not only as work but somewhat of a vacation, something that the married couple needed; however, as time goes on, as normal as they would have wanted things to be, things began to get real worse. Jack has grown mad and crazy as he tries to murder his wife and his son.
I would recommend this book to people that are into more dark, suspenseful type of stories. The Shining is a classic, as it gives more in depth characters like Jack Torrance who hurt his son when he was a little kid. You get a anxious and sick feeling about him. However as the story progresses you start to realize he won't change, and that Wendy and Danny are in grave danger. This gives us two protagonists that we want to see make it out alive. The plot of the story is very dark as it stems from violence and abuse from Jack Torrance who is on a manhunt for his own family. The story was intriguing throughout the book. We got to learn about Wendy's fear of becoming her mother in the beginning and Danny's fear of going to the hotel. All around, Stephen King's The Shining was a great book to read.
For the first quarter SSR, I read the horror fiction novel, The Shining by Stephen King. The book was about 447 pages long. The story takes place in a hotel as one of the main characters, Jack Torrance accepts the job as a caretaker for the hotel during the winter. While being informed of the tragedies that had been occurred in the hotel, Jack still takes the job taking his wife and son with him for the winter. As the story goes on we learn about Jack's temperament and his alcoholism which he tries to control. Jack's temperament led him to lose his job as a teacher which was why he had to move and find a new job. Jack is a complicated character who desperately tries to hide away his demons. Jack's wife, Wendy is flat character, after the incident with Jack and her son, had been dwelling on the thought of divorce. Although, she had not talked about that much since Jack had finally stayed clean for quite some time and seemed like a changed man. Jack's son, Danny is a young boy who can see in the future. He's believed to have "the shining". Through "the shining", he befriends an imaginary boy named Tony and also begins to get seizures . He tries to keep quiet of all the visions he sees since he does not want his parents to worry.
The hotel is introduced to the Torrance's as not only as work but somewhat of a vacation, something that the married couple needed; however, as time goes on, as normal as they would have wanted things to be, things began to get real worse. Jack has grown mad and crazy as he tries to murder his wife and his son.
I would recommend this book to people that are into more dark, suspenseful type of stories. The Shining is a classic, as it gives more in depth characters like Jack Torrance who hurt his son when he was a little kid. You get a anxious and sick feeling about him. However as the story progresses you start to realize he won't change, and that Wendy and Danny are in grave danger. This gives us two protagonists that we want to see make it out alive. The plot of the story is very dark as it stems from violence and abuse from Jack Torrance who is on a manhunt for his own family. The story was intriguing throughout the book. We got to learn about Wendy's fear of becoming her mother in the beginning and Danny's fear of going to the hotel. All around, Stephen King's The Shining was a great book to read.
Quarter 1 SSR
One of the novels that I had read to fulfill the SSR requirement for this past quarter was Cinder by Marissa Meyer, a science-fiction work composed of 387 pages. The story is from the perspective of a teenaged cyborg adept in mechanics, Cinder. The novel is a loose retelling of the classic story Cinderella, set in a post-apocalyptic Chinese city, New Beijing. The country is raged with outbreaks of plague, calling for an antidote to be discovered and developed immediately. In addition to the devastation caused by the plague, the citizens of earth are caught in a fierce conflict with the inhabitants of the moon, posing a serious threat to the future of the planet. Cinder, gifted with skills and valuable abilities, aids the government in finding a cure for the plague quickly, as, with each passing day, new threats are posed by the citizens of the moon. Cinder must go through a plethora of challenges, including the sudden infection of her step-sister by the plague. Whilst struggling to develop an antidote for the plague victims, Cinder must learn to face her fears and become comfortable in her own skin, for often feeling self-conscious of her synthetic makeup.
Cinder was very riveting, filled with action and packed with science and very detailed machinery. The details were spectacular, making it almost impossible for you not to clearly see the city of New Beijing in your mind. The plot was easy to follow, and there was rarely a dull moment; however, at times, the plot moved a bit too quickly for my liking, not delving deeply into some holes. The characters were all well developed and had memorable personalities. The character of Cinder was strong and stood her ground, an enjoyable female character who, wonderfully, did not rely on her male counterpart to solve her problems. There were humorous moments yet a fair share of angry, why-did-this-happen moments as well. The easy, simplistic writing style allowed for a quick read (and lets you advance into the book faster, satisfying the need to know what happens next). This novel consisted one of the most baffling plot twists I have ever read, which offered a refreshing change to the rather predictable novels that are gaining prevalence and popularity.
The novel had been recommended to me by multiple individuals, all testifying its wonder; however, I did not view the book as particularly outstanding. Although I felt that it wasn't exceptional, I enjoyed reading it very much. It was entertaining and the connections with the original tale of Cinderella were well thought-out and savvy. This novel is worth the read, especially if you fancy a dystopian, post-apocalyptic setting.
Cinder was very riveting, filled with action and packed with science and very detailed machinery. The details were spectacular, making it almost impossible for you not to clearly see the city of New Beijing in your mind. The plot was easy to follow, and there was rarely a dull moment; however, at times, the plot moved a bit too quickly for my liking, not delving deeply into some holes. The characters were all well developed and had memorable personalities. The character of Cinder was strong and stood her ground, an enjoyable female character who, wonderfully, did not rely on her male counterpart to solve her problems. There were humorous moments yet a fair share of angry, why-did-this-happen moments as well. The easy, simplistic writing style allowed for a quick read (and lets you advance into the book faster, satisfying the need to know what happens next). This novel consisted one of the most baffling plot twists I have ever read, which offered a refreshing change to the rather predictable novels that are gaining prevalence and popularity.
The novel had been recommended to me by multiple individuals, all testifying its wonder; however, I did not view the book as particularly outstanding. Although I felt that it wasn't exceptional, I enjoyed reading it very much. It was entertaining and the connections with the original tale of Cinderella were well thought-out and savvy. This novel is worth the read, especially if you fancy a dystopian, post-apocalyptic setting.
1st Quarter SSR Assignment
One book I read this semester was Fear by Michael Grant and it's the fifth science fiction book in the Gone Series. Also, it's (about) 528 pages composed of the story surrounding kids that are 15 years and younger. They are completely isolated when everyone older than 15 years disappears from Perdido Beach and a lot of the town is surrounded by this impenetrable dome which they call the barrier. The kids nickname their "new" town the FAYZ, the Fallout Alley Youth Zone.
In Fear, the book is taking place after they've survived all the hunger, the lies, and the plaques. Now they have to survive the fear, the kids of the FAYZ start to notice that the barrier is beginning to obtain these black stains that are spreading and they fear they will be left in total darkness. Meanwhile, Sam, the protagonist, is also worrying about the safety of Diana because the Gaiaphage sent Drake to kidnap her. The Gaiaphage is the evil entity of the FAYZ, it was born from a power plant radiation accident of some sort. Drake is a psychopath who serves the Gaiaphage in its evil deeds. The Gaiaphage wants Diana brought to it, because Diana is pregnant and it wants to have a body in order to cause more chaos and because it wants to be prepared for when the barrier comes down in order to take over the world.
I really enjoyed this book, and series, because it's a dynamic series with many unpredictable plot twists. The story line is well thought out and thorough. Also, many of the characters in the book are complex and it works for the complex plot. I would definitely recommend this book to those who like action-packed, science fiction books.
SSR 1st semester Blog (An Autobiography by Andrae Agassi)
My 1st semester book was An Autobiography by Andrae Agassi which contains 400 pages. The genre of his autobiography is sports, more specifically (tennis). Agassi was born in a poor town in Las Vegas. His dad being from Afghanistan, living as a young boy through the Afghan war knows much about that life. And, this has affected him and the way that he raised his three children, however, Agassi was the only one that had natural raw talent. Agassi's father puts hard pressure on Agassi as a little boy. Everyday, forcing him to go upon against a ball machine that he calls the dragon. Agassi's dad burns him out from tennis. Everyday for 7 hours after school hitting the ball, making harsh comments every time the ball goes into the net. This creates a horrible relationship between the two. But leads Agassi to be a great defender. Returning balls deep and in the court , annoying the opponent. After a while, Agassi's dad sends him to an academy because he was beating everyone around his cities, and was in desperate need for competition. He sends him to an academy in Florida which still exists today, and is commonly known , but was better back in the day for producing future professionals. This academy is called the Nick Bolleteri Academy, located in Southern Florida. There he actually finds out there is something about writting that he loves. That English unlike any other subject was natural to him. He loved to do the journal entries in English, although he didn't do any work in school at all. which leads to his worldwide knowing of his reputation as a rebel. After he sends him there, the academy offers him to go there for free, but Agassi, hating the game tries to rebel. By the way he walks and dresses, even with an earing in his ears like a girl. He later becomes something that you are soon to find out if you are to read this book.
I typically liked this book because I enjoy tennis and learned much about Agassi's life, and strategies that he used. I was able to connect with Agassi in different ways such as playing tennis from a young age. However, my father does not force me to play, which I am lucky for, because every time I play, it's because I want to play, because I love the sport, not because I am forced to play. Although, I disliked much of the negativity put in this book such as many cuss- words. But hey, at least its the truth. I would really recommend this to people who would maybe want to read about tennis and are intrested in the game. The character Andrae Agassi was trying too find out his personal identity grawing up as a young child ito an adult, rebelling even during his prime.
I typically liked this book because I enjoy tennis and learned much about Agassi's life, and strategies that he used. I was able to connect with Agassi in different ways such as playing tennis from a young age. However, my father does not force me to play, which I am lucky for, because every time I play, it's because I want to play, because I love the sport, not because I am forced to play. Although, I disliked much of the negativity put in this book such as many cuss- words. But hey, at least its the truth. I would really recommend this to people who would maybe want to read about tennis and are intrested in the game. The character Andrae Agassi was trying too find out his personal identity grawing up as a young child ito an adult, rebelling even during his prime.
First Quarter SSR
For the first quarter, I read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. This novel is a political fiction and it has a total of 350 pages. The book was a little hard to understand since the story takes place during the industrial revolution and a lot went on during that time. The main character is Jurgis Rudkus. Jurgis is a Lithuanian immigrant who comes to Chicago, (at the time Chicago was called Packingtown)with his wife Ona and their family, in search of a better life. Chicago at the time was notorious for their meat packaging industry which is a hard, dangerous, and filthy place where it is difficult to find a job. His American dream did not come true when he goes into debt to the saloon keeper. Jurgis meets Jack Duane a safecracker, and all of their debts force Jurgis to join jack mugging people and their financial conditions become so bad that Ona's cousin Marija became a prostitute to support the family. Jurgis becomes ardent socialist to help the means of production to satisfy everyone's needs but most important the working class men. Jurgis did work in the meatpacking industry so he has seen the conditions they work through which also pushed him to fight for his people. I would recommend this book to anyone who is willing to endure all the graphic things said about the meat industry.
Quarter 1 SSR
My first quarter SSR was a non-fiction sports book that surprisingly kept me engaged as it was a baseball auto-biography. The author of the book, Derek Jeter, summarized his path to the MLB with a well-written timeline from his transition from a scrub a legend. This book is great for any young athlete because it revolves around common struggles and doubts they come across in any sport, playing a position you do not like can be an example. Throughout the book, Jeter stresses to never give up. When Jeter was in school, he had always dreamed of being a Major League Baseball player and his peers never failed to mock him. Jeter found the courage to prove them wrong when he signed a contract with the New York Yankees and eventually became the starting shortstop. He was a great fielder and amazing contact hitter, he could do everything. Five years ago, Derek Jeter distressingly announced his retirement and is now a legend with five rings.
SSR First Quarter Assignment
The book I chose for first quarter SSR was a 180 page novel called The Outsiders . The author of this book is S.E. Hinton. I definitely recommend this book to those interested in reading coming of age or young adult fictions. I am very glad I ended up choosing this book because it was a very good book that expresses a variety of themes. For example, some main themes such as choices, violence, love, loyalty and isolation were shown throughout the story. My favorite thing about this novel is that there never was a single moment dull moment. The Outsiders kept me at the edge of my seat with the on going, thrilling, and intense events from beginning to end.
To summarize, the story is about a boy just trying to survive his teenage years. A few factors make this very difficult for him. For instance , his involvement in a gang, his unsafe neighborhood and the recent death of his parents . In the beginning of the story the main character , Ponyboy, lives with his two older brothers but due to some chaotic events they eventually get separated. Ponyboy faces many challenges , learns valuable lesson, and goes through so much (good and bad). This page-turner is one I definitely suggest you put on your reading list. Will Ponyboy make it through this challenging interval of his life ?? Read to find out !!!
The book I chose for first quarter SSR was a 180 page novel called The Outsiders . The author of this book is S.E. Hinton. I definitely recommend this book to those interested in reading coming of age or young adult fictions. I am very glad I ended up choosing this book because it was a very good book that expresses a variety of themes. For example, some main themes such as choices, violence, love, loyalty and isolation were shown throughout the story. My favorite thing about this novel is that there never was a single moment dull moment. The Outsiders kept me at the edge of my seat with the on going, thrilling, and intense events from beginning to end.
To summarize, the story is about a boy just trying to survive his teenage years. A few factors make this very difficult for him. For instance , his involvement in a gang, his unsafe neighborhood and the recent death of his parents . In the beginning of the story the main character , Ponyboy, lives with his two older brothers but due to some chaotic events they eventually get separated. Ponyboy faces many challenges , learns valuable lesson, and goes through so much (good and bad). This page-turner is one I definitely suggest you put on your reading list. Will Ponyboy make it through this challenging interval of his life ?? Read to find out !!!
Quarter 1 SSR
For my first quarter SSR book I read Conor and The Crossworlds: Breaking The Barrier by Kevin Gerard. It is a fiction book with 241 pages. It is about a boy named Conor who unknowingly calls down the power of the creators who send down a mythical beast named Purugama by being sad about the death of his uncle. Purugama is basically a gigantic puma with wings who becomes a mentor to Conor. They go on a long journey throughout many different worlds so that Conor can learn about different worlds and the people in them. Conor meets many rulers of the worlds to learn how to overcome the death of his uncle. After all of the mini journeys, one of the final journeys was meeting with his uncle’s memories. This showed Conor the mistakes and guilt of his uncle which explained why his uncle was into drugs and eventually died. Conor learns that the choices he makes in the future will affect him forever. After that, Purugama says that they have to part ways, but then a half lizard and half man attacks Purugama. They battle to the death and if Purugama lost, Conor would die too.
I like this book because it takes place in an alternate universe where there are many different creatures and people that live in them. It connects to my life because I know that my choices will affect me in the future. The two main characters have a parent-child type of relationship which helps Conor receive lots of wisdom. This also applies to me because during my parents’ lectures they emphasize lots of life skills and advice for the future. Parents could also be Purugama because they know that they have to part ways, but not completely because they are always there for you.
I like this book because it takes place in an alternate universe where there are many different creatures and people that live in them. It connects to my life because I know that my choices will affect me in the future. The two main characters have a parent-child type of relationship which helps Conor receive lots of wisdom. This also applies to me because during my parents’ lectures they emphasize lots of life skills and advice for the future. Parents could also be Purugama because they know that they have to part ways, but not completely because they are always there for you.
SSR Quarter 1
The book I read for the first quarter was Hitler's Secret by William Osborne. It is a fiction novel which contains 352 pages. This book takes place during World War II and is about two teen spies of Britain. These two spies are around 18 years old and both male and female. These spies are born in or around Germany, so they can speak German. When they were younger, they had the chance to escape the Nazis and lived their lives in Britain. These spies were put on a mission to Germany to go get a certain someone that is a very essential key to the war. Trained to the best extent they went. Many challenges were put ahead of them and only one way out.
In my opinion, the book was a fairly fun read. I liked it because it fit the genres I like to read. The book consists a lot of suspense to see if they can make it out and get through their mission. I really like the characters too. The two spies, Otto and Leni, were very strong lead characters. I liked how they both had nothing before, losing their family in the war, and during their mission they came together and found each other for being there for them. The only thing I dislike about this novel was how predictable the story was and some of the conflicts. If I were to change anything about the book, I would add more characters in on their side and putting a plot twist somewhere in the book, just to make it more interesting and suspenseful.
In my opinion, the book was a fairly fun read. I liked it because it fit the genres I like to read. The book consists a lot of suspense to see if they can make it out and get through their mission. I really like the characters too. The two spies, Otto and Leni, were very strong lead characters. I liked how they both had nothing before, losing their family in the war, and during their mission they came together and found each other for being there for them. The only thing I dislike about this novel was how predictable the story was and some of the conflicts. If I were to change anything about the book, I would add more characters in on their side and putting a plot twist somewhere in the book, just to make it more interesting and suspenseful.
First Quarter SSR Book
For my first quarter SSR book, I read Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. The book is science fiction and contains 337 pages. The story takes place around 2006 in a small town in Pennsylvania and follows the diary of a teenage girl named Miranda Evans and her two brothers and mother. The main premise of the story is that the moon was struck by a large asteroid and it was moved closer to the Earth. As most people know, the tide of the ocean and other large bodies of water is controlled by the moon because of its gravitational pull on the Earth. As a result of the moon being closer to the Earth, tsunamis and other natural disasters occurred. Many states on the east and west coast were flooded, along with Hawaii, and pretty much the coasts of countries all over the world.
Miranda was a typical teenage girl (I guess) who went to high school and had a very close relationship with her friends. Even after the asteroid hit the moon, she continued to go to school to be with her friends even though there was a shortage of food in the cafeteria. Her life changed drastically because she became appreciative of the little things she had despite the bad circumstances.
Miranda’s mother is a very selfless person. She always put her own kids before herself when it came to survival and she was a very caring person. When food was short, she didn’t even eat to ensure that her kids had enough food to eat. She seemed to get mad at Miranda a lot, but other than that, she was a nice person.
Miranda’s older brother, Matt, was in college during the moon incident, but he eventually came back home to be with his family. He was sort of like the dad of the house (their parents are divorced) because he did his best to take care of his family and was always strong. He always cared for his siblings and always helped them with their problems and gave them advice. I would write about their other sibling, Johnny, but I don’t have much to say about him.
I enjoyed reading this book because it was really original and had good writing. I would recommend it to people who enjoy reading about tragedy and the misfortune of others. There are some awkward parts in the book that made me uncomfortable, but other than that it was good story.
SSR
Last quarter I read the Screwtape Letters by C.S Lewis. The Screwtape Letters is a Epistolary novel that is 223 pages. It takes a look into the letters between two demons, Screwtape and Wormwood. The letters about Screwtape's progression on his victim of trying to get him to hell. It goes into tricks that the devil uses to try to keep us from Gond and be on the wrong path. The letters show Screwtape's victories and frustrations. The book was hard to read because it wasn't really something that people understand and know about. It also wasn't a book where you get connected to the characters, so that makes it kind of boring. The book was composed into an unorganized way and you don't know what day it is or what has happened in between times. There are a lot of open time slots in the story. Eventhough it was difficult to read, I really like the idea of the book, to get an idea of the spiritual war. Many people just try to avoid bad things, but this book shows some stuff that hints that something isn't right.
Quarter 1 SSR
This past quarter, the book I read for SSR was Fangirl
by Rainbow Rowell, a fictional literary work comprising 445 pages.
This novel comes from the perspective of Cather “Cath” Avery, a college
freshman with an affinity for writing. She particularly invests much
of her time in writing fanfiction about her favorite book series—Simon Snow—which, to a certain degree, appears to mimic the Harry Potter series. Fangirl itself essentially recounts Cath’s first year of college,
and
the first obstacle she must surpass in this new setting is that her
more independent twin , Wren, would rather dorm with someone other than
her sister. Introverted and generally anxious, Cath must learn to fend
for herself in this unfamiliar environment, at the same time making
attempts to resist the changes that accompany adulthood. Cath clings
dearly to what remains of her childhood, her writing of fanfiction
perhaps being the clearest example of this statement, as she and Wren
had written works of such a genre since childhood, the Simon Snow series
influencing the two of them for much of their lives. Alongside
struggles concerning her sister, Cath must also learn how to act in more
social settings, this even leading to a romance that defines the later
portions of this novel. At the same time, she is tasked with learning
to accept the actions of her biological mother, this woman having left
Cath and the remainder of her immediate family when both she and Wren
were at quite a young age.
Though admitably not even close to being one of my favorite books, I did enjoy Fangirl.
I found Cath to be rather relatable, not only in her socially awkward
tendencies, but also in her efforts to somewhat resist change as she
matured. I felt I understood her fears about life in general, even if
they were a bit irrational at times. Most people could probably relate
to Cath as well in regard to how she responds to significant instances
of change in her life. Many of the plot points, though, were fairly
predictable, and at times, the story seemed to move perhaps a bit too
quickly, particularly near the ending of the novel. Nonetheless, Cath
does come to undergo a fairly significant change in the novel; in the
end, she's become a more social person, as well as one more independent
from her sister, having found a place she feels she belongs in life.
However,
the main reason I chose this book to read for SSR was because it was a
book I'd started at some point in ninth grade, and I'd never actually
finished reading it. That being said, even though the novel doesn't
interest me now as much as it did then, I would recommend this book to
those interested in a coming-of-age story, this work particularly
directed at a young-adult audience.
First Quarter SSR
First Quarter SSR "Dorothy Must Die"
This quarter I read “Dorothy Must Die” by Danielle Paige. This book is fiction and has 452 pages. The main character Amy Gumm is 16 and from the small and boring town of Dusty Acres, Kansas. At school she is bullied by the pregnant Madison Pendleton and many others. Then one day she is sitting inside of her trailer house that gets swept away. When she wakes up she finds out that she has landed in Oz. The same Oz that Dorothy Gale landed in from the famous book. Soon after being rescued by a boy named Pete she quickly discovers that Dorothy is harsh and power hungry leader. She steals the magic from Oz and enslaved all of the winged monkeys. Dorothy’s friends, The Tin Woodman, The Lion, The Scarecrow , and Toto are also evil and very loyal to Dorothy. Amy is quickly trained and taught how to use magic by a group of witches who have banded together to create the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked. The only way to free the land of Oz is to get rid of Dorothy, but that means that Dorothy must die.
I really enjoyed this booked because it wasn’t like anything else I have read before. It gave a different view of the land of Oz. From watching the plays and reading the book we have learned that Oz is a beautiful place with wise leader. However in the book we learn that was beautiful, but has changed to a dark and dangerous place because the power hungry leader Dorothy is stealing the magic and is killing the land of Oz. Dorothy has also changed drastically from being a sweet and innocent girl on Auntie Em’ farm to are ruthless tyrant of Oz. I liked that the characters had a different and unexpected change in them. I enjoyed this book and would read the rest of the series.
SSR Quarter 1 Assignment - Being and Nothingness
SSR Quarter 1 Assignment
Being and Nothingness by Jean-Paul Sartre, a professor of philosophy, is the book I have decided to read for the first quarter. This thought-provoking novel is 807 pages long and belongs in the nonfiction genre as it challenges philosophical thought. Sartre questions the principal text of modern existentialism which is centered around the analysis of existence and how individuals exist first then spend a lifetime changing their essence or nature. He describes the distinction of conscious being (being-for-itself) and unconscious being (being-in-itself) as he argues that these elements is what defines man. He then further explains that because conscious being lacks a predetermined essence, it is forced to create itself from nothingness. Hence the title of the novel, Being and Nothingness.
For the most part, I did enjoy reading this work of nonfiction because of Sartre's intriguing definition of modern existentialism. However, the book possessed many themes and ideas that were difficult to understand at times. Sartre also decided to repeat certain words and phrases throughout his writing which made reading a bit of a chore. Overall, this novel was a joy to read that I recommend it to those interested in philosophy or simply looking for a new book to read.
For the most part, I did enjoy reading this work of nonfiction because of Sartre's intriguing definition of modern existentialism. However, the book possessed many themes and ideas that were difficult to understand at times. Sartre also decided to repeat certain words and phrases throughout his writing which made reading a bit of a chore. Overall, this novel was a joy to read that I recommend it to those interested in philosophy or simply looking for a new book to read.
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
First Quarter SSR
For the first quarter, I read The Shining by Stephen King. The novel is fiction and there are a total of 447 pages. The book was a bit boring at the start because it was explaining the characters’ background and it was leading up to the main plot. Jack is the main adult character. He was a teacher who lost his job because he handled a student. Jack was desperate to get work somewhere, and the only thing he could find was at a hotel where a murder occurred. However, this did not stop Jack from taking the job and moving his family in for the winter. Another one of the main characters is a boy named Danny. Danny can see a person who isn’t real, but he allows Danny to see into the future at some points. As a result of this, Danny can get light-headed and pass out. His parents worry about him, but he tries to please them. The last main character in Jack’s wife, Wendy. She is the one who stays sane throughout the book, but she isn’t all that interesting. She worries about Danny and Jack as time goes on, but that’s all she can really do.
As I said, Jack got a job at a hotel for the winter. The man who worked there before him killed his family and himself. This did not faze Jack, but he instead moved in. Eventually, “cabin fever” took control of Jack, which is what is said to have driven the old caretaker mad. Long story short, Jack also went mad and attempted to kill his family.
The point of views shifted from time to time throughout the book from Jack to Danny to Wendy. It was interesting to see how everyone thought of what happened in their own perspective. Danny had had his suspicions from the beginning that something was going to happen, and that it would be bad. Wendy had heard from Danny, but, like any person would, she thought that they were just daydreams. After all, who would believe something a boy dreamed about? Seeing Jack change, though, was the most interesting. You get to view the transition from a regular guy who was a former teacher to an absolute psychopath.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is willing to endure the beginning to see what happens in the end.
Quarter 1 SSR Assignment
For the first quarter I read "The House of The Scorpion" written by Nancy Farmer. This fictional story has a total of 415 pages. The last 10 pages are about the author and some accomplishments. The reason I have chosen this book is because I have read other books written by Nancy Farmer and my sister recommended this book for me, so I said "why not".
This story has a major twist towards the middle, so I will mainly explain the introduction. The story is about a young boy named Matteo Alacran or Matt for short. He is currently 14 in the story and he has a sad background where his parents treat him like crap. They still do and the only person that really cares for him is his best friend Maria. Later on he over hears his parents conversation about taking him to some secret hideout. They kept referring to him as "it" instead of saying his name or even "he" or "him". He finds out that he was never born or produced, he was actually cloned. His purpose is to grow to a certain age until the man who cloned him would take his organs to stay alive for more years. This really surprises him and when his so called "parents" find out, they throw him away in the basement locked up like a prisoner. Maria finds out that he is no longer showing up, so she ends up rescuing him and takes him to her house. She does not know he is not an actual human being, so he keeps that as a secret. He stays at her house until her parents call the police and they take him to the lord of the country. The lord known as El Patron ends up taking care of him and treats him as one of his own. Still Matt fears that his former parents will come back and take him. Then after a while something really unexpected happens that really opened my eyes, so I will not say anymore because I cannot give any spoilers. Let's just say Nancy Farmer knows how to write a twist.
I really liked the twist in the story it makes me draw more attention towards it and it was considered a real page-turner. I was also able to imagine the background of the story because it gives a lot of detail. However, I didn't like the main character Matt. He is like scared by every little thing in the world. He doesn't fight back or say anything to when he is being insulted or bullied. At the age of 14 he should show some courage. I did like the whole story though, It had really great twists with some drama that showed lots of emotion towards it. I recommend this book if you like action and unexpected twists in the main plot.
This story has a major twist towards the middle, so I will mainly explain the introduction. The story is about a young boy named Matteo Alacran or Matt for short. He is currently 14 in the story and he has a sad background where his parents treat him like crap. They still do and the only person that really cares for him is his best friend Maria. Later on he over hears his parents conversation about taking him to some secret hideout. They kept referring to him as "it" instead of saying his name or even "he" or "him". He finds out that he was never born or produced, he was actually cloned. His purpose is to grow to a certain age until the man who cloned him would take his organs to stay alive for more years. This really surprises him and when his so called "parents" find out, they throw him away in the basement locked up like a prisoner. Maria finds out that he is no longer showing up, so she ends up rescuing him and takes him to her house. She does not know he is not an actual human being, so he keeps that as a secret. He stays at her house until her parents call the police and they take him to the lord of the country. The lord known as El Patron ends up taking care of him and treats him as one of his own. Still Matt fears that his former parents will come back and take him. Then after a while something really unexpected happens that really opened my eyes, so I will not say anymore because I cannot give any spoilers. Let's just say Nancy Farmer knows how to write a twist.
I really liked the twist in the story it makes me draw more attention towards it and it was considered a real page-turner. I was also able to imagine the background of the story because it gives a lot of detail. However, I didn't like the main character Matt. He is like scared by every little thing in the world. He doesn't fight back or say anything to when he is being insulted or bullied. At the age of 14 he should show some courage. I did like the whole story though, It had really great twists with some drama that showed lots of emotion towards it. I recommend this book if you like action and unexpected twists in the main plot.
SSR Quarter 1 Book Review
The book that I decided to read for the first quarter is a fiction young-adult novel titled A Northern Light which was composed by Jennifer Donnelly that includes 383 pages in total. The story is set in the year 1906, where Mattie Gokey reaches a turning point in her life after she shifts working on her father's declining farm for summer work as a serving girl at an extravagant hotel in Adirondacks. As she begins pulling in money, she does her best to keep saving and come up with a decision on how she will spend it once the summer is over. Having recognized her abilities quickly, Mattie comprehends that she has a gift and enthusiasm for writing and is determined to attend Barnard College in New York City. However, she questions herself on how she'll move on with her life when she still has a sense of obligation to her family and her quickly blossoming love-story with the simple, handsome Royal Loomis who has stirred the delicate, vulnerable side of Mattie. Despite her setbacks, she can't deny her desire and love for words.
While working at the hotel, Mattie gets involved in a young couple's disappearance who had gone out together in a rowboat. Before the woman's departure, Mattie briefly speaks with the woman, Grace Brown, who handed her a package of love letters and asked Mattie to burn them. But once Grace turns up dead, Mattie couldn't help but look through the package and reads the letters and realizes she may have the biggest clue in solving the woman's death and her lover's strange disappearance.
A Northern Light turned out to be a simple read despite it being set in a time so far from what I am comfortable with. The setting was quite striking that I was able to visualize the scenes the characters were describing which I especially fancied and there were many fascinating side-stories which had me completely entangled in the book. In addition, adding to the vivid scenery are the marvelously drawn characters. For instance, Mattie’s voice rang clear and genuine, and all the people around her, emitting more light on the mystery and the story. Also, the writing was simple yet poetic, immediately pulling me in without having to adjust to any complex language. I also liked how every chapter the main character would introduce a word of the day which helped me acquire new words that I've never heard of.
While I enjoyed most of the side-stories, I would have liked to have heard more about Grace Brown's view of the story. I felt like this, the most touching, frightening element of the novel, had the potential to become more central to the plot. In addition, I disliked how the author switches from present to past because when she transitions from one point to another, she often left it on a cliffhanger. Also, one of my favorite scenes was when Mattie reads the last of Grace Brown's letters and discerns how they reflect her own life, it was achingly tragic, yet inspiring. I enjoyed reading A Northern Light – it is a novel that effortlessly intertwines romance, history, and a deadly mystery into something provoking, practical, and entirely original. I absolutely recommend this book for people who appreciate reading a young adult novel with a little hint of historical fiction.
While working at the hotel, Mattie gets involved in a young couple's disappearance who had gone out together in a rowboat. Before the woman's departure, Mattie briefly speaks with the woman, Grace Brown, who handed her a package of love letters and asked Mattie to burn them. But once Grace turns up dead, Mattie couldn't help but look through the package and reads the letters and realizes she may have the biggest clue in solving the woman's death and her lover's strange disappearance.
A Northern Light turned out to be a simple read despite it being set in a time so far from what I am comfortable with. The setting was quite striking that I was able to visualize the scenes the characters were describing which I especially fancied and there were many fascinating side-stories which had me completely entangled in the book. In addition, adding to the vivid scenery are the marvelously drawn characters. For instance, Mattie’s voice rang clear and genuine, and all the people around her, emitting more light on the mystery and the story. Also, the writing was simple yet poetic, immediately pulling me in without having to adjust to any complex language. I also liked how every chapter the main character would introduce a word of the day which helped me acquire new words that I've never heard of.
While I enjoyed most of the side-stories, I would have liked to have heard more about Grace Brown's view of the story. I felt like this, the most touching, frightening element of the novel, had the potential to become more central to the plot. In addition, I disliked how the author switches from present to past because when she transitions from one point to another, she often left it on a cliffhanger. Also, one of my favorite scenes was when Mattie reads the last of Grace Brown's letters and discerns how they reflect her own life, it was achingly tragic, yet inspiring. I enjoyed reading A Northern Light – it is a novel that effortlessly intertwines romance, history, and a deadly mystery into something provoking, practical, and entirely original. I absolutely recommend this book for people who appreciate reading a young adult novel with a little hint of historical fiction.
SSR 1
For the first quarter of this school year, I read a book titled No Hero by Mark Owen and Kevin Maurer. This book is a nonfictional autobiography with an approximate total of 300 pages. The main character is obviously Mark Owen, as he goes through an interesting and challenging life. Owen joins the Navy and trains to become a Navy SEAL.
Mark Owen grew up in rural Alaska, isolated from the typical business of urban cities. He was trained how to maintain a rifle safely and how to utilize it for hunting at an adolescent age. Owen always wanted to become a Navy SEALs; he has done his research on their training and recruitment programs, and he has been to every meetup he can when a Navy SEAL representative is in Alaska. After getting accepted in a college in southern California, Owen instantly joins the Navy recruitment program named ROTC. After a few years in ROTC, Owen is honored with the opportunity to join BUD/S, the recruitment of Navy SEALs. Owen trains and trains, then does field work to test his skills and knowledge, all of which are knee trembling, horrific, and tiring. He makes close friends with those who are nearing the official title of a SEAL, as he is one of them. Finally, he becomes an official Navy SEAL, where he executes the most difficult, precise, and accurate missions. Furthermore in the book, you discover what truly happened to his dead friends.
This book is very nicely written and detailed , but it feels like its targeted to teen readers rather than adults. The details were more focused on the settings and factual information about stories Owen went through, it lacks evaluations of his emotions and what is going on in his mind at moments. I am not one to read books like this because it feels more like a Call of Duty game than reality, and I am not very interested into military books either unless it was truly heart-touching, yet I forced myself to read this book because I got stuck with it. Overall, this book was more for a last-resort type of book, it was not very interesting, instead just story telling. I would not recommend this book.
Mark Owen grew up in rural Alaska, isolated from the typical business of urban cities. He was trained how to maintain a rifle safely and how to utilize it for hunting at an adolescent age. Owen always wanted to become a Navy SEALs; he has done his research on their training and recruitment programs, and he has been to every meetup he can when a Navy SEAL representative is in Alaska. After getting accepted in a college in southern California, Owen instantly joins the Navy recruitment program named ROTC. After a few years in ROTC, Owen is honored with the opportunity to join BUD/S, the recruitment of Navy SEALs. Owen trains and trains, then does field work to test his skills and knowledge, all of which are knee trembling, horrific, and tiring. He makes close friends with those who are nearing the official title of a SEAL, as he is one of them. Finally, he becomes an official Navy SEAL, where he executes the most difficult, precise, and accurate missions. Furthermore in the book, you discover what truly happened to his dead friends.
This book is very nicely written and detailed , but it feels like its targeted to teen readers rather than adults. The details were more focused on the settings and factual information about stories Owen went through, it lacks evaluations of his emotions and what is going on in his mind at moments. I am not one to read books like this because it feels more like a Call of Duty game than reality, and I am not very interested into military books either unless it was truly heart-touching, yet I forced myself to read this book because I got stuck with it. Overall, this book was more for a last-resort type of book, it was not very interesting, instead just story telling. I would not recommend this book.
Quarter 1 SSR
The book that I read was Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. It has a total of 817 pages. It is about several different couples in nineteenth century Russia that are all connected in some way but the main one is that of Anna Karenina, Alexéi Alexándrovich, and Count Vronsky. Anna Is beautiful, wealthy, and has a desirable social position. She is married to Alexéi and has an adored son. However, when she meets Count Vronsky at a train station, she realizes just how empty her life is and decides to do what she desires with tragic results.
In his book, Tolstoy created a way for the reader to connect to every main character. Even though he had a lot of developed characters, none of them were hard to keep track of because he meticulously connected them through everything that they did. I liked how well he represented the setting by putting some French in his writing since Russia had French architecture and used their language in the nineteenth century. I also liked how he provided so a different personality type for all of his characters and took the time to dive into their lives as well.
I didn’t really like Anna at the beginning of the book since it seemed like she was rude and selfish, but as the book went on I began to be able to relate to her and understand why she felt she needed to do the things she did. At first I sympathized for Alexéi, but I realized that he just liked to control people later in the book. I never liked Count Vronsky since he hated any type of commitment but at least he cared about Anna’s well-being. My favorite characters were Levin and Stepan. Stepan is Anna’s brother and even though he has had a lot of affairs on his wife Dolly, he is really wise and gives great advice to everyone throughout the book. Levin is married to Dolly’s sister, Kitty, and he likes to question everything to make people think about what wasn’t normally talked about. He believed that you learn through living your life and he fought for what he believed to be true.
Quarter 1 SSR
During the last semester, I read a historical fiction book called All The Lights We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr which consisted of 544 pages in total. Throughout the book there were numerous settings, but the most significant events took place in Germany and Saint Malo during the mid-1930s to WWII. Of the two main characters, there was a blind french girl named Marie-Laure whose father is a locksmith at a museum. The other character is a German orphan named Werner who has an aptitude for engineering and soon becomes a German soldier. Marie-Laure originally lived in Paris, but moved to the city of Saint Malo with her uncle to take refuge from the effects of the Allied bombers and eventually joins the French resistance movement against Nazi occupation by using a radio. During the time, Werner joins a special team that hunts anti-German broadcasters in Saint Malo which causes the two stories to converge. Werner locates the broadcast himself and immediately took a liking to Marie-Laure causing him to save her.
There were several complications I had with the book. The events were not arranged in chronological order and would often fast forward a couple of years then return to the past which made the book confusing. For example, the book opens up one month after the Allied invasion of Normandy, with Marie-Laure as an adolescent and 18 year old Werner taking cover from the bombings. Then time jumps to 1934, as 6 year old Marie-Laure begins to lose her eyesight and Werner is just a child with an interest in science. Suddenly it’s August 8, 1944 where Marie-Laure makes a pilgrimage to Saint Malo and so forth which I won’t reveal, but it comes long after the major events have transpired. Overall, Doerr has a beautiful writing style which was reflected in each passage and made the reader “see” from Marie-Laure’s perspective as a blind girl during WWII.
First Quarter SSR
During the first quarter, I decided to read In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez. This non-fiction novel that is 344 pages long, is about four sisters who are describing their perspective, feelings, and thoughts at the time where their country, Dominican Republic was being controlled by a dictator named Rafael Trujillo. The Mirabal sisters each tell their life while expressing the conflicts they are facing. However, the girls biggest problem is trying to overcome and destroy the powerful dictator ruling their country. They at one point become heroes of Dominican Republic. The interesting part is that this novel is based on true events and actual people. The book is outlined in chapters that are in a specific time period and the moment is being illustrated by one of the sisters. The Mirabal sisters, Teresa, Minerva, and Patria tell their part of the story in past tense while Dede is the only one talking in present tense.
I like this book because you are able to see the story from different angles. Every girl lives on a unique path and knows things that the others don't. They are living in a different atmosphere however in the same world. You are able to connect with more than one character and for different situations. All the girls struggle with different troubles however they are always together. It is powerful knowing that these girls are like any other people fighting against the leader to make a change for their country.
However, what I didn't like about the book is the way it is outlined or its format. The way the chapters are dated was pretty confusing. The dates were not in a nice sequence but are really important to understand the time of the setting. Every girl was talking in a different moment of their life. As long as you remember and understand where you are at in time then their won't be a big of a problem. Just don't forget where you stopped.
I highly recommend this book to all of you who like books that are part of real history. It helps you see the life and perspective of those who are the heroes. It is a strong book that inspires you and shows you a little of the bad situation the Dominican Republic was in while being a communist country.
I like this book because you are able to see the story from different angles. Every girl lives on a unique path and knows things that the others don't. They are living in a different atmosphere however in the same world. You are able to connect with more than one character and for different situations. All the girls struggle with different troubles however they are always together. It is powerful knowing that these girls are like any other people fighting against the leader to make a change for their country.
However, what I didn't like about the book is the way it is outlined or its format. The way the chapters are dated was pretty confusing. The dates were not in a nice sequence but are really important to understand the time of the setting. Every girl was talking in a different moment of their life. As long as you remember and understand where you are at in time then their won't be a big of a problem. Just don't forget where you stopped.
I highly recommend this book to all of you who like books that are part of real history. It helps you see the life and perspective of those who are the heroes. It is a strong book that inspires you and shows you a little of the bad situation the Dominican Republic was in while being a communist country.
SSR 1st Quarter assignment
For the 1st quarter I chose to read, Divergent by Veronica Roth. The novel contains about 425 pages in total.
Beatrice Prior later know as Tris lives where the society is separated into five factions. Each faction believes that one is better than the other. Dauntless for bravery, Erudite for knowledge, Abnegation for self-sacrifice, Amity for friendship, and Candor for honesty. Beatrice grew up into an Abnegation family. Before attending the choosing ceremony the teens had to take a stimulation test to see which faction they truly belong in. Beatrice's test scores showed that she was a Divergent which is very rare, meaning she has many factions within herself, not just one. Once the choosing ceremony came Beatrice, Caleb (her older brother), and other teenagers went to choose their faction. Beatrice decided to chose Dauntless.
Joining Dauntless, Beatrice and other initiates has to go through series of initiation to make it through. While Beatrice is there she makes new friends; Al, Will, and Christina. Volunteering to go first, Beatrice jumps off a building and into a trampoline, where other Dauntless people were waiting. Here she changes her name to Tris meeting Four. She needs to compete with other Dauntless people to join while hiding that she is a Divergent. Knowing that the Erudite faction wanted to overthrow the Abnegation, Tris and Four goes and. . .
Throughout the parts I have read, I really enjoyed reading it. I liked reading this book because the author wrote details that were much needed to give myself an image of it. I would definitely recommend this book to read but if you don't really like to read I would also recommend the movie to watch.
Beatrice Prior later know as Tris lives where the society is separated into five factions. Each faction believes that one is better than the other. Dauntless for bravery, Erudite for knowledge, Abnegation for self-sacrifice, Amity for friendship, and Candor for honesty. Beatrice grew up into an Abnegation family. Before attending the choosing ceremony the teens had to take a stimulation test to see which faction they truly belong in. Beatrice's test scores showed that she was a Divergent which is very rare, meaning she has many factions within herself, not just one. Once the choosing ceremony came Beatrice, Caleb (her older brother), and other teenagers went to choose their faction. Beatrice decided to chose Dauntless.
Joining Dauntless, Beatrice and other initiates has to go through series of initiation to make it through. While Beatrice is there she makes new friends; Al, Will, and Christina. Volunteering to go first, Beatrice jumps off a building and into a trampoline, where other Dauntless people were waiting. Here she changes her name to Tris meeting Four. She needs to compete with other Dauntless people to join while hiding that she is a Divergent. Knowing that the Erudite faction wanted to overthrow the Abnegation, Tris and Four goes and. . .
Throughout the parts I have read, I really enjoyed reading it. I liked reading this book because the author wrote details that were much needed to give myself an image of it. I would definitely recommend this book to read but if you don't really like to read I would also recommend the movie to watch.
Quarter 1 SSR Book Review
For the first quarter, I decided to read a novel called, Finders Keepers, which was written by Stephen King. Believe it or not, this is my very first Stephen King novel. I have heard a plethora of great reviews when it comes to Stephen King, so I felt like I should invest in some of his literary works and I was somewhat excited about reading this book. Finders Keepers is a fictional novel and it does have a suspenseful nature to it, containing 479 pages (528 pages total if you count the afterword and the author's note). I also think its worthy to mention that this book is the 2nd book in the Bill Hodges Trilogy.
To summarize, the plot of the book surrounds the tale of a very famous author by the name of John Rothstein. This author is widely known for creating the character "Jimmy Gold" in one of his series, yet it has been decades since the author has written a book. And then there's Morris Bellamy, a crazed fan of John Rothstein who is obsessed with the character "Jimmy Gold". Dissatisfied with the fate of his beloved character and upset with the void within Rothstein's career, Morris then sneaks into Rothstein's apartment and murders the famous author. Morris then raids Rothstein's safe full of cash as well as a trove filled with Rothstein's notebooks and unpublished works. Morris then takes the money and Rothstein's belongings and buries them in a trunk under a tree near his childhood home. Soon, Morris is arrested for a different crime and was sentenced to life in prison, yet the murder of John Rothstein still remains unsolved.
Meanwhile another character, Pete Saubers, is introduced. Pete is a teen whose family is struggling in a financial and emotional crisis and is willing to put his life back together in any way possible. One day, while wandering in the woods, Pete comes across a trunk and discovers that it is full of money, literally envelopes stuffed with cash. He uses this cash to help his family stay afloat in their situation, and he does so without his parents knowing that he has located the source of the money. However, when Morris is released from prison after 35 years, he returns to his hidden treasure only to find that it was stolen. Pete then starts selling Rothstein's notebooks to help fund for his sister's (Tina) schooling. Morris then finds out that Pete had stolen his treasure, and he will do anything to get a hold of Rothstein's notebooks.
Eventually, Tina suspects that her brother may be involved in something illegal since she doesn't know how he's getting the money to fund her schooling. So, she goes to a detective, Bill Hodges, to figure out how Pete is accumulating the cash. The rest of the story explains how Pete ands his family becomes even more endangered now that Morris, and his obsessive behavior, is after Rothstein's books and assets and seeking revenge on Pete. Overall, the book received mixed to positive reviews, with many people praising King's suspenseful work and his fresh take on this trilogy. In my opinion, I thought the book was exciting to read, and I liked how King really emphasized on Morris's twisted personality and his severe compulsion of Rothstein. It just goes to show that sometimes fans can take it way too far. I also appreciated how King provided a clear background for the characters, which helped me understand the characters better. However, I found it unusual how every chapter tends to shift back and forth between different time periods and different perspectives. The novel in general was entertaining and I do recommend reading it, especially for Stephen King fans who haven't read this book/trilogy yet.
To summarize, the plot of the book surrounds the tale of a very famous author by the name of John Rothstein. This author is widely known for creating the character "Jimmy Gold" in one of his series, yet it has been decades since the author has written a book. And then there's Morris Bellamy, a crazed fan of John Rothstein who is obsessed with the character "Jimmy Gold". Dissatisfied with the fate of his beloved character and upset with the void within Rothstein's career, Morris then sneaks into Rothstein's apartment and murders the famous author. Morris then raids Rothstein's safe full of cash as well as a trove filled with Rothstein's notebooks and unpublished works. Morris then takes the money and Rothstein's belongings and buries them in a trunk under a tree near his childhood home. Soon, Morris is arrested for a different crime and was sentenced to life in prison, yet the murder of John Rothstein still remains unsolved.
Meanwhile another character, Pete Saubers, is introduced. Pete is a teen whose family is struggling in a financial and emotional crisis and is willing to put his life back together in any way possible. One day, while wandering in the woods, Pete comes across a trunk and discovers that it is full of money, literally envelopes stuffed with cash. He uses this cash to help his family stay afloat in their situation, and he does so without his parents knowing that he has located the source of the money. However, when Morris is released from prison after 35 years, he returns to his hidden treasure only to find that it was stolen. Pete then starts selling Rothstein's notebooks to help fund for his sister's (Tina) schooling. Morris then finds out that Pete had stolen his treasure, and he will do anything to get a hold of Rothstein's notebooks.
Eventually, Tina suspects that her brother may be involved in something illegal since she doesn't know how he's getting the money to fund her schooling. So, she goes to a detective, Bill Hodges, to figure out how Pete is accumulating the cash. The rest of the story explains how Pete ands his family becomes even more endangered now that Morris, and his obsessive behavior, is after Rothstein's books and assets and seeking revenge on Pete. Overall, the book received mixed to positive reviews, with many people praising King's suspenseful work and his fresh take on this trilogy. In my opinion, I thought the book was exciting to read, and I liked how King really emphasized on Morris's twisted personality and his severe compulsion of Rothstein. It just goes to show that sometimes fans can take it way too far. I also appreciated how King provided a clear background for the characters, which helped me understand the characters better. However, I found it unusual how every chapter tends to shift back and forth between different time periods and different perspectives. The novel in general was entertaining and I do recommend reading it, especially for Stephen King fans who haven't read this book/trilogy yet.
Monday, November 27, 2017
Quater 1: SSR
Last quarter I read The Arsonist, written by Stephanie Oakes. The mystery book contains 493 pages and there is about 480 pages filled with my many, many, many comments.
Molly Mavity, a young woman whose mother is supposedly dead and whose father is convicted murder, meets Pepper Yusef, a Kuwaiti immigrant with epilepsy. Together, they try to solve the disappearance of Molly's mother which turns into the discovery of the truth of Ava Dreyman; a 17 year old's murder that lead to the destruction of the Berlin Wall.
It is impossible to give a summary of this book without giving away major spoilers. All I can say is that Molly grows into a different person, a person who were mother would've been proud of. As for Pepper, he will forever write about his time with Molly and speak of the memories he will never forget.
Throughout the book, my mind was trying to connect the pieces one by thousands. I absolutely loved this book and would reread it if I wanted to. It was devastating, heart warming, mystifying, and poetic all at the same time. It may be one of my favorite books now due to it being about lies and love.
However, I would add more specific key points; such as years. Without proper dates by the speaker (each chapter changes points of view), it was somewhat difficult to keep up with the idea that Oakes was trying to create.
I usually predict the plot points in the very beginning of the book, and I usually get them right. Yet, Oakes blew me away with the biggest plot twist that I've ever read. I wasn't upset by what she wrote, I was shocked and amazed on how good of a writer she was being able to tie it back in a way that I couldn't understand until I read it.
I 100% recommend this book if you are a fan of murder mystery with a dash of lying lovers.
Molly Mavity, a young woman whose mother is supposedly dead and whose father is convicted murder, meets Pepper Yusef, a Kuwaiti immigrant with epilepsy. Together, they try to solve the disappearance of Molly's mother which turns into the discovery of the truth of Ava Dreyman; a 17 year old's murder that lead to the destruction of the Berlin Wall.
It is impossible to give a summary of this book without giving away major spoilers. All I can say is that Molly grows into a different person, a person who were mother would've been proud of. As for Pepper, he will forever write about his time with Molly and speak of the memories he will never forget.
Throughout the book, my mind was trying to connect the pieces one by thousands. I absolutely loved this book and would reread it if I wanted to. It was devastating, heart warming, mystifying, and poetic all at the same time. It may be one of my favorite books now due to it being about lies and love.
However, I would add more specific key points; such as years. Without proper dates by the speaker (each chapter changes points of view), it was somewhat difficult to keep up with the idea that Oakes was trying to create.
I usually predict the plot points in the very beginning of the book, and I usually get them right. Yet, Oakes blew me away with the biggest plot twist that I've ever read. I wasn't upset by what she wrote, I was shocked and amazed on how good of a writer she was being able to tie it back in a way that I couldn't understand until I read it.
I 100% recommend this book if you are a fan of murder mystery with a dash of lying lovers.
Monday, November 6, 2017
[KC]: SSR Quarter 1 Assignment
Hi kids,
Here's your quarter 1 SSR assignment:
Step 1: Create a new POST in which you review the book that you read for the first quarter. If you read more than one book this quarter, you can choose any of them to review. In your review, be sure to clearly state the title, author, genre, and total page number of the book. Then, summarize a bit of the plot (but don't give away the major spoilers!) to give us some context. Next, discuss what you liked or didn't like about this book.
- Feel free to use these questions to help guide you, but don't feel tied to simply answering them: How was the main character? Did you feel connected? Were the major plot points predictable? How was the writing? Poetic? Simplistic? Were the characters dynamic or static? Did that hurt or help the story? If you were to change anything about the book, what would it be?
Step 2: Once other classmates have posted their reviews, COMMENT on two other reviews. (Be sure to read the comments on your review as well and engage in conversations as necessary.)
Here's your quarter 1 SSR assignment:
Step 1: Create a new POST in which you review the book that you read for the first quarter. If you read more than one book this quarter, you can choose any of them to review. In your review, be sure to clearly state the title, author, genre, and total page number of the book. Then, summarize a bit of the plot (but don't give away the major spoilers!) to give us some context. Next, discuss what you liked or didn't like about this book.
- Feel free to use these questions to help guide you, but don't feel tied to simply answering them: How was the main character? Did you feel connected? Were the major plot points predictable? How was the writing? Poetic? Simplistic? Were the characters dynamic or static? Did that hurt or help the story? If you were to change anything about the book, what would it be?
Step 2: Once other classmates have posted their reviews, COMMENT on two other reviews. (Be sure to read the comments on your review as well and engage in conversations as necessary.)
DUE: Wednesday, November 29th.
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