Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

This summer I read the book Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk. Oddly enough the book starts off with the main character who goes unnamed throughout the book, and Tyler both standing on the top of the Parker-Morris Building which is on fire with and will imminently explode, and destroy the National Museum. Tyler had a gun in the main character’s mouth, and a police helicopter is over head. The bulk of the book is the journey of the two characters, from strangers, to friends, to roommates, to enemies. In the book, the main character, and Tyler start a fight club. It started in a parking lot, and ended up in a bar’s basement. As I write this I’m breaking both rule #1, and rule #2 of Fight Club, don’t talk about Fight Club, there is a total of ten rules. As the story progresses, more and more fight clubs open; and eventually Tyler and the main character create a Fight Club boot camp, which has every member do one task perfectly, whether it is cooking, cleaning, or yard work. The members are called “space monkeys”, and they do whatever Tyler tells them to, from tending flowers, to blowing up buildings. The main characters make a living by making soap, and selling it to high end stores, they work out of a rundown rental house, which they also call home, and house “space monkeys” in the basement. To feel alive, the main character goes from support meeting to support meeting; he did this before Fight Club was made, and when he had still lived a semi normal life, besides what the main character thinks to be insomnia. I feel the author's message was to doubt reality, the author expressed this in many creative ways. What I found unique in the book were the characters; the characters really make the entire story. A good highlight in the story was the twist in the end, and how the author describes heaven. One literary device used was foreshadowing, in the beginning of the book it really foreshadows the end; the author hints Tyler's secret all through the book. I liked the book, but I would overall not recommend this book to the class, as there is a lot of poor language, and violence scattered throughout the book.

Pandora Gets Heart by: Carolyn Hennesy

Over the summer I read a historical fiction book, Pandora Gets Heart, by Carolyn Hennesy. This is the fourth book in the Pandora series. The story takes place in ancient Greece. It is based on the story about Pandora opening a box unleashing all the evils into the world. Her main conflict is that she must collect the 7 evils she had unleashed. If she fails to do that, then the gods will punish her and her family for eternity. Plus she’ll have to live with the fact that she ruined everyone else’s life as well as her own. Furthermore, she also carries a burden knowing that she set the whole world into a panic. She often stresses and worries about her family’s safety as well as her friends.
The characters in this book play a significant role in the story. Each of them has strength and weaknesses, but most importantly they all support each other! Iole is very smart and she has a lot of knowledge about the gods, it comes in handy in many of the situations they face. But she is very frail and weak. Alcie is very brave, and she’ll do anything to help her friends, but she has a very big mouth, sometimes she blurts out things she doesn’t mean. Homer, one of the people they meet along their journey, is quite the poet. Since he’s strong he’s a big help to Pandora’s quest, but he isn’t the smartest person around. Of course Pandora relies on all her friends as well. She is strong and finds herself growing up and becoming mature and taking on responsibility while on her journey. Everyone helps each other out through their strengths and weaknesses, and that’s what helps them succeed in the book.
In this book, there are also many literary devices used to make the book enjoyable. For instance, this book includes foil characters. Hera (a god,) is one of the main foil characters; she always tries to ruin everything and most of the time she succeeds. Her main goal is to keep Pandora from collecting the evils so she can ruin her life. Conflict is also the main part of the story. Without a problem, this book wouldn’t be fun to read at all! The author does a good job of explaining the conflict of the story. Also the author uses mood/tone. Even though the book is historical fiction and about Greek gods, that doesn’t make the book boring. Carolyn Henessy puts voice into her writing and she makes the story very lively and vivid. She gives all the characters in the book personality; it makes the story seem more realistic when character trait is added in. Plus, the story is told in third-person view so it gives you a chance to understand all of the characters thoughts. Third-person helps when you’re trying to understand each person’s internal conflict.
Carolyn Hennesy has a very unique writing style, the story is about ancient people but it isn’t a boring book about history. The characters talk more like they would in present times, and the author weaves in different facts about the ancient gods in a very fluent way. Carolyn Hennesy makes the story come alive with her word choice and makes it more vivid with her detail. The main highlights of the book are that Pandora must collect the evils she had unleashed into the world in 6 months. That task isn’t very easy to accomplish, she and her friends must overcome many hard obstacles too. Battling monsters, or mythical creatures, and trying to receive help from the gods without getting caught by Zeus. If they don’t succeed to catch the evils then Pandora will have to face consequences, and since she is facing the gods, her punishment will be very agonizing. The author’s message seems to be that, if you truly want to accomplish something, you have to try hard. Plus, nothing will come easy unless you try your hardest. Take Pandora for instance, she has come face to face with a hard and almost impossible task. But she wants to fix her mistake knowing the consequences that will follow. She has accomplished so much because she tries and believes in herself. Her friends are always ther to encourage her.
Overall, this was a really great book. It was a fun read and it was nice reading about the Greek gods and learning about their personalities. It’s a whole new story about the Greek myth, Pandora’s Box.

Perfect by Natasha Friend

What do you think of when you hear the word perfect?...

Over the summer, I read a book called Perfect by Natasha Friend. This realistic fiction novel revolves around a girl named Isabelle Lee. Her father died and she had trouble coping with it, so she started binge eating. One day, her sister April caught her in the act, then tells their mother. Isabelle is forced to go to group therapy about body image. She is surprised to find the most popular girl in school, Ashley Barnum, in group. How could she be in group? She is perfect! Well at least that’s what she thought.. Ashley had bulimia just like Isabelle. Over time, they become friends. Isabelle ditches her two best friends Nola and Georgie, for Ashley and her friends. Nola and Georgie are astonished when they see Isabelle having lunch with the famous Ashley Barnum. Overtime, Isabelle realizes that Ashley doesn't have such a great life like she thought. How could Isabelle do such a thing? Perfect uses a lot of literary devices. Especially foil characters. Ashley and Isabelle are so different, that they contrast. Ashley is pretty, popular and everything a girl wants to be. Isabelle is one of those girls no one knows. Other than the fact that their both bulimic, they have nothing in common. Characterization and conflict are also major literary devices in this book.Natasha Friend really paints a picture in the readers mind about the characters. This is significant because if Ashley and Isabelle were exactly the same. Their friendship wouldnt be surprising or controversial. The conflicts are really obvious in this book, bulimia. I think the fact that the two main characters of the book are going through the same thing is very original. This book taught me a lot about bulimia and anorexia. At the end of the book, the author dedicates a page about these two diseases. I feel that if more people read this book they can realize how serious these two diseases are. My overall opinion of the book is that it was amazing! I thought the author made this book very easy to relate to. Also, this book taught me something I didn't know much about (anorexia and bulimia).

The Mediator Series by Meg Cabot

A wonderful book I read this summer was The Mediator Series:Twilight by Meg Cabot. In this book The main character Suze can see and talk to ghosts,The people who have powers like hers are called mediators. Suze is an aggressive yet helpful young lady. Suze focuases on helping ghosts get to the next life.Her peer Paul Slater is also a mediator.Unlike suze Paul likes to steel from the ghost and mock there problems,he often tells suze that a mediators job is not to help ghosts just to listen and mock.The next character is Jesse De Sliva.Jesse is a ghost who died 150 years ago when he was 20 years old.Jesse is a sensitive and caring young man,with a passion for helping people.
The main conflict of this book is that both Jesse and Paul are in love with Suze.Suze however does not know who to choose.She loves Jesse but he is a ghost and can not give her a decent life.Jesse can never be introduced to suze's parents,he can never get married or have children with her,and he will never grow older than 20,not that it matters because only mediators can see him anyways.Jesse would always be Suze's little secret almost like an imaginary friend.Paul on the other hand is gorgeous ,wealthy,and human.Paul has every thing suze would ever need, there is only one problem he's a huge jerk.The message Meg Cabot is trying to portray is that true love concurs all ,and that if you are mean to people you wont get anywhere in life.
Cabot uses foreshaowding alot in this book.She uses it well and it adds to the unique genre of magical realism.Her foreshawding keeps you on your toes and wanting to turn the page.Cabot uses ambiguity,foil character,and a great setting.For foil characters Pauls jerkyyness makes Jesse better,and for setting the old house Suze lives in was a perfect place for her to meet Jesse.I love this book and i would deffently recomend it to girls my age.

Nightmare by Joan Lowery Nixon

When I read the book Nightmare by Joan Lowery Nixon over the summer, I was immediately hooked and couldn’t put the book down. The mystery novel Nightmare is a suspenseful and unpredictable, story that combines dreams, or nightmares, with reality. There was excitement and suspense from the first page to the last. Emily Wood, the main character, is an under achiever, or at least it seems that way compared to her straight A siblings. As a result, Emily was sent into a summer camp called Camp Excel: a summer camp for under achievers. Ever since Emily Wood, was a little girl she had one disturbing reoccurring nightmare. Every night when she slept, she saw a dead woman in a lake, then a sudden flash of light appears out of nowhere and as she ran away with terror, she heard a voice screaming for her; telling her that he’ll find her one day, but she thought if she never told anyone about it, it would go away, she was wrong. Emily’s roommate, Hayley made her pick rune stones -stones that suppose ably tell your fortune of that day- and after Emily keeps getting the stone that means that means she’s in danger. Emily begins to worry about if she is going to get murdered this summer, and if the nightmare had anything to do with it. Instead of Camp Excel being a struggle to learn, it becomes a struggle to survive. From then on, one of Emily’s friends was always by her side, hoping to scare of whoever is plotting against her.

The author’s writing style very interesting and dramatic. Every other chapter, Nixon changed from the perspective of the protagonist, Emily, to the antagonist. This made the book very suspenseful because the antagonist remained anonymous until the end of the book, and you go to see what the antagonist was planning and thinking while the book went on. The author also used a lot of literary devices, such as foil characters (to make the book more interesting), mood (to set the book in a mysterious tone), point of view (so you can know the characters inside feelings), and, of course conflict to make the book very engaging.

Another quality that makes this book amazing is that it also had a meaningful message, which is if something is bothering you, you shouldn’t leave it bottled up inside, but you should tell someone about it. Emily didn’t tell anyone about her nightmare, and that got her into a lot of trouble and a very dangerous situation. I would defiantly recommend this book to the class because it was one of my favorite books, and if anyone enjoyed it as much as me, than it will be one of theirs also.

Esperanza Rising by Pam Monuz Ryan

Have you ever read a book that you just couldn’t put down? During this summer I read an outstanding novel titled Esperanza Rising. Pam Monuz Ryan created an engaging story that will keep you reading all day. Esperanza Ortega was living a wonderful life in Mexico with her family. The night of her thirteenth birthday, bandits killed her father. After hearing the bad news, Esperanza’s evil uncles sneakily came to their ranch. They strongly told Ramona Ortega (Esperanza’s mom) that if she did not marry Tio Luis (Ramona’s brother in-law) there would be consequences. Because, Tio Luis was the governor of Mexico at the time, he wanted to marry the most known women in Mexico.  When Ramona Ortega declined his offer, the two evil uncles set the Ortega’s ranch on fire. Days later, Ramona Ortega agreed on marrying Tio Luis. Later that night Esperanza and her mom escaped from Mexico and traveled to the United States. Esperanza was then forced to live a different life. She had to go to a camp for Mexican farm workers. She was now considered a poor farmer in California. The ending of the book will make you realize how fortunate you should be for what you have. I wont spoil the ending, so you’ll just have to read it! Esperanza Rising is a little bit of a fairy-tale but also can be a real life situation. Esperanza Rising includes a very important message though. Even if something tragic happens you have to find a way to move on. I think this book’s message, brings out character traits. It shows that Esperanza is a strong determined teenager. Besides theme, there are symbols used in the story. Esperanza learns a zigzag stitch pattern for making a blanket. The zigzags on the blanket are a symbol because it shows the ups and downs in everyone’s lives. There are many other symbols in the book but you just have to read to find them out! Esperanza Rising takes place during the Great Depression. If you didn’t know, families had a lot of financial problems back then. Truthfully, reading this book made me change my way of life. I now always try to think positive like Esperanza did. Overall, Esperanza Rising was one of the best books I read and I definitely recommend it to anyone my age. ­  

Scott Klein Mr. Marcus

English Period 1

While I read many books this summer, my favorite was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, by J.K. Rowling. This final installment to the famous series takes Harry and his friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, on a heart pounding adventure across the wizard world. Voldemort, Harry Potter’s archenemy and leader of the dark wizards, has destroyed Potter’s life. He and his minions have killed not only Harry’s parents but also his godfather and mentor, Dumbledore. Dumbledore has sent Harry and his friends on an impossible mission to destroy Voldemort with only a few tools and a point in the right direction. But, Harry will do the impossible to avenge his parents and finish his mentor’s work.

J.K. Rowling has outdone herself in this seventh and last novel. I recommend it, but only if you wish to stay up until one in the morning, not being able to take your eyes off the page. Although the book does continue the story from the other six novels, the plot of The Deathly Hollows has unexpected elements and makes you question what you thought you knew from the earlier stories. Rowling uses many literary elements to create excitement and tension in this novel. There are many examples of foreshadowing, characterization, and symbolism in the novel. The author keeps the reader on the edge of his or her seat by alluding to things yet to come. Unfortunately, most examples of these foreshadowings would give away essential parts of the story and so I cannot divulge these details. Rowling also uses symbolism effectively. The Petronis Charm takes the form of an animal which represents the character's personality - Harry Potter Petronis becomes a stag representing his bravery and leadership skills. Finally, with Rowling's omnipotent narrating, the reader is able to delve deep into the thoughts and emotions of Harry.

The Deathly Hallows is by far the goriest and depressing book of the series and takes the action up to the next level. As the main characters grow up so does the maturity of the plot. The story develops from a children’s fantasy novel with Harry meeting his dear friends and having petty competitions with the obnoxious Malfoy, to an adult adventure book that includes fighting the un-dead, killing giant snakes (also called basilisks) and having wizard duels to the death. It is as though the readers grow up with the Harry. J.K. Rowling’s foreshadowing, symbolism, characterization and unique story has created a can’t miss series that everyone, young or old, should read.

(The following link is a clip to a preview of the movie version of this novel. Wait a few seconds before clicking twice, or it will restart)

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2799962393/

Something like Fate by Susane Colasanti

Have you ever had to make a decision that could possibly ruin your friendship with your best friend? In this book Something like Fate by Susane Colasanti, one of the main characters named Lani is in the exact same situation. Throughout the book, Lani struggles on whether or not to admit that she likes her best friend, Erin's boyfriend, Jason.

Lani and Erin are very close; they share a secret bond which a big part of their friendship is built on. One summer Jason and Lani started to get closer and closer, but Lani felt guilty about it. This would eventually create conflicts; not just conflicts with Erin, but also within herself.

I have many positive things to say about this book, as well as her other 2 books I have read. There isn’t much unique content, but there are a lot of things I like about her writing. One of the things I like is how she uses voice. Even though Susane Colasanti is an adult, in some way she can recollect how teenagers think.

Other than Susane Colasanti’s voice, she includes a lot of other Literary Devices. A couple of them are foreshadowing, ambiguity, foil characters. Foreshadowing is when the author gives subtle hints or clues that show what will happen next. It makes the reader want to keep reading to find out what’s going to happen. Ambiguity is when the author leaves out information. This makes the reader think of possibilities of what might happen. Lastly, are the foil characters, which is when there are two characters that serve as a contrast or challenge to the main character. Notice that all of these literary devices listed lead to the reader wanting to keep reading.

I love all Susane Colasanti’s books; that’s why I would definitely recommend them to all of my friends; as well as all girls my age.

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

           The first (and best) book I read over the summer was, Pretty Little Liars, by Sara Shepard. I also read the next seven books in the Pretty Little Liars series, Flawless, Perfect, Unbelievable, Wicked, Killer, Heartless and Wanted. Although it seemed like each book in the series got better and more intense, this one is where it all began. The four main characters, also known as the Pretty Little Liars, include Spencer Hastings, Aria Montgomery, Hanna Marin and Emily Fields. But they have a secret; in the summer they were going into eighth grade, their other best friend and leader, Alison DiLaurentis, mysteriously disappeared! None of the girls know how it happened, but are they just saying that to cover up? No one can be sure with all the secrets, lies and mysteries floating around picture perfect Rosewood. Then, the girls start receiving mysterious letters, texts and emails from “A”, revealing all of their past secrets and regrets. They are unaware what they have done to deserve all this and it’s tearing their worlds apart. Together they all must figure out who A is, put the pieces of their lives back together and try to forget about Alison’s horrible death.

This is a great book because its very vivid and detailed and the captivating mystery will leave you wanting more and more. Its really suspenseful and there’s always a weird unexpected twist to keep you on your toes. In this book, something that seems non-important can actually be a huge part of the plot and the fact that you wont know it until you read it makes it awesome. I recommend this book to all people because it's awesome.

My Summer Reading Blog

During the summer, I read the book called, Legacy of Lies, by Elizabeth Chandler. This is the first selection in a two book volume. Legacy of Lies is about a sixteen-year old girl, who gets an invite to her grandmother’s house for the first time in sixteen years. Megan, the main character, did not want to visit her. Even though she did not want to go, she went for her mom. Megan had to fly from Arizona all the way to Maryland. When she arrived, she had met many people. The ones she wanted to bond with were her grandma, and her new-found cousin, Matt. Mysterious things started to happen as weeks passed by. Objects were always misplaced; Megan was having bad dreams, flashbacks occurred. Everything was happening all at once. Could these incidents be happening because of Megan?

The author, Elizabeth Chandler, uses many writing techniques, such as mood, tone, setting, and voice to develop a suspenseful mystery. Her use of imagery created vivid descriptions and you can see and hear all the thoughts that are going through the characters’ minds. The author demonstrates this in the following passage: “The air was cold and damp down there; it held the darkness like a sponge. My eyes adjusted slowly to the bit of light that came from the doorway above. Suddenly I saw huge wheels, wheels with teeth, one wheel interlocking with the next, like the gears inside a clock. The largest was as tall as I.” (103). These are Megan’s thoughts about her dream, and the author makes me feel as if we have experienced this, as well. The author uses the simile,“The air… held the darkness like a sponge,” to convey the suspenseful mood of Megan’s dream.
One reason, the story is so effective in building a connection to the reader, is that the author tells the story in first person. It is Megan’s voice that leads us through the story: "It was the name he had written on my heart. I turned to look down at him. My foot slipped. Reaching out wildly, I grabbed hold of the pipe that propped open the door. For a moment it held me, then I felt its cold iron slide through my fingers, felt myself falling backwards. I heard a rushing sound in my ears and plunged into darkness"(190). Chandler's story is full of tension and excitement, not only because she is a talented writer, but also because of the choices she has made to tell her story.

This is a fantastic mystery with many plot twists and a full cast of characters. The author writes with great suspense and uses many literary devices to develop strong characters and descriptions. I would recommend this book to anyone. It has a plot that makes you want to keep reading and has many surprises!

The Last Shot, by John Feinstein, is an amazing novel. The story is about two children, Stevie Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson, who win a contest and get to go to the Final Four (College Basketball Finals).The Last Shot, by John Feinstein, is an amazing novel. The story is about two children, Stevie Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson, who win a contest and get to go to the Final Four (College Basketball Finals).

This book is being told in a 1^st person style, by Stevie and you know everything he thinks, says, or hears. The other main character, Susan Anderson, is someone who really cares about what she has to do. Her motto could easily be, “Work first, and fun later.” But, it is not that difficult to persuade her to do something. For the reason that she can be persuaded easily, she does a lot of exploring that Stevie wants to do. Also, Stevie likes to help people, but at the same time wants to have some fun with it. Relating back to Susan, Stevie is the one who is usually convincing her to do go and meet people that are famous.

The main conflict is Chip Graber, the Minnesota state basketball star, is being blackmailed. But, what makes it even more interesting is that nobody knows who the blackmailer is… not even Chip Graber. Chip is being threatened that, if he wins the championship, Chip would be stripped of the “Best Student Athlete of the Year Award.” His team would also be deprived of the championship that they had won in the previous year. The threat that was the worst for Chip was that his dad, the coach, would be fired.

As one conflict was getting worse, Stevie’s and Susan’s conflict was getting better. Something that changed over the duration of the book was the friendship of Stevie and Susan Anderson. At first, Stevie was a little bit jealous of Susan because, she was so good at reporting. Since she was so superior, it made Stevie look terrible. But when the two teenagers hang out they realize that they aren’t that different after all. I think what the author is trying to say is that; you have to overcome your problems to find an answer.

What John Feinstein does make this book amazing, is that he just drops people in the story. What I mean by that is a new character just comes out of nowhere. It wasn’t even foreshadowing. In spite of those reasons, The Last Shot an amazing book. What made me like the book even more was its genre, a sports –mystery. But even if you don’t like sports, or mysteries, The Last Shot is such an amazing book you would love it anyway. So, I would obviously recommend this book to anyone that is around being a teenager.

This book is being told in a 1^st person style, by Stevie and you know everything he thinks, says, or hears. The other main character, Susan Anderson, is someone who really cares about what she has to do. Her motto could easily be, “Work first, and fun later.” But it is not that difficult to persuade her to do something. For the reason that she can be persuaded easily, she does a lot of exploring that Stevie wants to do. Also, Stevie likes to help people, but at the same time wants to have some fun with it. Relating back to Susan, Stevie is the one who is usually convincing her to do go and meet people that are famous.

The main conflict is Chip Graber, the Minnesota state basketball star, is being blackmailed. But, what makes it even more interesting is that nobody knows who the blackmailer is… not even Chip Graber. Chip is being threatened that, if he wins the championship, Chip would be stripped of the “Best Student Athlete of the Year Award.” His team would also be deprived of the championship that they had won in the previous year. The threat that was the worst for Chip was that his dad, the coach, would be fired.

As one conflict was getting worse, Stevie’s and Susan’s conflict was getting better. Something that changed over the duration of the book was the friendship of Stevie and Susan Anderson. At first, Stevie was a little bit jealous of Susan because, she was so good at reporting. Since she was so superior, it made Stevie look terrible. But when the two teenagers hang out they realize that they aren’t that different after all. I think what the author is trying to say is that; you have to overcome your problems to find an answer.

What John Feinstein does make this book amazing, is that he just drops people in the story. What I mean by that is a new character just comes out of nowhere. It wasn’t even foreshadowing. In spite of those reasons, The Last Shot an amazing book. What made me like the book even more was its genre, a sports –mystery. But even if you don’t like sports, or mysteries, The Last Shot is such an amazing book you would love it anyway. So, I would obviously recommend this book to anyone that is around the age of a teenager.

Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
Blog by: Fallon Sheridan

Well developed characters, a riveting plot with constant unexpected twists, and writing that will make you wish the book would never end are just some of the great aspects of Agatha Christie’s mystery, Death on the Nile.

Linnet Ridgeway, a beautiful and wealthy woman beyond imagination, receives a phone call from her long lost friend, Jacqueline de Bellefourt, asking to have a reunion. Ecstatic, Linnet agrees to meet Jackie, as well as contemplate the idea of giving Jackie’s fiancé a job at her new business. However, after the meeting, Linnet falls in love with Simon (Jackie’s fiancé), and the engagement switches from Jacqueline and Simon, to Linnet and Simon. Together, the new couple decides upon taking their honeymoon on a boat along the romantic Nile River in Egypt; however, along the way, they become conscious of the fact that Jackie is following them along the trip. Then, one night in the saloon aboard ship, Jacqueline gets a bit too drunk and shoots Simon Doyle in the leg. That same night, Linnet is shot in the head with no witnesses around. Suddenly, with airtight alibis, bribed witnesses, blackmail, and a web of lies, it becomes difficult for Monsieur Poirot, the detective on board, to unravel the facts of the case and narrow down the suspects.

Agatha Christie, besides setting the mood extremely well through word choice, does an excellent job of making the reader believe one thing, while the truth will turn out the be the exact opposite. Every discovery is eye-opening and jaw dropping, and every mystery, even the most minute, has you on the edge of your chair anxious to continue reading. Misleading the reader to make the outcome even more flabbergasting is just one amazing aspect of Christie’s writing. It truly makes the book more suspenseful.

Christie also does a fantastic job of using clues, especially red herrings, to keep you guessing until the very end. After all it is quite difficult to discover a culprit with weapons used from multiple different people aboard the ship! Also, over obvious clues, are also prominent and great aspects of the story. These could be considered similar to the technique of foreshadowing because they give you small hints as to whom the criminal could be (by realizing that over-obvious clues led you to believe that it could, or could not, be a specific person).

Along with the external conflict of “WHO COMMITTED THE MURDER?”, there is also internal conflicts among the characters such as jealousy (Jacqueline jealous of Linnet for stealing her true love), greed (when Linnet’s pearls are also found to be taken), and deception (where lies become so believable that you actually begin to deem them as the truth). So much suspense and suspicion keeps you on this nail biting adventure until the very end.

Although it is an obvious choice, the discovery of the murderer is definitely a highlight of the story, because the whole adventure of the story leads up to this one person. Also, the attempted homicide of Linnet is a highlight as well, because one of the main characters comes within inches of death. As you can imagine, an almost homicide is a breathtaking and shocking event. This event that transpires also foreshadows her actual homicide in the near future.

I would definitely, without a doubt, one hundred percent, recommend this book to others. It was truly a fantastic read that was hard to put down. In fact it got so good at points, that my hand was shaking just reading it. You could actually immerse yourself in the book and feel as if you were truly there, experiencing the dilemmas that those aboard were facing! Agatha Christie’s writing style is great, and Death on the Nile is a definite “must-read”!

Caleb Palley- Hitchhikers Giude to the Galexy

Over the summer I read the book the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. The book is about a lonely guy who doesn’t like life to much. This characters name is Arthur. One day his house is being destroyed so the government could build a new highway over pass where his house is standing. After a breakfast at a bar with his friend Ford, Arthur comes home to see his house demolish. While this all is going on an alien spaceship fly’s over head and tells the humans that there planet is scheduled to be destroyed to build a new space highway. As it turns out Ford is actually an alien too. So at the last second before earth is destroyed, Ford waves a white flag witch is the space hitchhikers symbol. So he and Arthur are abducted on to the ship destroying earth. After this Arthur and Ford went through many adventures like being lunched out of a spaceship into space and traveling around in a ship ran by probability. They also went to planet that has been dormant for 2000 years was awoken to build a new Earth.

I think this was a very good book and I would recommend it to others. I think if you are looking for a great science fiction story with a deep meaning and lots of symbolism this would be the book for you. I think this was a good choice for me for my summer reading. It wasn’t too hard to read but it also wasn’t that easy. It was more of a small challenge but sometimes it is good to go out of your reading comfort zone.

By Caleb Palley

Mr. Marcus English 8 NoahKanwal 9/27/10

This summer, I read Catching Fire (the sequel to The Hunger Games)by Suzanne Collins. In this wonderful fantasy, North America is divided into twelve districts, known as Panem. In the first book, Katniss, the main character, takes her sister’s place in the Hunger Games. These games are a cruel set of challenges where one boy and one girl from each of the twelve districts fight to the death in an arena. Katniss and her co competitor, Peta, make it out of the Hunger Games as the only two victors. In the beginning of Catching Fire, things are going OK until the capital makes an unorthodox decision to have every victor from every district compete to the death in an arena. This cruel decision sends everything spiraling out of control and leaves Katniss with the decision to abandon everything she knows – her family, her sister and her best friend, Gale – or stay and fight for her life.

Conflict, whether it be internal or external, is a major element in this book. One external conflict is that the capital is torturing all the living victors of the Hunger Games by making them compete again against each other. Also, all of the districts are beginning to get fed up and uprise against the capital. In the arena, the way Katniss defies the capital affects every district. The internal conflict going on inside Katniss is that she knows Peta is in love with her, but she is not in love with him. She does not know who to love, between Peta and her best friend, Gale, who loves her also. Also, Katniss does not know whether or not she can pull through and survive the Hunger Games a second time. She knows that all of her competitors are worthy and they have proven it by winning.

Some of the most brilliant highlights from this story are in the games themselves. Katniss forms an alliance with some trustworthy victors and they watch each others’ backs which is very inspiring to me. Even when others around them were fighting and dying, characters in this story form friendships, have hope and do what they need to do in order to survive. Although many of the victors are old, they have huge reps, and egos that are impossible to imagine. One victor that Katniss takes a liking to is named Finnik. He is very charming and cries all of the time. But, his ego is huge. One of most significant parts of this story is how he treated Katniss like an adult in the arena. Another standout scene in this book is when Gale is being whipped. Later, Katniss never gives up on comforting him until he is strong. Gale is willing to give up his whole world for Katniss, and a couple of weeks of her time to heal him, almost makes him feel guilty.

The thing that is very unique about this writer’s style is that she can take a child, put her into a game to the death, and then still give her the same thoughts that a normal 16 year old girl would have. How she can make a trained killer, be also kind, sweet and beautiful, is amazing. The most common literary devices Collins uses are similes and metaphors. Many of the things that go on are so new to Katniss that all she can do is compare them to things she has seen before. Thus enters the similes. Imagery is a huge part of this book, because without it, I would feel no emotion reading it whatsoever. The way the author describes a child in pain or a cruel president out for blood almost makes me sick because I can picture it so clearly.

Although the ending of this book leaves you on a complete cliffhanger, and makes you wait on the edge of your seat until you read the next one, I would definitely recommend it. It includes many important lessons, such as not to take life for granted and home is where you hang your hat. I think I got a lot out of reading this book, and when I was finished, I was just a little bit smarter about the world and the way I should treat people. I will probably read this book again and again, and get different lessons out of it each time. Although it was just made up of paper and ink, what this book contained was very special to me.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

Over the summer I read the fantasy novel Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling. In the book the main character Harry, has to overcome many challenges both external and internal. The main external conflict is that Harry is competing in the Tri Wizard Tournament against the top students in the other wizarding schools and one from his own school. The main internal conflict is that Harry is competing in the tournament against top wizards from other schools that have a lot more experience than him. Harry has to be confident and participate with the best of his ability.

The main characters are Harry, because the story revolves around him. There is Ron and Hermione who are Harry’s best friends and constantly help him achieve what he is trying to accomplish. Another main character is Cedric Diggory; He is the other competitor from Harry’s school in the tournament. Two more main characters are Viktor Krum, who is the wizard representing his school in the wizard tournament and Fleur Delacour, representing her school. The last main character is Harry’s mortal enemy Lord Voldemort.

J.K. Rowling does a good job of using the literary device foil characters in the book. Many of the main characters act as foil characters towards Harry. Harry is competing against Viktor Krum, Fleur Delacour, and Cedric Diggory so they act as foil characters in the form of a challenge. Also Harry’s best friend Ron is also a foil character because he and Harry get into a fight so Harry has to find a way to win back his friendship. Rowling also uses the literary device of foreshadowing. In the story, Harry’s headmaster Dumbledore takes Harry back into one of his memories. The memory is of a court case and it shows Barty Crouch Jr. being convicted for using an illegal spell. This is significant and a form of foreshadowing because Barty Crouch Jr. becomes important towards the end of the book.

This novel is very unique. The Harry Potter series is one of a kind because it’s about wizards and witches in their own world right outside the non magical world. The events that happen in the wizarding world constantly have affects on the non magical world. Also the main characters are teenagers so it’s easy for most of the readers to connect and feel empathy for the main character.

There were many highlights in the story. The main parts were when Harry gets chosen to compete in the tri wizard tournament, when the other schools arrive at Hogwarts, the ball, the competitions, and the ending of the book.

I really liked this story. It is my second favorite Harry Potter book behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I highly recommend this book to people who like fantasy and magic but I suggest reading the books before it first. Also if you have seen the Harry Potter movies, the books are ten times better.

Weedflower

The novel that I read this summer, is called Weedflower. Sumiko is the main character. Sumiko lived on a small flower farm in Southern California. She spent most of her time taking care of the kusabana that her family grew. She lived with her aunt, uncle, her two older cousins, and her younger brother. They all lived as happy Nikkei (Japanese people born in America). Nothing could ruin their life. At least that's how it was, until the American government put them in an internment camp in Poston, Arizona. This is taking place in World War II, just when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Meanwhile, the government makes the Japanese sell everything they own. They could carry nothing but just a couple of clothes. At first, when the Japanese arrived at Poston, they found it hard to live there, but after some time, they gradually opened to new ideas of how to live in peace.
While Sumiko is there, she meets a Mohave boy named Frank, and becomes good friends with him. Frank can't get rid of the fact that the Japanese are on his land, and has to get over that. However, he does become very fascinated by how the Japanese bring some color to the desert by making their own flower farms.
Meeting Frank has brought some color into her life because of the fact that Sumiko has never had a real friend before. She's always had a very lonely lifestyle in California. It's possible that living is Poston could be better for her. The one problem is that if anyone leaves the camp, and tries to make a new life somewhere else, it's possible that they'll just be sent to another camp.
Weedflower has its heart-breaking moments, but other than that, it's filled with life, love, friendship, and a lot of history. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested.

Over the summer, I read the first fantasy book in the series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer‘s Stone by J.K. Rowling. Some of the main characters include Harry, Hermione, Ron, Draco Malfoy and Voldermort. Both Ron and Hermione play a crucial role in helping Harry through the difficult obstacles he faces later on in the novel. Voldermort is the evil wizard who try’s to murder Harry. When he was younger Voldermort killed his parents but was unable to kill Harry, making him famous. After receiving a letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy on his 11^th birthday, Harry is soon fascinated by the wizarding world. The main plot is that Harry and his friends, Ron and Hermione, must stop the theft trying to steal the Sorcerer’s Stone, hidden inside the school. The main character deals with both external and internal conflicts throughout this book. Harry must fight Voldermort and deal with the interenal conflict of losing both his parents. Rowling also includes foil characters, Malfoy and Voldermort, which makes the good characters seem even better. One thing I like about her style is that she incorporates some humor into her books. This I think makes a good blend of action and humor. Also, Rowling uses vivid imaginary through her word choice and description which is very interesting. I would recommend this book because of how much I enjoyed reading it.

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer is a magical realism novel that contains a mix of romance and suspense. Bella Swan is just an ordinary 17 year old girl who moves to Forks, Washington (one of the rainiest places in the continental USA). She lives a simple life until she attends Forks High School, where she becomes lab partners with a guy named Edward. As they start to get familiar with each other, Bella comes to the conclusion that Edward is not a normal human. Bella's curiosity strengthens, and she eventually finds out that he is a vampire. Setting aside the fact that Edward is a dangerous threat, she falls deeply in love with him. Bella's life starts to get more complicated as her relationship with Edward develops.

There are multiple conflicts that prevent Bella from living a normal life. The main external dilemma is that she is being hunted by a vampire named James. She attracts him with her scent while she plays baseball with Edward's family. With James still tracking her down, Edward and his family strive to keep Bella and her father safe. On the other hand, the main internal conflict is that she is in love with a vampire. Even though Edward doesn't thrive on human blood, he can still lose control of her, and potentially kill her. However, Bella places her complete trust in him. Both of these situations put Bella's life at risk.

Besides the plot line of the story, Stephanie Meyer's unique and remarkable writing style reels the readers in. Due to her descriptive writing, I am always able to visualize and create images in my head. I also like how she sets the mood by creating a particular setting. Since the story mainly takes place in a rainy area, it creates a gloomy and depressing mood. In addition to setting the mood, the setting also contributes to the plot. Meyer's purpose of creating a rainy setting is because of the vampires' inability to go out in the sunlight. These literary devices help make the story more interesting, and appeal to the readers.

The author's overall message to young readers is that no relationship is easy or perfect. Couples will have differences, but love should be able to conquer these small differences. Once you find the right person, it will be worth it. I would highly recommend this book because even though it is a romance novel, it also has suspense and drama tied into it. This novel will make you want to read more, and continue to read the rest of the saga. You may even want to reread the whole series.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Over the summer, I read the last book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J.K. Rowling. The series is part of the fantasy genre. Some of the main characters in this book are *takes a deep breath*: Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Fred and George Weasley, Remus Lupin, Andromeda Tonks (or Tonks for short), Alastor Moody, Kingsley, Severus Snape, Voldemort, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and Luna and Xenophilius Lovegood. (Phew!).
I know I can’t tell you about the last book if I don’t tell you about the series first, so here we go:
In the first book, Harry discovers he’s a wizard. He fights Voldemort and wins. The school year ends.
In the second book, he finds a diary which is actually a weird portal to Voldemort. He fights Voldemort and wins. The school year ends.
In the third book, he is being hunted down by a murderer, his godfather, who actually turns out to be innocent. He meets Lupin, a werewolf, who is one of his teachers (see Remus Lupin). Amazingly, there is no mention of Voldemort. The school year ends.
In the fourth book, he enters a tournament, ends up in a graveyard where the other remaining player is killed, fights Voldemort and wins. The school year ends.
In the fifth book, he finds out that there is a connection between Voldemort’s brain and his own. He fights Voldemort and wins. The school year ends.
In the sixth book, he finds a book that belonged to Severus Snape, or the Half Blood Prince. Snape kills Dumbledore. The school year ends.

Okay, now that we’re all caught up, I will tell you about the last book.
The book incorporates humor into its adventurous plot. The author knows how to get the perfect balance between funny and thrilling. Some literary devices used are a unique way of writing dialogue, and vivid imagery, which helps bring the story to life. The main external conflict in the book is that Harry is forced to go into hiding while Voldemort continues murdering humans. In this case, the main external conflict affects the main internal conflict. Everyone is worried about their families, causing them to become cranky and hot-tempered. This causes fighting amongst them. Overall, I liked the book, but I didn’t like the fact that most of the main characters died. I would recommend this book because I found to be a lively read.

The book I read was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows by J.K. Rowling. This is the must-read final book of the thrilling series everyone knows as Harry Potter. The most important characters are of course, Harry Potter: the chosen one who can do about everything from waving a wand, to killing the bad guys. Harry’s best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, are the reason why he can do it all and then some. Ron is the quirky friend Harry needs in his dark times with people trying to kill him. Hermione is the intelligent friend Harry requires for his mission to destroy Voldermort.
The main plot is when Harry, Ron, and Hermione must destroy the Horcruxs, a small item that can be destroyed to weakening Voldermort. He is a dark wizard, who almost killed Harry, while killing his parents. Harry’s problem or conflict is that he doesn’t believe in himself. Harry’s trainer and the person who had all the answers to his questions is Dumbledore and in the sixth book, he died. Everyone who Harry loved was gone: his parents, his godfather, his guide to everything about the wizard world, Dumbledore all died because of mostly Voldermort and his followers . But that is all going to change because that is the past and the present is that Harry must save the world. Using foreshadowing, symbolism, and characterization, J.K. Rowling creates a memorable book everyone should read.

Over the summer I read the book The Report Card. The book was written by Andrew Clements and its genre is realistic fiction. The main character in the story is a shy, but very intelligent female named Nora Rowley. Nora has a big secret and she been hiding it her entire life, until people start becoming suspicious. She is now in the fifth grade, and this is the year for grades when instead of M’s or E’s (elementary school), you get either an A,B,C,D,E or F. When Nora gets her first report card full with bad letter grades you would think she would be very disappointed, but instead she is thrilled because she has been planning to obtain these grades.
External conflicts are common in most books, but you wouldn’t think of this books problem was actually a problem. The external conflict in this book is when people start to figure out her secret… her BIG secret. Once, people do life turns into a nightmare for her. All she ever wanted was to be treated as an average student, but now people begin to treat her differently; her parents, teachers even her sister. But, I agree with Nora because I wouldn’t want to be treated different. Everybody asking you questions about how you’re so smart. And probably the news always on your tail asking for interviews. It is just way too much.
What’s unique about this book is that the author somehow wants you to read more. It’s like he is sucking you into reading it. Also he does that, and the book is a realistic fiction. Usually, when you read a realistic fiction you don’t think of it being that interesting. You find fantasy, suspense, and mystery more fascinating. But, this book is interesting like a mystery! Maybe Clements can do this of the literary devices used; like the mood. In this book the mood is very dramatic. At the end of each chapter it always leaves something suspenseful that draws you into the next chapter, and to the next one, and before you know it your done reading. Usually the setting is at school or at Nora’s house. The point of view is first person.
My overall opinion of this book is excellent! This book combines all the items I like in a book; suspense, that it’s very realistic and the big secret. Once, I read the first pages I was hooked, and I think you will be to. I recommend this book to everyone and I think that you will love it!

The Juliet Club by Suzanne Harper

In this past summer I read the book The Juliet Club by Suzanne Harper. The Juliet Club is filled with romance, history, and literary expertise. In the book The Juliet Club a girl named Katie Sanderson is stuck in the middle of her highly different parent’s divorce, as she herself tries to recover from her misfortunate heart-brake. But, her father’s obsession with Shakespeare has lead to Katie sending in many essays for Shakespeare contests. After writing essays about Shakespeare for years, her practice has finally paid off. Katie was one of the winners in a Shakespeare contest taking place in Verona over the summer. But, Katie’s summer turned out to be more eventful then she had planned.
When Katie arrives at her dream summer, she has been given more work then expected. Katie studies are interrupted by her new friends being tricked by an over- judge mental classmate who lets Katie’s friend apprehend that by tricking her they are doing something nice fore her. The trick was to make everyone believe that Kate and Giacomo have fallen in love, to bad for them that Kate found out about it. To counteract their work in progress Giacomo and Kate brainstorm for a plan to backfire. Giacomo had the idea that they should play along with it, pretend they had fallen in love so they wouldn’t receive any satisfaction. Pretending to fall in love with Giacomo is not the only play they are starring in together.
As one of Kate’s assignments she and Giacomo have to star in a public scene of Romeo and Juliet at the end of her stay in Verona. While Kate juggles with tricking her friends, and learning her lines she starts to pour each drink into the other hand. Now Kate’s mind is absorbed with the thought of Giacomo; how will we trick everyone with thinking that we are in love? Do I really have feelings for Giacomo, or am I taking my role to literal? As all of this is revolving around Kate all her friends have love issues of their own.
In the book The Juliet Club by Suzanne Harper, she originally twists romance, history, and literary tips all into one book. Katie Sanderson found her true self in Verona, found a true love, and discovered hiding yourself won’t hide you from your destiny. The Juliet Club is an intriguing book that continues to revolve around a new Romeo and Juliet in modern times without any death being involved. The Juliet Club is a titillate read, that will keep you wanting for more.

By Caitlin Smith

Night Hoops By Carl Deuker

Teenage life isn’t always easy. Many issues evolve into your once normal life. That’s what happened to Nick Abbott, a normal 13 years-old boy from the suburbs of Seattle more worried about beating his brother in basketball then his grades. Nick lives with his brother Scott, and his parents who have different views about what their children’s future should be. His father wants Scott to be a big time basketball player on the varsity team in high school. His mother wants him to be a star trumpet player for the high school band and to get into a great college. His dad takes it a little too far when he decides to build a basketball court over his wife’s little garden. The two end up fighting and it leads to a nasty divorce which over time matures Nick.

A couple years later Nick is trying to make the varsity basketball team with his new best friend Luke Jackson. The two of them played basketball every day which gave them great chemistry on the court. Though he had success on the court, it did come as a price of Nick, as he was failing in school, so his mom made him study for the rest of the day after practice.

On the other side of his street, his neighbor Trent Dawson tried out for the team. Trent was a huge troublemaker with a brother in Zach who gets arrested multiple times in the book. Trent made the team, but struggled to be liked by the team and the coach. Trent became much better when he started playing on the basketball court with his mom’s boyfriend. It was even worse when Zach got arrested for shooting Scott’s girlfriend’s little brother Michael Ushakov. It made Nick sad that Trent had to get manipulated by his brother to do bad things. It hurt Trent inside since he couldn’t decide weather to run away with Zach or to stay home and to be normal.
This distracted Nick as he couldn’t bear to listen to everyone talk about the shooting. He couldn’t think about anything else including during basketball practice. It all came back to thinking about how Trent had nobody. One night Nick was going to go to the hospital with his mom and Scott, but instead he thought Trent had nobody to be with and decided to hang with him and play basketball. He got Trent to go back to school and to play on the team. Trent and Nick started moving up their ranks on the roster. Both started to play longer and were scoring more points. They started winning games and were starting to be relaxed for the first time in a while.

Trent was on edge at practice one day which caused Nick to be suspicious. He left early and wasn’t acting the same. Finally he told Nick he was going to save Zach, but Nick convinced him to stay one more week to finish the basketball season. The team finishes strong as Nick and Trent (who shows up late for the game) dominate to win the league title.

Overall the book was exciting, but it lacked a strong ending that the author has had in the past. It leaves you in disappointment as nothing gets resolved or nothing exciting happens. Nick matures into a young adult, but still misses the cold Seattle nights losing to his brother in basketball with his father looking on.

Allie F.- Waiting for You- Susane Colasanti

Over the summer, I miraculously found time to read several books. The one book that really stood out to me is by Susane Colasanti, and i t’s entitled Waiting for You. Out of all of the realistic fiction books that I read over the break, this story seemed the most compelling, but like many other books, it also has its flaws.
The reason why this book was one of my favorites is because of the conflicts throughout it. And yes, I do mean that there is more than one problem in the story.
The first external conflict is that at the beginning of the book, Marisa, the main character, has a HUGE crush on a guy in her grade named Derek. The only problem is, he already has a girlfriend, and to top it off, she’s extremely popular. Another internal conflict is that while Marisa is madly in love with Derek, she then discovers that her geeky friend, Nash, has a huge crush on her. This dilemma then leads to the internal conflict of Marisa having to ‘find herself’ and make life-changing decisions. These are just a few of the many predicaments that occur in the story.
Another reason why this book is so good is because of the author’s style. Don't you just hate when an author makes their characters say things that are so exaggerated and fake? Well, this is exactly what Colasanti doesn’t do, which results in the characters coming to life and seeming real. Furthermore, even though the story is kind of a cliché, it has many twists and turns such as Marisa having a best friend named Sterling who meets older guys online that she has never met before. Also, along with the unoriginal plot of having a crush on a popular guy, but having a dorky one have a crush on you, the main character has many family problems at home that enhance the story's uniqueness. This book is unlike many others because of the author's choices.
There are also many literary devices incorporated throughout the writing. To begin with, the perspective has a lot to do with stories. In this specific piece, it is in first person, and Marisa is the one telling the story. This results in the reader only knowing her perspective on things, unless of course, another character flat-out tells Marisa what they are feeling. This device can sometimes be challenging, specifically if Marisa is having an argument, but the reader only gets to hear her side of the story, without even knowing the other character's thoughts. Another significant literary device is foil characters. In this book, the foil character is Derek (the popular jerk that Marisa has a crush on). Because Derek is such a jerk and so manipulative (you'll have to read the book to find out why), he really brings out the best in smart, considerate and super-sweet Nash. This is just a small sample of the literary devices used in the book.
Just like every other book, this one has many highlights. One of my favorites is when Nash confesses his love for Marisa, and then attempts at kissing her (which doesn’t really work out). I love that part because it lets each of their personalities really shine through. Another highlight is when Marisa ends up going out with Derek and uncovering some of his hidden traits. It just really shows that you have to get to know someone before you fall in love with them. The message of the story is the more you learn about people, the more your opinion changes of them, for both good and bad.
In my opinion, this book deserves a nine out if ten. It didn't earn that extra point because even though it was realistic and well written, there were times where it was extremely predictable. The book is perfect for teens, but it’s also girly, so I would not recommend it for boys.

Marlo S- Flowers for Algernon- By Daniel Keyes

Sometimes, you have to learn things the hard way. In the science fiction book, Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes, Charlie, the main character, has an unusually low I.Q. Throughout his whole life, people have taken advantage of him. When a special group of doctors give Charlie the chance to raise his I.Q., and absorb the knowledge that took some people their whole life to acquire, he realizes how people are so inconsiderate of others, and his friends weren’t really his friends at all.

Before Charlie got the chance to be experimented on, Algernon, a lab mouse was tested on first. Algernon was the first mouse to remain smart over the longest period of time, after the experiment was done on him. Since the same experiment was tested on Charlie, his future depended on how the experiment went with Algernon. Charlie, however, was the first person ever to be tested on. If the experiment turned out as a success, it would be used on people like Charlie all around the world!

Charlie has a special quality in him that makes him different from anyone. He would give anything to be smart like everyone else. Once he starts becoming smarter and smarter from the operation, Algernon starts to behave strangely. If something starts to happen to Algernon, that means the same thing is going to happen to Charlie. All Charlie wants is to remain smart, but is fearful of the experiment failing. As Charlie becomes more and more intelligent, his old self is still inside him. The old Charlie is still trying to come out, and having to deal with this is very difficult for him because the “new” Charlie is now smarter.

Throughout the book, the reader can see the progress of the experiment by the way Daniel Keyes displays Charlie’s language, thoughts, and grammar advance in the form of a diary. By using first person point of view in the book, it lets you get into the mind of Charlie Gordon, and see his thoughts and feelings of becoming a genius, and what he has figured out about the people he once thought were nice to him. The use of conflict in the book can get you to think deeply about how careless, insensitive, and mean people can be. Doctor Nemur, a scientist who experimented on Charlie, thought of him as a thing or a project. As Charlie becomes smarter, he realizes that Doctor Nemur was incredibly wrong and makes Doctor Nemur aware of it. Charlie has real feelings, and is as human as anyone else on the planet, even before the experiment took place. Also, Charlie doesn’t realize until the operation that his “friends” would tease him and put him down, just to make themselves feel more superior. Until Charlie becomes smarter, they realize that it is not okay do that because Charlie is above their level now.

As the book goes by, the main highlights were seeing how the experiment resulted, and how it changed him, and the people around him. The overall message Daniel Keyes was trying to say was that no matter who you are, or what your I.Q. is, you still belong. It doesn’t matter what your place in society is. What does matter is that everyone is created equal, and no one can tell you otherwise.

This was unquestionably a fantastic and moving book. I would recommend it because it helps readers empathize with people like Charlie Gordon, and understand the price that comes with becoming instantly brilliant.

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

13 Reasons Why
How could anyone expect a suicide to lead to one thing after another? 13 Reasons Why is an exciting book about one girl’s life. Hannah Baker, a normal girl, commits suicide due to thirteen people. Hannah, on the day before her death, recorded her voice explaining to each person why they are responsible for her death. These thirteen people all receive her tapes. They tremble as they listen to the dead girl’s voice accusing them of helping to kill her. Clay, another main character in the story, tells the adventure as he listens and reflects back onto years past.

Hannah has an external conflict that she deals with throughout the story. She is one of the prettiest girls in her grade and everyone has high expectations of her. She believes that she could never attain these lofty expectations. People were always watching her. The thought of no privacy can be stressful to a teenage girl; she felt that she was never alone. Hannah could not deal with life in high school on a day to day basis. Hannah felt she had nothing left to do in her life; she tried to deal with social situations but the emotional outcome was always negative. She was in a few words miserable and upset with her life. She experienced things that no one should ever have to go through.

Some highlights of the story are the everlasting mystery and curiosity. Each line pulls you in even more. When Hannah describes each person and how they have a connection to her death, it is interesting. Jay Asher’s overall message in the story is to be popular is not always what everyone wants. This popularity can lead to stress and anger.

Jay Asher has a remarkable and unique writing style. He writes book as a diary. He also uses two different points of view – one being Hannah’s and the other being Clay’s. The author also uses the devise of foil characters. These foil characters are other girls in the grade and boys at school. These people all make rude and obnoxious comments to her or about her to their friends. These foil characters push Hannah along the road to misery and ultimately death.

Overall this book is incredible! It has a way of drawing the reader in and grasping you tightly. I would recommend this book to girls because some of the situations that happen would be easier for girls to relate to. This book really gives good examples on how teenagers behave and react towards one another. 13 Reasons Why is a book about a teenage girl. This book helped me think about the sadness and pain other teenage girls experience every day of their lives, and showed me that people do not always show their true feelings.

The book Gone, by Michael Grant, is a science-fiction book about people disappearing, except for kids under the age of 15. There is a border that surronds along the whole island, and every time the kids try to get out, they get electrocuted. The kids call it “The Fayz” (Fallout Alley Youth Zone). This book was one of my favorites because there are some parts that you could relate to and other parts that would never happen. The reason Sam was picked to be in charge of the kids is because earlier in the year, when there still was parents Sam rescued everyone on his bus. The bus driver had a heart attack and Sam prevented the bus from crashing by driving the bus. So, he was picked to be the leader. This causes him to stress because people expect him to do a million things at once. He soon realizes that he is just making things worse for the other kids. He bottles it all up and explodes out on his love, Astrid. Throughout the book Sam and Astrid have to find out what made everyone disappear and what made only kids under 15 stay around The Fayz.
Sam and Astrid’s relationship grows throughout the book. In the beginning, Sam and Astrid were just friends. But as they started learning about each other they grow a lot closer. One thing the author does is he uses the device ambiguity. He purposly leaves out information so their are multiple possibilities.As they become closer, things start getting better. For example, when they kiss, a kid who is in charge of looking for food finds a cabbage field near by. But, when they fight, they find out that there are deadly worms in the cabbage fields. The author does this on purpose to tell the readers that Sam and Astrid really control what happens in “The Fayz.” This is one of the messages in the book.
I recommend this book to anyone. It has a mixture of romance, comedy, and a little bit of horror. This is the perfect book for people who all of these genres. Michael Grant makes the book come alive by using so many details. I hope if you read the book, it was as I good as I thought it was.