Sleep over

The Night the Whole Class Slept over by Stella Pevsner have you read that book before? I doubt it not unless you are someone who is in their thirties because this book was written in 1990 and it is a children’s as well. But if you someone like me who has bunch of books from 70s 80s 90s to 2000s. But any way I brought up this book is because I recently found my old tattered copy of it in the back of my desk. I also mention this book was because this was my favorite book during my elementary school days and was first of many that made me want to read books for fun.

It was about Dan and his parents that were artist and moved around a lot until finally moving with his grandparents who owned a bed and breakfast inn. What I liked about this book was that Dan was my first normal person protagonist. What I mean is that the other protagonist that I read were Judy Moody and Junie B. Jones. If you heard of those two you would know they are not normal girls. Because of Dan's normalcy I got more interested in more advance levels of book reading and because of that I will keep this story with me to remember.

Alex Flynn

I have recently added a new author to my top favorite list it is Alex Flynn. She has written a varity of novels, one of the most famous book you would regonise is Beaslty. This is the one book that was turned into a movie with Vanessa Hudgen in it and it was also that one movie with a snow white twist and a really hot guy turned really disfigured and scared by a witch in a modern setting. But in the book he actually turned into a beast like the fairy tale. It his was also the first book I read by this author. But I have also have read Bewitching which was kinda about the witch from the previous book, as well as A kiss in time and Fade to Black. But i have also found out that the author has written two other fairy tale ordinated novels, Cloaked and Towering. I have recently checked Towering

When I read the Backflip of towering it sorta me of the Tangled storyline then the Rapunzal story. I actually really liked the movie Tangled so I woud'nt mind f this book is like the movie instead the original fairy tale. Oh yeah did I forget to mention the fact I have yet to actually have read the book yet. But since I have already read other books by this author so it wont be that hard to imagine that I might like this book. But I am curios if this book is set in modern times or way back then because I liked her other books because it was set was included in modern times.

This author is one of my faverites is really is because I like how easy for me to read her stories. I also the fact that she uses fairy tale element in a modern setting because I really enjoy fairy tales. I especially like fairy tales that have been revised like on the shows Once Upon a Time and Grimm. But I dont actually remember many books with fairy tales incorperated in them except maybe this one. Maybe that is why I really like her books.

Banned Books

In many different countries, states or even schools they banned certain books. I became very interested in these books that many of these places I even went online to see what books were often banned. That is when I found the ALA (American Library Association). Except on the ALA site it wasn't called banned books instead they called it frequently challenged books, the reason why it was called that because a ban and a challenge are two different things. A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materiel based on a person or group's objection. But a ban is when they completely remove a material from the shelf. But challenge often don't get passed through especially in America because it defies the bill of rights. Another point of this blog is that ALA listed this challenged and banned books down but they the site don't banned or challenge any books just displays what is often targeted.


The reason why most books are tried to get banned is because most time is to protect children from either offensive language, explicit sexual content or it is unsuitable for the age group. It is also illegal for Liberians to banned books from their collection to the general public. Thought it is completely legal for parents to not let their children read certain kinds of reading material. Another reason why people try to get certain kinds of books because the material in them conflicts with their belief.


When I looked up on the ALA Top Ten challenged Books Lists I was really surprised that what kinds of books were on their list. Because for number 1 on their list was Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey for reason as offensive language, unsuited for age groups and violence. I don't understand why they would try ban that series because what language the use in Captain Underpants that is so offensive because what I remember from that series was being really childish and crude humor. But also on the list I saw the Hunger Games trilogy listed because of religious viewpoints. What does the Hunger games have to do anything about religion because I don't remember anything about religion in the book maybe political or ethical viewpoints but religion, really? I mean I can understand why they would put down Fifty Shades of Gray unsuitable for kids because ....well for very obvious reasons but you know what fifty Shades of Grey is advertise as an adult book not a children's book so the attempt ban seems a bit silly.


I also looked on the site's list for the most challenged classic books. When I saw the list I was bit surprised that I knew almost everyone those books and I read many of them as well. Here were books like the Great Gatsby, To kill a Mockingbird, The Color purple and Of Mice and Men, now how many those did you read for a class in high school that was required.


I also thought it would be prudent to check other challenged and banned books elsewhere. I found that The adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been on many top ten banned list. I also found that Anne Frank: A Diary of a Young girl is also have been triad to get banned because it was too depressing yes that is the real reason hah. But you know what I also was also banned? The Harry Potter series because the promotion of witchcraft and character death.


When I go through so many list of banned books I realize something. Is there any book out there that hasn't been banned because I see so many reason that people give to try to get a variety of books banned? Which I then apply to many books I think of and I think what none of the books I know since the 1st wouldn't not be on a banned book list. It seems so silly to think that there are people out there who try get books banned because they don't agree with them. But sadly there are people like that and I'm just glad is their attempts are pitiable because there are a lot I love to read that are on a banned list.

My and her Dear America

I noticed recently that my younger sister has started to read the Dear America series. Right now she is reading Early Sunday Morning, A coal Miner’s Wife. I remember reading that series when I was little younger. I still have a few copies of Dear America inside my desk drawer, about nine copies. I really liked reading Dear America Series. What I remember most about the Dear America series is that I thought they were non-fiction until I discovered that they were historical fiction and were written by varieties of authors. But they were still really good and were very realistic to me.

The very first Dear America book I was ever given was the Winter of Red Snow. It was portrayed in the revolutionary war is what I remembered. But that is the extant of my memory because I was really young when I gotten it perhaps I was about nine or ten years old. But I have a few others I remember because they were one of my favorite books reading several years back.

One of the Dear America books that I own is a special edition of One Eye Laughing the other Weeping It is the Diary of Julie Weiss who was a rich upper class Jewish girl from Vienna, Austria who was forced to move to New York In 1938 because of the Nazi takeover in her home. What I really liked about this book was that it was based in war world two which is a time in history that I was interested in. Because of this interest I was really motivated to read this book and it became one of my favorites. Another one that I have is A Picture of Freedom, the diary of Clotee, a slave girl. This one is easily my favorite one out of the entire series because I was intrigued by the idea of a black slave girl who was keeping a diary. I’m sure I have read that book more times than reading the Harry Potter Series.

I also own Color me Dark: the great migration North which is another of my favorites, Christmas after all, Survival in the Storm, and So Far from Home. I also have read Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie, and Mirror, Mirror on the Wall. There might be more but I don’t really remember that well. But anyway I am happy that my younger sister is reading the series I just worry that she might ruin my copies because most are still in a brand new condition and there hard covers. But anyway I just hope enjoys my copies because I really enjoyed them.

 

Baby sitters club

Do you remember the baby sitters club series By Ann M. Martin?  Because I just recently cleaned out my room and found several copies of The Baby Sitter’s Club I even owned some of the specials collection. I remember reading those books and I loved them so much. But I remember my first Baby Sitters Club book it was number 13 Good byes Stacy, good bye. I also remember my mom bought that from a garage sale and giving it to me and I absolutely thought it was a tacky book and I hated it. Until I read it.

                I loved that series it was one of the many books that got me into loving reading. What I also loved the books were the characters. Kristy was the president and I really liked how she was so boyish and headstrong. Claudia was the vice president because the BSC met at her house but I really liked her fashion choice and that she was a creative artist.  Stacy was the treasurer and a New Yorker what I liked most about her was that she was so tough with her diabetes. Then there is Dawn I liked that she had such a nice person and really mature. Then there is Mary Anne who was my favorite sitter out of the entire group. It was because I and Mary Anne had a lot in common in that we were both shy and loved to read. But my most favorite BSC book was Logan’s Story which was a Special about Logan Bruno who was Mary Anne’s boyfriend and I read his book more than three times.

                I think the reason why I really liked about the Baby Sitters Club was that it was about friendship, responsibility and also differences among everyone. Another think I like about the series was that there diversities among the friends like interest, personalities and ethnicities. But I think that is why the BSC series was so popular was because every girl could find one of the sitters to compare to either it is Kristy, Claudia, Stacy, Dawn, Mary Anne or even Mallory, Jessie and Shannon. Those last three I didn’t read much from maybe one or two books each.

Even though it has been a while since I had read the Baby Sitter’s Club I think there still really good. Perhaps I will reread some of the ones I have or read more from the series. But I defiantly want to show my younger sister this series I just hope she will enjoy like I did when I was near her age.

Enchanted Again

This is not about the Disney movie Enchanted instead it is about Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. As I have been recently cleaning my room I have found Ella Enchanted which has been lost since my freshmen year in high school. This book was my most favorite in late elementary school to my early middle school years. I still remember most of the story plot from heart since I have reread this book so many times.

During middle school in the sixth grade, when this book was my most favorite I became obsessed with any book that featured a Cinderella-like princess. I also read any books I found that were written by Gail Carson Levine, and I also read Once Upon a Marigold and Twice Upon a Marigold and I even found a book that was called Just Ella which reminded me of this book. It’s so embarrassing that I was so into that whole entire princess genre that time because I usually don’t go for books that scream femininity. I mean now I’m into books like the Monstrumcologist, Star trek books or The Last Apprentice.

But I guess Ella Enchanted isn’t screaming girly because the character isn’t girly instead she is stubborn and smart girl who was enchanted to obey with any order she is given. Even though she isn’t that obedient in nature instead she is a girl who is rebels and stands up what she believes in.

I think the reason why this book became listed on my top ten favorite lists is because I liked the fact the heroine was subjected to so much indignity and misfortune. It wasn’t I enjoyed her pain it was because in the end I was so happy when she finally broke from her curse and was able to defy anyone and not be forced to be obey. I also liked the fact that her most hurtful step sister was miserable in the end. Maybe the reason why I liked books of this sort is because I’m still a sucker for fairy tales and still is.

The Fairy Tale inventor

Inventing fairy tales is very difficult but Hans Christian Andersen did it anyway as well as revised some from some Old Danish folk legends. But the important thing is that do you know who Hans Christian Anderson is? Because you really should know who he is. If you don’t know he is then does the story of the Ugly Duckling, The Little Mermaid or even The Princess and the Pea do those stories ring a bell because this guy Hans C Anderson is the one who wrote all those stories.

It is ok if you don’t know his name many famous people whose works are famous but their name isn’t for an example do you know what is Dr. Seuss’s  real name is because I don’t have an idea and I wrote and entire blog of him. But that is beside the point the real reason why you should know who is Hans Christian Anderson is because he wrote such wondrous fairy tales that we all know and love. At the moment I have found a copy of his fairy tales that I am reading right now. I am both reading classics that I know from heart such as Thumbelina, the Little Mermaid and The Emperor’s new Clothes as well as reading some tales that I have never heard of like Great Claus and Little Claus and The red shoes that I have also grown to love.

We should never such great stories because we grow up with them and learned some things as well for instances the Ugly Duckling. Which is such a sweet story that many people identify with. We all should remise all these great fairy tale because they affect our inner child and so we must as well remember the men who had bountiful effect on our imagination through his own fairy tales.

Fahrenheit 451

I just finished this book perhaps 2-3 hours ago the funny thing is that I checked out this book maybe like more than 2 months ago and when I curiously just picked it up to finish it. It only took me that less than half hour to finish it. I have no idea why I didn’t finish it a while ago especially since I was in the middle of the actual action scene when Montag was on the run. But I just stopped in the middle of it abruptly. Nonetheless I am very pleased to finish it since it was one of the many books I put on my personal reading list on last year. The reason why I choose to read this book because of the book burning and I who is a abibliophobic ( someone with the fear of running out of reading materials) was very interested in such a world were books are illegal, can you imagine such a horror. I was also interested in the world the author, Ray Bradbury described because he wrote this book back in the 50’s but he described things which is so much like how it is today without that excessive violence.

I couldn’t believe that this book was only written in the year 1953 because when you read the book it has so many familiar aspects that reflect our attitude today. But thankfully we don’t widespread book burning but we do have book bans on such great books. The only reason why we don’t have book burnings like the ones in the book is because such an act of travesty violates our own Constitution. But in other places such freedom is not permitted everywhere. But that isn’t the topic of this blog because I am not here talk about our freedom of certain accords.

What I am blogging about is that the book Fahrenheit 451is remains today as a classical dystopian book because it was a story that touched upon issues that we are beginning to struggle with.  But in the book it’s just a bit more dramatic which made it more exciting to read. I wish right that there was another book because I would love to know what happened to Montag and if his contributions made any difference to his blinded sighted society. I do hope our technology doesn’t turns us into mindless drones like the ones in the book but instead connect our ideas and self with each other.

 

 

Monstrumologist

I just recently finished all the four books in the series by Rick Yancey. I hope you know who he is because he is defiantly an exceptional author. The first time I have ever heard of him is when I read the Alfred Kropp trilogy back in middle school and I really liked those books but I was so disappointed when I found out there was only three books in the series. Because I really liked Alfred, he wasn’t your usual protagonist he was bit odd in his own special way. Just like Will Henry the protagonist of the Monstrumologist series who was alike Alfred in which they both shared a series of misfortune in their lives.

When I began to read the first book Monsrumologist I didn’t expect the book to be so…ghoulish. I was eating lunch when I first started reading it. I actually had to put the book down several times because the description inside was making me nauseated. But you would too if you read the part when they had to detach the Anthropophagi from that girl’s corpse because apparently it was eating her face off with a mouth on his chest. But even though the book was a credibly gruesome that even when I dared my younger brother to read that passage and he was unable to make it halfway the page because he was to freaked out to continue on reading. But I couldn’t stop because it was to addictive not to read on

This series is a bit strange itself because it was written in a way that the main character Will Henry was an old man writing a journal when he was younger and was an assistant to a monstrumologist which was someone who studies aberrant biological organism or in other words monsters. But it was also written as if the author was actually editing Will Henry’s journal to be a book series. I actually believed that was true until the third book when I looked up online how many books were left in the series and found out that it was part of the story line. I didn’t really believe the monster part but I really believed the part when Mr. Yancey was actually going through Will Henry’s journal. I was a bit disappointed and relieved at the same time because I was disappointed because it would have been incredible if there was an actual Will Henry alive even if it isn’t the one who faced the actual monsters. But I was relieved because I felt so bad for Will Henry who died having so much tragedy in his life and to die so terribly alone

But the point of these entire blog is to acclaim this series because I entirely enjoyed it. But I am also recommending it to anyone who would be interested in this kind of genre which is horror. I just hope I didn’t give a way too much of the storyline and make it uninteresting to anyone because it is anything but that. This story will make you sleep at night and never be able to put it down.

Pink Triangle

This one of the other book I chose that was nonfiction trio I checked out. It is also under the category of gay studies I field that I not familiar with as well as history which I am familiar with especially in the early 20^th century. I was first interested in this book because I saw that the spine was light pink which isn’t a color you usually associate with a nonfiction book. After I read the back of the book I decided to check out it because it was about Nazi Germany a subject I am both familiar with and very interested in. I especially wanted to read it because it was focusing on a minority group that I little or no knowledge of what happened in the Holocaust.

When I started to read I thought the author, Richard Plant would automatically describe and report the events that happened in the Holocaust. But instead he first described the men that were influent in Hitler’ Cabinet that were involved in the Homosexual affairs of Germany and how they were connected in it. The first chapter describes Roehm the SA leader and a well-known homosexual. It started off with his rise to power and how deeply closely he was connected with Hitler to the point that he called him by his first name Adolf. But then it detailed of how he fell for power not because he was homosexual but that he was too ambitious of wanting his SA to replace the current then ends with him being betrayed by his friend Adolf by being kidnapped and killed by a SS guard for not killing himself. And why all of this so important because of this that happened specially the fall of Roehm this translated to homosexual in Germany that they weren’t safe anymore  if a powerful men like Roehm was taken down so mercilessly.

Then the book went into a longer passage that featured Himmler one of the most dangerous men in Hitler’s cabinet because he was the one who organized the Holocaust. The book went in a indebt study of why Himmler hated homosexuals well a few of the reasons was that he thought it was an illness, it decreased the amount of children being born and another “”explanation” was that he thought that homosexual were inferior is because they were no better than women making them unfit warriors. He was a very peculiar men that one with his Nazi idealism of superior Aryan race. What a twisted philosophy I just don’t understand people with such a superior complex over others but I suppose he was a little men who was tired of being left behind hah, pathetic and repulsive.

Finally the later chapter then described the treatment of gays in the camps. When I read it made me understand why there isn’t many written works of their treatment. Because they had a smaller number and as well a shorter lifespan of any of the groups and they received the most terrible beatings. They were also out casted, received worsen labor work and they were horribly experimented.

This book is so great because it goes into a subject not many are willing to into. It talks about many things that people mostly wish to forget for it horrors but the book goes on, the author goes and writes the side of the story not many are familiar with and urges us not to forget those who were discriminated for the way they are as like many who suffered from the death camps.

Nickel and Dimed

The most recent book I just read was Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich. I choose this particular book because I had a sudden urge to read nonfiction so I picked up several nonfiction one that was about Ku Klux Klan another about homosexual in Nazi Germany and a memoir about minimum wage which is this book I am blogging about, Nickel and Dimed.  I first heard of this book back in my sophomore year it was part of the reading list we were supposed to choose from to read for our nonfiction reading choice. I am glad that I choose this book because it gave me an insight look on minimum wage and how it affects the lower middle class.

When I first started reading the book I thought the author was a young and ambitious journalist who jumped into an adventure with such courage to write great stories. But instead I find myself with an educated woman who planned this assignment so she is able to this carefully and she didn’t set out write great stories she discovered people and hardships they endure and the ignoring of the upper class of how not everyone is enjoying that American prosperity we so fully enjoy. In these book I discover all the people she meets and gets to know and how they struggle to make end meets and the judgment that is given to them as well as the fact they are invisible to society. Also from reading these it made me think how much we humans crave to be noticed and that we really wanted to be congratulated for the effort we put into things. Maybe that is why many don’t quit such awful jobs because the craving to be thanked is just to strong. It also made me thing that were very dependent on our sociability towards others because we truly don’t want to be alone and that might be another reason why many don’t move on to a higher paying jobs because we don’t like being alone and friendless.

Reading these book just made me want to be better in school because I want to end up in a job that I enjoy doing and really good at. Because I don’t want to be one of those who are just working to survive I want to live life and make some kind of contribution to the world even its just something as small as positively influencing just one person its proof I did something that helpful through something I enjoy.

Dr. Seuss

Here it is my first children book blog. I am finally doing one because frankly I was stressed and good children book puts me to ease for remembering the good all times when we had recess, easy math and nap times. The children book I am blogging is actually a group of books of the same other I just decided to read (not for myself but to my younger siblings). Can you guess which author it is? It is the amazing, the rhyming doctor himself, Dr. Seuss.

 The ones I just read recently was the all-time favorite The Cat in the Hat, Fox in socks, The Foot book, that special Green eggs and Ham also Horton hears a Who, and finally and the first I have ever read it but I definitely have seen it as movie format The Lorax. I didn’t own and surprisingly couldn’t find how the Grinch stole Christmas but I think I have the movie so I am satisfied with that.

What so great about Dr. Seuss’s books is that the message in what they say in the books are simple but also are great advice for both children and adults alike.  These messages in the book were lessons for young children could also be used as lesson for adults as well. Some of the messages of the book are really memorable and were said in a way that will stick with us. Like that quote from the Lorax “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not”. That quote is easy to untangle because its basically saying if we want to change something we have to take stand and actually try to change. That kind of message is something is the kind of advice we should really remember when we are adults and want to take a greater part of shaping our lives. Other great messages in dr. sues is also in the Lorax is that we really need to protect our environment because this is the only home we have and if we don’t take of it then we may just lose it forever. Another one I distinctly remember is in Green Eggs and Ham when the that one grumpy creature finally admitted that he liked green eggs and ham it shows us that you try something before you judge it and in our society today we are really judgmental and we should really expand our views we might just like what we find out there.

So yes even if you are a grown adult you should remember the lessons you were taught in Dr. Seuss because they are great advice. But if you don’t remember than just refresh yourself with some Dr. Seuss books there great tools for learning great life lessons.

Twilight

 Not so long ago I read all the Twilight saga books including the novella and encyclopedia. I don’t normally read this kinds of books, like books that are romantic in nature I usually am an adventure, fantasy, sci-fi and other kind of reader. So it really took me by surprise that I really enjoyed reading all the books because I only read them because it seemed like everyone was reading them so why not. When I was reading the books I was expecting something graphic in the books I wasn’t hoping for it if that is what you think is just a few years ago my mom banned me from reading the books and at that time I was reading more graphic. But I wasn’t so much interested in the romance as I was with the world that Stephanie Meyer created.

 I have read other vampire books and I favor Meyer’s vampire because they are the most beautiful, powerful yet bestial I have yet seen in any other. I really like how she made her vampires seem like superheroes with their supernatural gifts like minding reading, precognitive skills or emphatic powers. Because she made them a superior species than humans in every way and also really cool. I also really admired the fact she used a real setting and myths of that place for her book. Because the sense that the events of the book could really happen. I also liked the Quileute m legends she incorporate and the werewolf’s she used. But what I really like about the werewolf was that they weren’t real werewolf but instead they shape shifters who transformed into wolves. Because shape shifters are more threatening adversaries than werewolves, and because they are supernatural monsters 24/7 meanwhile werewolves are only for one day a month. Also they retained their human minds while in wolf form and not became bloodthirsty monster. This nominated them as human protectors because they won’t eat us like vampires and werewolves. So the Quileute were misnamed because they are defiantly are not werewolves but shape shifters. But there are werewolves in the twilight world there just called children of the moon and I have been nearly hunted to extinction by vampires.

My real message of these blog is appraise Stephanie Meyer to a well thought supernatural hidden world. Because now finally understand the reason why the Twilight saga is so popular and not with the ultra-hot actors in the movies but the storyline itself. I congratulate you miss Meyers for your success with Twilight and I am now a fan of yours and no longer diss twilight ever just the really obsessed fan girls (or boys) because really those girls are just plain crazy.

Insignia

I have recently finished the second book of the Insignia trilogy, Vortex by S.J Kincaid. These books got me so hyped up I got into trouble because I kept giggling when I was reading them when I should have gone to bed but I couldn’t help it there were so addicted even Veronica Roth said so on the first book cover page. These books were the first of the sci-fi genre books I started this school year and I will do more sci-fi genre for the foreseeable future. But what I really want to say on these books is that I really enjoyed them.              

What I surely liked about these books is the main character, because he is such a messed up kid who doesn’t really belong in that time period his in. That is because Tom, the main character isn’t exactly sane he has major violent and psychopathic impulses. I don’t mean he is a kind of psychopath that burns ants and mutilate puppies. Tom is a berserker he enjoys war games and winning them like how most boys are in these day in age. Ok backtracking right now let’s first talk about the setting he is in, Tom is from the not so distant future where World War 3 is happening right now. About at these moment you are asking yourself on why I am saying that this berserker doesn’t belong a wide spread war well that is because it’s being in space by drones controlled in space. And how is Tom involved in theses WW3 when he is 15 years old kid.  Well the American government needs his talented video game skills to work on the drone for the war to win as well his viciousness that he use to win any scenario.

                When Tom gets recruited he doesn’t get the mandated psych test because honestly the general who scouted him didn’t believe he would pass much to the denial of Tom. He’s vicious nature doesn’t really show until later in the book when the other young recruits are in a war simulation with holographic bodies. But when the pain nullifiers shut down and everyone is feeling the pain being simulated instead of signing off like everyone does Tom stays and fights the enemies who hacked on the simulation. He successfully kills most of the real enemy hackers until he faces off with Medusa the best of the other side. What Tom say next really cracks me up because when Medusa asks why he didn’t run away like the others Tom says he wanted to fight with Medusa and that he was obsessed with Medusa in a really creepy and stalkerish way .Unfortunately he died but he was still so happy to fight with Medusa. Another crazy thing he does in the second book was when he was in a simulation with his team his weak and insecure team leader put in a simulation where he and his teammates are in a raft simulating feeling dehydration and insane hunger as they faces of the other team who were simulated into sharks and they had to kill each other. Tom came up with the idea to kill up with the team leader because he want joining with the others in the simulation instead he pops in and check once in a while. So he does kill the team leader and feeds him to the shark as bates so he and the others can kill the sharks. It would have worked if he wasn’t pulled out of the simulation. But his actions was insubordinate as well as malicious but as Tom argues it was a simulation and the whole point of the simulation was to win but the pain receptors were on so there team leader felt dying so yeah…..

                Those were two of my favorite parts of those two books and they really made me laugh. The real reason why I really like Tom is his personality, because I am one of those villain empathizers so antiheroes or heroes with seriously dark personality really appeal to me. Main characters with heroes complex or high morals sometimes bore me I really into heroes who have terrible, horrible but honest personalities.

A Great Character

One of the greatest American literary characters is F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Jay Gatsby. He was really laid back and polite didn’t want a single trouble from anyone. I think he would make a great friend because he has that air of dependability. But what amazed me the most was most of everything he did when he obtained his riches was create an air of intrigue for one single woman he faithfully loved years before. That was one of the traits I both loved and hated about because I see the integrity of his character as well as his foolishness. Because Daisy, the women he was in love was already married (but not happily) and had a child. But even all that he still loved her and offered himself again to her. But Daisy stayed with her cheating husband and being confused on which of those two, Gatsby or her husband she really loved. She was a completely an incisive and childish character as well as her husband just as Nick said in the book. I mean she didn’t even go to Gatsby funeral and I really don’t get why Gatsby was in love her any other women would love to have that kind of guy to love them back like Gatsby. But other than his infatuation with Daisy he was a well accomplished man who came from nothing, surviving through war and still be able to make himself into something without losing his integrity. It was too bad he died that was probably the most surprising ending of a book I have read so far this year. But he was a great character no the greatest of the American literary story so far.

Impulse

I finally read one, you know one of Ellen Hopkins novel. But I actually wanted to start read Crank but the library surprisingly didn’t have any copies. But I really did like the book. It was like that book Freak boy I mean the writing style was written in a jagged poem style. When I began reading it I couldn’t put it down at all it was addicting Hah get it addicting you would get that awful pun if you read Crank. But in Impulse it wasn’t really focused on addiction more on kids who are trying to a find reason to live life. If you haven’t read this book I suggest you stop reading right now because I will reveal spoilers.

In the end of the book when Conner jumps I was so shocked and I didn’t really get why he killed himself because I really thought he was going to make it. But really wasn’t anyone else shocked when they read that part because I nearly dropped the right there but since I am blogging about it means I finished it obviously. I didn’t want him to die, i thought he was a good person who was badly hurt and that wound just evolved over time. So yes I was so sad especially for Tony and Vanessa they were really upset with his suicide. But a good outcome of the book is that Tony and Vanessa found love in each other and will be able to heal together.  If you really think about how many thought one of those two would kill themselves first but in the end they are alive and found a really good reason to live.

While reading these book I learned a good lesson of life, if you keep moving on then you can then heal and find happiness just like Tony and Vanessa. Because reading about them falling in love made me think about how they were hurt so much but were able console within each other. So that is my message to you is that life can be hurtful and so painful that you want to die but if you keep moving on you may just find meaning and most importantly love as cheesy as that sounds but it can be true if you try.

 

The Color Purple

I chose this title on a whim because I didn’t really have any reading material with me at the time and I saw the title on the reading list. But turns out that was a good whim because I ended reading that book quickly and enjoying it immensely though when I was halfway through the book someone revealed some spoiler to me and I felt a bit heartbroken you know that feeling when someone reveals the ending of that really good book that you’re reading. So I’ll warn you beforehand that yes I will talk about the book and yes there will be spoilers.

The spoilers that the person was that Nettie and Celia’s dad wasn’t there biological dad at all and that shocked me and I was also kind of relieved because that means Celia’s children are not children of incest. But it also saddens me because she never knew her own father who was wrongly lynched. It also made so angry with that *beep* of a step father for abusing Celia like that making her feel low of herself. The character that I was really fascinated with was Shug Avery because she is not the stereotypical women of her skin of that time period. I started to like her when she and Celia relationship deepen and especially she encouraged Celia to start a sewing business that was real considerate of her to supported Celia like that. But I was very disappointed with her for having that fling with that young man, Germaine. But you know what surprised me most of all in the book, it was Mr.___ behavior in the end but I guessed he was heartbroken but it did him a lot of good because he was a better person in the even Celia said so. But another character that stood out for me was Sophia because she is tuff like really stubbornly tuff, I really admired her for leaving Harpo; she still loved him but wasn’t going to take his crap. But I felt so sorry when she was taken away from her children and forced to be a maid to those people.

Alice Walker has truly written a captivating and sad piece of story that will really stick with me. I will especially remember the characters in these book particularly Celia and how much she had to endure and how she yet progressed and became such a stronger person in the end as well being gifted with her sisters return she deserved it from what she suffered.

Freak Boy Recommend

This is a book recommendation for the book “freak boy” By Kristen Elizabeth Clark.  I especially recommend it to anyone who is an Ellen Hopkins fan because the book like any of Hopkins works is written poem form and in a jagged style. It’s also a compelling story that will hook you in and if you also like stories of teenage hardships then you should really read it as well.

            The book is about Brendan who is popular and he is on the wrestling team. He also has a perfect girlfriend who is also on the wrestling team who is pretty and smart and Brendan just adores her. But sometimes he wants to be like her. These are a three people personal narrative about Brendan and his struggle with gender identity. The first narrator is Brendan and his struggle that is forcing him to shut everyone out of his life. The second is Vanessa who is trying to help her boyfriend who is pushing her out. The third narrative is about Angel a transsexual who later befriends Brendan understand of what is he feeling inside.

This is a really great book I first checked it out at the library in the morning and finished it later in the day. It’s really addictive. It’s also the book that started me to be interested in Ellen Hopkins books as well as other books written in thin format. Because this is the first book I have ever read that was written in a jagged poem style of writing. I kind of like this style so I will find more books to talk about on my blog that are written in this style that may interest you that actually are reading my blog.

            Back to Freak boy as I said before you really should read this book it made me really thing about how people struggle with their identity and sexuality. It really made me think about my own identity as a person and how comfortable I am in my skin as well as my own sexuality. So I give this book 12 stars out 10 of a must read. I really hope you read as well.

Life of Pi

Last month at the early time of September I decided to read Life of pi. I decide to read the book not because of the release of the movie but because I heard many of my classmates talking about how good it was. So I decided why not lest try to read that book. Well I loved the book, finished it in less than 2 days. So if you have yet to read this book than I must stop you because I’m going to reveal several spoilers ok? So Shoo.

In the book it took a little while to realize that Richard Parker was the tiger on the cover. Was anyone surprised as I was to find out he was the tiger on the front cover. I mean I didn’t realize it because Pi was trying to save him and shouting at him like he was another human being. Then in the part where all the animals were on the boat all of them alive before you know. Well I felt so sad when the hyena killed that orangutan whose name I don’t remember at the moment. But did anyone feel so sad when that happened especially in the end when he tells the story and switching the orangutan with his mother. That told me how much he really cared for her, the orangutan especially when he started to cry. Another animal who he cared about the most was Richard Parker, So I felt so sad when both of them were dying and I swear I nearly cried when Pi was allowed to touch Richard Parker because that showed me how weak he was and that he may really die. But then a miracle/trap they found that carnivorous island. I certainly, embarrassing did cry with Pi when Richard Parker got up and left without even any acknowledgement. Because I rally didn’t want those two separated so much and was so disappointed when he left Pi all alone on the beach. You know the most conflicting part of the book is in the end when he tells the police officer a second story that had humans instead of animals in the book. I didn’t have a problem with the ending because I was really when the officers put in the report with story with the animals. But then my teacher pointed out in the beginning of the book how Pi believed all these religion in the same time which could be said in the end that perhaps that Pi believed that both stories are both true. So thank you Miss A because that ending was clean but now it’s really conflicting. So I am sorry for you who had a clean break with book for theses major curve ball.

But I am very happy to read that book even it did make me cry. I also hope I will find another book that will make me feel so strongly for the story because there are not many books like these. That makes you feel so alive, so thank you Yann Martel for that amazing story.

Favorite one

What is your favorite book? What is that one book that you would read over and over and never get sick of it? And why is it your favorite book. Because of what the theme is or did it has an affect your life significantly. For some people they might choose a Harry potter book for pure fun fantasy escapisms or perhaps they would Life of Pi for its extraordinary message of faith. While others might choose a nonfictional autobiography of someone they really admire. In my family my mom’s favorite is “Twilight” and I’m sure many of you would choose that as your favorite book as well, but for my stepdad it was the Bible, my younger brother who isn’t much a reader but he said his favorite book is “Elephant Run” my little sister it’s the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”. But for me my favorite book of all time is “Half-moon investigations”.

My reason for loving that book is unknown even to myself. But the moment I heard my 4^th grade teacher read out loud for the class I fell in love. Ever since than I have always reread that book every year up to now. I don’t know why I keep reading it over and over because I’m the kind of person who would usually finish a book and move on. But Half Moon Investigations was the first book I ever reread ever. What is it about those certain books that we reread all over again? I think my overall reason was fun escapisms. Others of you might be also escapisms but for different reasons than fun it might even for mental healing of the soul for those of you really need comfort. But all I know is that I feel very much at agreement that favorite books are medicine of our soul.

The Greatest (Mystery Writer)

Do you know who the greatest mystery writer of all time is? No it isn’t Stephen King though he is pretty great writer. It also is not James Patterson but I do too think he is pretty great himself. It is sadly not Sir Arthur Conan Doyle the creator of Sherlock Holmes. Have you guess it yet? I shall tell it is the great Dame Agatha Christie.

            For those who guess it was her you have my congratulations but those you didn’t even mention her well shame on you. Do you want me to prove it? Well I tell you little fact I read on Wikipedia it stated that that her books were the 3^rd most widely published books right behind The Bible and Shakespeare’s works. It also stated that her books have been translated into 103 languages. If you still don’t believe me then prove me wrong look it up yourself.

            For anyone who is a mystery lover you surely have heard of Agatha Christie if not then you’re not a mystery lover at all. But those of you that are Doctor Who fans you would know about her in that episode “The wasp and Unicorn” starring the 10^th Doctor and Donna going back in to time and meeting Agatha Christie. A quick comment of that Episode is Yes Agatha Christie in real life did disappeared for 11 days you can look up the real reason why if you are curious. You might have also heard about her if you interested in theater because she wrote a play called the mouse trap which is the longest running play of time of over 50 years.

I myself have read about six of her books most were Hercules Poirot mysteries. I recently just finished “The Death on the Nile” and I simply loved it. I think the real reason why she is so great is because she had a talent of reading people. She knew how human beings thought and how they acted in life and she used that gift in her writing. So yes I do think she is the greatest mystery writer of all time. If I have convinced you then I recommend you read one of her books to understand and you can choose one of 80 of her works. I am pretty certain that you will find one that is of interest and your language.