Every kids dream

Dominique Edwards

Kingdom Keepers is

Things don't always appear as they seem. A group of teenagers who live in Florida have a strange experience happen to them within the walls of magic kingdom. The kids somehow appear within the park at night after hours. It all seems exciting and fun until they realize one strange thing about the park, the attractions moved. It turns out that at night time the characters from the rides are actually evil and do things in the park when it's closed. It's up to the kids to stop the evil characters but also keep it w secret that they transport to the park after hours when they fall asleep.

I haven't finished the book yet so I cannot fully say whether I recommend it completely but so far I've enjoyed what I've read and I'm eager to read more. In my opinion, I believe that this book would be good for people who enjoy Disney and also fiction or problem solving adventurous stories. If people aren't interested in Disney or Fiction I believe they might struggle staying focused on this book and also not really be able to get into it. The book has been interesting but definitely very slow and I get impatient at times because I want to know what happens next. The mood or tone of this book can be seen as adventurous and inspiring by when they say quotes like "if you don't believe in yourself who will?" and definitely thrilling from all the scary experiences and chances of the kids getting caught. Reasons why I liked this book was because I am a huge fan of Disney and I also always think going in abandoned/empty places is scary and cool. My family goes to Disney every year and we are huge fans so when they mention certain areas in the book I can totally understand and really step in the narrators shoes and go along with it, just as they say in the book "you can't get ant cooler than Disney world." This book definitely is one of my favorites because it takes your average day happy Disney and puts a whole new perspective on it. The language was advanced enough so that teenagers close to the main characters age could read and understand, the worst the language got was someone saying "shut up!" to one character in the book so really it all depends on how advanced the reader is. I would recommend this book to fans of disney, fantasy, horror, and nonfiction. This book really covers a wide spectrum of genres so many people could read it however a love of Disney and an understanding of characters definitely would have an effect on how much the reader enjoys it.

Heroes Get Remembered But Legends Never Die

THE HARD HAT

BY JON GORDON

BLOG POST BY CULLEN MILLERICK

On March 17 of 2004, the Cornell University lacrosse team faced off against the Binghamton University lacrosse team. During the fourth quarter of the game George Boiardi, the defensive midfielder and captain of Cornell was struck and killed chest by a shot from a binghampton attacker.George Boiardi wasn't just another player he was a great friend an even better teammate and an inspiration to many. The way George had played and acted as a teammate had inspired Jon Gordon to write The Hard Hat, 21 ways to be a great teammate. The Hard Hat uses George's story to teach others how to act on and off the playing court. Throughout the book Gordon uses some of Goerges old teammates to share stories of how Goerge had affected them. For example Rob Pannell, a current Major League Lacrosse star narrated chapter 21 and shares story on how his Cornell team (he didn't even play with George) was inspired by George to make a comeback against Duke in the semifinals of nationals. He says " Unfortunatly, I have never met George, but I feel as if he has been teammate and leader to me during my five years at Cornell and is now a friend helping me through everyday life"(75).

   It was obvious how significant the impact George left on the Lacrosse and sports world. To this day the Cornell lacrosse team gives a Hard Hat to the player that had the best game that day.The Hard Hat isnt given to the player that had the most goals that game but to the player that hustled the most and played the least selfishly, this was how George would play everyday and this was the type of impact he had left on the Cornell lacrosse organization. In the book Gordon gives 21 ways to be a great teammate, all of these were in inspired by how George acted and played.

    When I got this book from my Hockey coach to read I was slightly concerned that I wouldn't enjoy it, however it was the most I've enjoyed a book in a while. The way the story is told isn't the best but it is the details that matter. As an athlete and a lacrosse player I was able to relate to the kind of "lay it all on the line for your team" type of attitude so I was able to fully understand the book and enjoy it.If you are an athlete or a hard worker you may be able to relate to the story the most but if you aren't this book gives many life lessons and stories that can teach you how to become a better everyday person. It teaches you how to help others  and be one with yourself.

In conclusion I would highly suggest this book for someone who is going through a lot and wants to find themselves or someone looking to read a good story. The writing overall by Gordon wasn't the best but the great storyline of the book made up for poor writing techniques. (If anyone is looking to find this book to read then they can ask Mr. McGuire the business teacher and hockey coach I'm sure he'd be willing to lend it out to anyone that wants to read it.)

Staying Together

Staying Together
Caroline Crowley

Sisterhood Everlasting
 By Ann Brashares      


       Could you ever imagine that a pair of old pants could keep a friendship alive during the most difficult times? In the book Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares, a pair of pants keeps a Sisterhood alive for over five summers. In the book, there's a group of four college girls who have been best friends since birth. Lena, Bridget, Tibby, and Carmen may all be very different from each other, but the one thing that they all have in common is that a pair of pants fits each of them perfectly. The pants symbolize the Sisterhood that the four girls created four summers ago, the summer going into their freshman year of high school. Now, the girls are celebrating their fifth summer of the Sisterhood, and will all be attending different far away colleges in the fall.
            So far during the start of summer Bridget is flying to Arizona to attend soccer camp, Tibby is working at a local grocery store, Lena is attending an art school, and Carmen is spending time with her dad in Washington  D.C. While the girls are separated from each other for at least the start of the summer, they will be sending the pants to each other with a note that explains what adventures they've faces. Lena’s grandfather lives in Greece and he gets very ill over the summer. He wishes to see Lena very soon because he fears that something very bad will happen to himself and he won't be able to say a final goodbye. I haven't got to the climax of the book yet, but will the magic of the pants bring the four girls together and help Lena reach the person that needs her most in her life?
     
       Based on what I've read so far and from other book sequels of this book series, I think this book is great. This book demotores how important it is to stick together and battle through the obstacles in life with your family and friends. I would recommend this book to teenagers because it shows how to deal with friendships during the ups and downs in life, how to move on in life when something goes wrong, and how to become stronger as a person on the inside and out.

The Hunger Games Doesn't Leave Anything On the Table

  Jake Gustafson                                                                                                       6/14/17
         
        
     E.qual'i.ty (i-kwol'i-te) n. The idea of possessing the same privileges and rights. Wouldn't it be great if all people were equal and no one was treated worse than others, well that's a false hope in district 12 of Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games. 

     The novel The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a dark story that shows the realest sides of society. The book is about a young woman named Katniss Everdeen. She is a very intelligent and witty. She goes about her life with her mother and sister in a place called District 12. District 12 is a grimy,poor,withered place where Katniss and her family reside. District 12 is the last of 12 districts which each lowering in wealth starting from 1 ,and thus making district 12 the poorest out of the twelve districts. The districts are in a circular shape and they all revolve around the capital. The capital is where all the richest and high powered individuals live. Capital people are snobby and stuck up  and get what ever they want. While the district people are hard workers who do the best with the little they got. So, since the people of the Capital are so stuck up they run a brutal annual fight to the death called the hunger games. The games are when the Capital randomly picks a male and a female from each of the twelve districts ,and then makes them fight to the death until one person remains. There is no point behind the games ,but for the people of the capitals amusement and to show that the capital has power over the districts. The people of the districts think "Taking the kids from our districts, forcing them to kill one another while we watch – this is the Capitol’s way of reminding us how totally we are at their mercy. How little chance we would stand of surviving another rebellion. Whatever words they use, the real message is clear. 'Look how we take your children and sacrifice them and there’s nothing you can do. If you lift a finger, we will destroy every last one of you. Just as we did in District Thirteen'"(Collins 18-19).  So, the picking of the games comes around and its Katniss's last year ti be eligible to be picked for the games ,but on the other hand its her sisters first. 
So, the picking is happening for the games and the first name called is Peeta Mellark ; the son of the baker. The next person called is not Katniss ,but her sister Prim. Katniss being the great sister she is sacrifices herself to save her sister when she yells "'I volunteer!'" I gasp. "I volunteer as tribute!'"(Collins 22). So, the rest of the book is pretty much is the intense battles the soon ensue in the games. While this is going on, Katniss finds love with the baker's son Peeta Mellark,and much more interesting events happen ,but ill leave that for the reader to read because this book is great.

    I love this book. This novel was a solid ten out of ten ,and if it was possible I'd give it an 11 out of ten. I've never been a reader ever. I always thought reading was a snooze-fest with every word you acknowledge a ten pound wait was put onto your eyes. However, this book was way different. There was a real enjoyment while reading this book. With each page I flipped I got more and more into the book. I think I can say that partially happened because of Katniss's character. She was just a great person and a hero. Which made me want to see what would happen to her because I liked her so much. For example, when she volunteered to be the tribute to save her sister that was one pf the most heroic things I've ever read. Katniss must've known that it was almost certain death going into the games ,but she still bucked up and stuck her head out for her sister and this made the book so much better. Also, Collins does a great job painting the picture of the districts and the capital. Through her writing she some how did such good job that I started to hate the capital with a burning passion. So, like I said I don't read that much ,but when I read my next book I'm going to look for something of that affect ,because I was just amazed by how her writing made such an impact on me. The final reason why I loved this book was because of the violence. This may sound cruel and terrible ,but I really couldn't care any less. I love violence. Ever since I was a little kid it was just fascinating to me and it just drew me in. So, after saying that its already pretty easy to guess whats in the novel and theres a lot of it. I can strongly say that after the first few chapters there is a large a mount of violence in every chapter after that. The violence is great it keeps the booking moving along at nice pace while also making it suspenseful ,and I appreciate this very much. So all in all, I would recommend this book to everyone because its a great book with little to nothing wrong ,and has great things going for it like I already mentioned and much much more. So, read the book!

Because Survival is Insufficient

Station Eleven
by Emily St. John Mandel

If the world were to end tomorrow, what would you miss the most? The stereotypical teenage response might be the internet, cell phone, or computer, but there are so many other luxuries that society has normalized to the point where people think they deserve them that most people, once without, would find life much harder: professional haircuts, dessert, laundry detergent, air conditioners, same-day shipping, airplanes, swimming pools, cars, movies, concerts, medicine... and this is only "an incomplete list" (31).

Describing the plot of Station Eleven is a bit difficult; there are at least five different character viewpoints placed throughout the novel and two time periods that are twenty years apart. To be brief by way of the book, it's about a man named Arthur Leander, a celebrity actor who dies of a heart attack on stage while performing a production of Shakespeare's King Lear, playing the title character. The same night he dies, a plague known as the Georgia Flu begins to sweep over the entire world, killing billions of people within months. After the chaos dies down, several people who had known Arthur in some way manage to escape the crisis: Kirsten Raymonde, who played Arthur Leander's character's daughter in King Lear when she was eight years old; Jeevan Chaudhary, the ex-paparazzo who tried to save Arthur during his heart attack; and lastly, Clark Thompson, Arthur's best friend from before and after Arthur was wildly famous.

The story follows these three, post-apocalypse, in their respective journeys. Kirsten, in particular, joins a group called the Traveling Symphony as a teenager, who believe in keeping art alive even after everything has come to an end, "because survival is insufficient" (58). Jeevan, pre-apocalypse, had a dream of becoming an EMT after years of being a tabloid journalist and photographer; in order to keep the dream alive, he becomes an impromptu doctor in everyone's time of need and hones his skills for the twenty years after. In Clark's case, he lives with a group of people inside the Severn City airport in which he has stayed from the day he landed, almost a week after the imminent flu outbreak in North America. Since he is getting old and weaker, he has devoted the rest of his life to maintaining the "Museum of Civilization", which pays homage to the obsolete artifacts from before the Georgia Flu, including iPhones, laptops, stilettos, and a motorcycle.

However, don't let the whole 'post-apocalypse' description fool you; Station Eleven doesn't contain the action-packed life-or-death situations that you would expect that genre to have; instead, it explores the deeper meanings of being human and how civilization still lives on after it seemingly comes to an end.

Even though Station Eleven switches between time, setting, and point-of-view frequently, it manages to do so in a way that is concise and easy to follow. Much of the story's contents seem pointless at first, but it turns out to be very rewarding watching all of the elements start to come together, bit by bit. Nothing is put in without purpose, and finally getting to that aha! moment at the end made me feel like this book was worth it.

However, I do have my complaints, as always. The writing is absolutely fantastic, but I don't think it would hold the interest of the average teenager, which is part of the reason why it didn't make it past the first round of the Read-a-Thon. It's almost painfully poetic at times and a bit slow-going; there's little action and no teenaged characters. It's more suited for an adult, I think; I don't want to sound pretentious by saying that after I said I enjoyed it, but I do think I may have been able to relate to it more if I read it for the first time after going through some of the domestic struggles that Arthur & Co. go through in my late twenties or early thirties.

That being said, there's also the matter of character development; Kirsten, who's marketed as the story's main protagonist, which I very much beg to differ, has almost no depth to her whatsoever. She's broody and oh-so-clever, but it's never really clear what her goals are or how she changes emotionally throughout the story since she conveniently remembers nothing from before the first two years post-apocalypse. I prefer Jeevan and Clark to her; they were both adults when the plague arrived, so naturally, they remember how life used to be and it's clear how this turn of events affected them in the beginning and in the long run and that's portrayed beautifully.

All in all, of the three dystopian stories I read and wrote about this year (Ready Player One, Brave New World, and Station Eleven), Station Eleven wins first place by a close margin. Ready Player One was light and fun, and Brave New World was a good kind of creepy, but I think that Station Eleven has a much stronger message than the others at play: notice the things you have and don't take them for granted; for all you know, they could be gone tomorrow.

(A quote from one of the book's positive reviews that I liked, as a sidenote...
"A superb novel... [that] leaves us not fearful for the end of the world but appreciative of the grace of everyday existence." (San Francisco Chronicle) )

Some Things Aren't So Peculiar at All

Emily Butler

Some Things Aren't So Peculiar at All

For years, movies based on books have been an absolute joy for avid book readers. We love to see the characters we've read about imagined on the big screen. However, when it comes to Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, I watched the movie before I had even read the book. I thought the movie was great, but this isn't a movie review. So, I set out to discover if the renowned novel, by Ransom Riggs, is just as good as it's visual rendition. 

In Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Jacob's grandfather tells quite the stories - stories of a strange orphanage full of children with impossible abilities, paired with photographs. As Jacob grows however, he deems his grandfather's stories fictitious and the pictures tampered with. One fateful night, our protagonist ends up finding his grandfather dead in the woods, and secrets return to the surface. Throughout the book, Jacob discovers that the impossible is much less impossible than he expected, and he finds himself in a whimsical battle of good against evil. As our protagonist is told, "there's a grand plan in motion, Jacob, and you'll be part of it" (195)

Let me be honest - it's quite hard to write a whimsical novel while still remaining sophisticated and targeted towards an audience above the age of 10. However, I find that Riggs manages to combine fantastical elements with a relatable and believable protagonist. Throughout the novel, Jacob continues to feel the same way many teens do about several aspects of life: work, friends, and family. This adds a sense of realism to the novel that lures in young adults looking for an adventure on the page. The imagery is absolutely magnificent and dark, while being complimented by a humorous and sarcastic edge to the diction. As the reader progresses, they will find themselves in a state of suspense and pure admiration for the well-written characters. Specifically, Jacob's grandfather provides a humor to the beginning of the story, being the stereotypical crazy grandpa. However, his death scene in the woods reveals a sinister side to his life that is pleasantly surprising, when he gives Jacob cryptic instructions as his last words: "Find the bird. In the loop. On the other side of the old man's grave. September third, 1940" (23). Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children will continue to surprise you and change the way you think about what is possible in this world. 

There are so many strengths of this book that it is hard to find a downside to Riggs' work. Occasionally, I found myself tripping over sentences that seemed much too long for the style of the story, although they weren't grammatically incorrect. Other times, I found that some truths that were eventually revealed were no surprise to me - there is a drop of predictability among the twists and turns. The Jacob and Emma love story was inevitable - their relationship was full of the clichés you may find in young adult literature. These setbacks are easy to overlook, however, after acknowledging all the wonderful parts of the story. 

Random Riggs manages to bring out the child still hidden deep within a reader's mind. The storyline seems more plausible than some realistic fiction novels. For that, I give this book an A. Summer is approaching, and if you're looking for a book to read by the water, I recommend checking this one out!

Anything is Possible

I Beat the Odds the Story of Michael Oher

By DonYaeger

Sometimes the worst possible situations in life can have the happiest endings. Michael Oher, the kid with eight siblings, dad who left his family, and mom who was a drug addict and alcoholic had a horrible life where he was. Him and his broken family lived together in the projects, but a lot of times they had been sleeping on the streets together because of his mother needed people to come into their home and check on her to make sure that she hasn't been on drugs or alcohol for the safety and benefits of the family. He had nothing going for him in his life, until life changing events saved Michael Oher from being a washed up nobody.
       No one at school ever liked Michael and never wanted to interact with him despite how nice of a person he really was. There was never a serious reason in why people did not like to talk to him, every body was just scared or didn’t like him because he was a homeless, big, and black kid who had a torn apart family. Even though Mike had always been a big intimidating kid, multiple reports of his childhood say that he would never hurt a fly if he had the chance. Not only was it bad that he had little to no friends at school, he also missed out on a lot of love at home. Michael said in an interview that every time his mom got high or drunk, she would begin to get angry at her kids for no reason by yelling at them which lead to physical abuse. Because she was the way that she turned out to  be, Mike’s mother did not have a job to fully support her ten children family. She was able to put food on the table for the kids but Michael said that every time she went food shopping, there was hardly enough food for all of them, especially considering that their mother would eat most of it herself. The kids eventually learned to fight each other so they could get food for themselves and eat it quick before it gets robbed by another sibling.  Later on in his life, him and his family all got split up by the government coming to the decision that the way that the family was living was not safe and so they either got put in a shelter, or with another family. Michael got put in a shelter. He never really liked it there because he was never used to being over treated by his guardians so he decided to leave and go live on the streets. It didn’t take long before a family named the Tuohy’s found him and went through the long process and took him under their arms. Michael was greatly blessed by his new family who saw his potential and pushed him to be a great person, honor student, athlete, and high school and college graduate. He excelled at being an amazing football player thanks to the determination of his new younger brother and himself. He was the star of his high school team, which gave him success, pride, and a family like bond with an entire football team. Oher went on to be a football player at The University of Mississippi which got him drafted in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft.
       The story of Michael Oher is not only a true tear jerker, but an inspiration to anyone with a goal in life. His journey goes to show that even if you come from nothing but have people who love and care for you and have your back, you can be anything that you set your mind to. I Beat the Odds by Don Yaeger is a great book which tells an amazing story of a determined, passionate kid using great writing and interviews with family members of Mike and Mike himself.

The Saviors of the Earth

Apohis, the god of destruction and terror, and possibly the new ruler of the earth.

In this book, the Serpents Shadow By Rick Riordan, Sadie and Carter Kane, along with their fellows from the Brooklyn house, set off on a journey to save the world.  After aphohis' attack everything went down hill, everyone was panicking.  But Sadie and carter didn't let their panic show, they retrieved the box that they sent out to get and the were getting closer and closer to being able to defeat apohis.  But they can't do it alone, they must organize their team, set out on their journey and retrieve the next piece of the puzzle to defeat aphois, they must do this, to restore order to their team, and to restore order to the chaotic world. They must gather many different parts scattered all around the world to be able defeat Apophis, but they don't even know what those parts are yet.  They are battling many different things, but their number one obstical is time, because if they don't find the pieces quick, then Apophis will strike again, kill the last of the magicians, and spread his chaos throughout the world.

I personally really enjoyed the climax and ending of this book, in my summary I tried to give away as little as possible as what would happen because it's very revealing and it would spoil the ending.  This book is filled with adventure and mystery and there is so much action.  The book is truly interesting and if you enjoy Greek mythology or any type of mythology, this Egyptian mythology book will be a book that you will most likely enjoy.  In this book I really enjoyed how much of involvement there was with the gods, I found that other books like this didn't actually incorporate the gods into the books as much, but in this book they brought in the gods a ton of times.  I would defiantly recommend this book to anybody, I think it's a type of book that most people will like, but if you are a fan of action packed books with very adventurous main Charecters, and tons of godly influence, then this is the book for you.

Twins by Marcy Dermansky

    Have you ever wondered what it is like to have a twin? Someone that looks exactly like you? Have you ever wondered what it would be like if your parents “divorced” you? Left you alone to fend for yourself? Twins Chloe and Sue begin on a journey through adolescence, facing many challenges along the way, including their daily fights with each other and fitting in with everyone else around them.
    You would think that having a twin is fun- someone who is a mirror image of yourself and even shares the same DNA as you. Chloe and Sue are tall, blonde, and beautiful girls who feel tormented by each other’s mere presence. When they were little, Chloe and Sue used to enjoy being in each other’s company. They would do everything together, from wearing matching pink bikinis to the beach, to playing in the sandbox on hot summer afternoons. But as they’re getting older, more and more obstacles come between them, drifting them farther apart than they’ve ever been.
    Sue, who is 4 minutes younger than Chloe is jealous of how perfect she is with everything, whether it’s her grades or how organized she is. Sue even thinks that Chloe is the prettier twin, even though they are complete copies of each other. All Chloe wants, however, is to please Sue, who gets easily upset, and to find a friend of her own- only if Sue allows. Sue is very obsessive of Chloe, never letting her go anywhere without her or allowing her to make new friends, as she thinks that only she can be Chloe’s best friend, making Chloe feel bound to Sue by a strong force that won’t let her have a life of her own. Sue is afraid that if Chloe makes new friends, she will be left all alone, watching Chloe enjoy someone else’s company. But when Chloe does end up befriending Lisa Markman, Sue is heartbroken, thinking that her sister has turned her back on her. She is felt ignored at school, by both Chloe and Lisa, and doesn’t feel a part of the group. She feels like Chloe has shunned her out of her life, but all Chloe wanted was to be friends with other people too. Sue is surprised at how much of an influence Lisa has on her sister, making her do things like kissing random boys during a game of spin the bottle at one of Lisa’s parties, something that Chloe wouldn’t have done on her own.
They are both neglected by their wealthy parents, who are lawyers and can’t seem to find time for their daughters. They are also ignored by their brother, Daniel, who is in college and doesn’t seem to care for his sisters while their parents are swept up in the commotion of work. They only really have each other to lean on to for support. Chloe, who was always studious and cared about her appearance, starts to take an interest in basketball, with the help and motivation from Mr. Markman, Lisa’s father and a former professional basketball player. Sue is once again jealous at how easily her sister can master both academics and athletics, and she starts to develop a hatred for Chloe. She hangs out with Lisa Markman, not because she likes her, but because she has no one to hang out with. Lisa has a bad influence on Sue as well, and together they get high on pills and makeout with each other. Once, while Sue is high on pills, she asks Lisa to shave her head but instantly regrets it. She doesn't want to be seen in front of anyone, and runs off to her brother’s college to find comfort in her brother’s girlfriend, Yumiko. But Yumiko isn't comforting; she instead asks Sue to pose nude for her art project as she finds her to be a fascinating object, with her eyes bulging out of her shaved head and her bones visible under her skin. Smita, Yumiko’s friend, takes Sue in instead because she can see that Yumiko was using Sue for her selfish needs. She makes a deal with Sue; Smita can offer her a place to live and give her food to eat, if only Sue can stay as Smita’s maid. Sue is more than happy that someone took her in, even if it means cleaning Smita’s house and serving her whenever she orders. Smita helps Sue overcome her eating disorder and Sue’s hair starts to grow back too in the time that she’s staying with Smita.
Their parents first divorce each other because their mom finds out that their dad was cheating on her with one of their clients. Chloe and Sue are left devastated because their parents always wore matching suits to work and always were together. Their dad moves to Manhattan which is closer to their work and their mom still has to make the long commute from New Jersey. After a while they decide that she should also shift in with him so the commute to and from work would be easier. In the process, they divorce their children and leave them with some money to care for themselves. Since Sue now lives with Smita, Chloe is all alone and invites James Patterson, the boy that always showed up to all her basketball games, over to live with her. He invites his friend Jamal and his girlfriend, which Chloe doesn't like. Pretty soon the whole house turns into a disaster and she asks James’ mother to kick all of them out. She also learns that James gave her an urinary tract infection which has to be treated with antibiotics.
Chloe feels all alone now, with no one in the house. She hasn’t heard from Sue in a while, and she also quit the basketball team due to James and her infection. She calls Sue to speak to her because she hasn’t heard her voice in so long. Sue learns that Chloe quit the basketball team and urges her to join again because she knew that Chloe loved playing basketball and she was good at it too. Chloe rejoins the basketball team, just in time for the state championships, and is surprised to see her sister cheering her on in the stands, instead of giving her a mean look like she used to during her practices. Chloe is glad to see that Sue doesn’t hate her anymore and has stopped obsessing over her, ending their journey full of up and downs through their teenage years.
All in all, I would like to say that author Marcy Dermansky did a good job in writing this novel, as it kept me engaged the whole time. I wouldn’t recommend this book to people who feel uncomfortable reading about some of the topics, as they can be sensitive to some people. I would, though, recommend this to anyone who likes reading about the journey of characters through their teen years and how they’ve matured over the course of that.

A Dog's Way Home...to my top 5 best books

     I would like to start this last, final blog off by saying that if you're a dog person, or an animal person in general you'll love this book. It blends humor action tenderness and caring so very well into just one novel. To give you an overview this book is about a dog named Bella who is found by her owner living with cats when she was a puppy. Her owner, Lucas, takes her in and raises her. However there is a phycotic animal control employee who constantly is trying to catch Bella because he believes she is a pit bull which is a banned breed in Denver. Eventually Lucas decides to send Bella to a foster home away from Denver until he can move away from the city. Bella doesn't understand why Lucas is leaving her so she decides to trek thousands of miles to find her way back to her owner. Along the way she has many adventures including becoming friends with a mountain lion and become friends with a heroin addict/veteran. I don't want to spoil the ending in case whoever is reading this wants to read this book but I will say this: the ending is amazing and feels very cinematic.
      Now my opinion: I LOVED this book it was really good due to how the book was written. It kept a humorous pace by reading the book from the perspective of the dog but was also able to touch on serious topics such as alcoholism, drugs, and physical abuse. There was a scene in the book where a woman named Silvia was being attacked by her boyfriend and the dogs stepped in to fight off the boyfriend. I just think this goes to show just how much of a loving impact dogs have on peoples lives.     Also the way the book was written gave a sense of warmth when encountering the scary parts of life. In this one quote Bella says: "Upon his return, he would have one of his pencils and would seem happy, but only for a little while." (281). Its comforting to see the perspective of a dog when facing the use of hard drugs. Bella also gave a perspective on abuse and how a strong companionship is always a good thing to have: "Sylvia's distress and Mike's fury galvanized me and now I barked, too, and Dutch lunged, snapping his jaws in the air right in front of Mike's pants. Mike let go of Sylvia and fell back, knocking over a chair. We both kept barking." (237).
     This book seemed to entrance me as I couldn't find myself to put it down. It had a really solid plot that always kept you interested in the book. The characters were really developed to the next level where you felt connected to them. This book was amazing and I feel that it should be read by the masses as that is what it deserves. Read this book or miss out on a great read at your own peril.

Elves, Dwarfs, Orcs ... Oh My!

Rachel Boudreau

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings
By J.R.R.Tolkien

Middle Earth… One of the most well known fantasy worlds. Anyone who is anything in Pop Culture probably knows about the words and world of Tolkien's creation. The movies were a success and the books have been sold worldwide for decades. So what makes these books so appealing? Is it the fast paced fights? The stunning world building? Or is it the knowledge that this is what started it all.

Our story starts in the quiet hobbit hole of Bilbo Baggins as he plans for his joint birthday with Frodo his adopted son. The party is huge and everyone is invited. Good food and people party for days. Then Bilbo disappears, leaving Frodo to deal with whatever may follow. A ring. That was Frodo’s gift from Bilbo. Gandalf warned Frodo again using it. Years pass and nothing is heard. Then Gandalf appears and his warnings now have proof. “One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all and in darkness bind them”. Gandalf tells Frodo he must leave the shire for his own safety. Frodo slowly makes plans to leave the Shire with the help of his friends Pippin and Sam. The journey is slow and they are being hunted. Frodo is many times urged to use the ring but doesn’t due to Gandalf’s warning. Their journey soon lead to the inn of the Prancing Pony and the group finds a friend in Strider. Strider offers to guides them to the elven city of Rivendell.

This book is a great read but the writing can be a learning curve to the reader. The lengthy descriptions and small text caused struggles as I started to read and I recommend trying the Hobbit before starting this book series. The book starts slow but builds an intensity and flow. The story is intriguing and the characters make choices that align with their morals and character. I love Frodo and his relationships with each of the characters. Frodo, Pippin, Merry, Sam and everyone else in this book feel alive. Even though magic exists in the world it is never overused, or used to explain why something happens. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy or classic literature. This story is one that started most fantasy tropes that are commonly used and known today. If you ever get a chance pick up a copy and read to your hearts content.

“All that is gold does not glitter, not all who wander are lost;...From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring; renewed shall be blade that was broken, crownless again shall be king”

Just a small boy from Panama

The Closer
By: Wayne Coffey


    Imagine yourself in poverty. Just a young kid in Panama with little to no education, but still keeping your dream of one day playing professional baseball alive. Mariano Rivera, retired Yankees pitcher, 13 time all-star, World Series MVP, 5 time world series champ, and ALCS MVP was that kid in Panama. At a very young age Mariano began his athletic career at a small Panama school playing soccer. In his career playing soccer, he was a very respected player and was looked at by scouts. But, Mariano had another passion and this passion was to play baseball. In a country like Panama, much of the population did not have access to modern goods and appliances. In order to play baseball Mariano needed a bat and a ball. Since he didn't have these things, he'd use a stick as his bat and a rock tied around with fishing net as the ball. Mariano didn't need the everyday bat and ball to play the sport he loved. He only cared about having fun and enjoying life.  Along with the everyday baseball fun, Mariano was an avid fisherman and loved to be out on the water.  His grandfather would take him out all the time to catch fish and bring it back for dinner. Mariano looked up to his grandfather a lot and learned how to truly become a man. Unfourantly Mariano's grandfather passed away when Mariano was in middle school. Without his grandfather around, Mariano had to face living with his deadbeat father. Mariano's father was a very strict man that would constantly beat Mariano whenever he did not finish his chores. Without the grandfather in his life, Mariano had no one to turn to and he seeked a way out of Panama. In highschool, Mariano played in a district game with his very succesful baseball team. The pitcher starting was struggling and the coach looked to put another man in. Yet, no one else could really pitch. The coach decided to call on the unexpierenced Rivera and put him in the game. Mariano was obviously nervous and scared out of his mind. The coach knew the team was
going to loose but just told Mariano to throw strikes and have fun. He did just that. Striking out his first three batters. Luckily, there were scouts there that game and looked at Mariano very prominently.  The scout that looked very deeply at Rivera was an international scout for the Yankees. The scout was very pleased in his work that he decided to take Mariano to spring training. Just a simple turn at pitching lead Mariano out of Panama.

  Overall this was a very interesting and well written book. It may not be a book you'll wanna rush out and get, but it is still a very good book to read. In some parts of the book it got repetitive in saying that Mariano's grandfather was his closest friend and the only person he looked up to. I defintely did enjoy reading this book. Some aspects of the book really spoke to me. One of the themes being to never get down on yourself really made me think about not giving up while I play sports. It made me have more confidence in being succesful at whatever I do. Mariano's character as a child when he improvised for not having baseball gear also made me think of how grateful I am to have everything I
have in life. The language and positive concepts just made my reading expierence a whole lot more involved and I was able to go deeper in the book than just its pages. "I just try to take away things in life that will help me learn. Life is hard." A quote like that shows how important it is to be smart with your decisions and always learn from your mistakes, becuase one day life may be so hard and you'll have your knowledge to help you out. "I don't need anything but the love of people around me. That's how I choose to live life." You should always be thankful for what you have. In Mariano's case you don't need fame and luxury to be happy, just the loving people around you.


  I recommend this book to anyone that loves a good sports book. This book consists of motivation and themes of never giving up. It was a book I defintely enjoyed to read. You should give it a read sometime.

Value friendships

Mariana Fry

Since You've Been Gone
By:Morgan Matson


          Imagine all of the friends you've made in life weren't your friends. This could be because you never met, or they just disappeared. You'd be alone. Your life would consist of just your own thoughts and concerns;a new form of freedom. You could choose how to spend your days. In Morgan Matson’s Since You've Been Gone, Emily stands in a similar situation.
          Sloane and Emily are seen everywhere together. They're inseparable besties! Emily writes “it was rare for us not to see each other on a daily basis, we talked and texted constantly.”(3) The two do absolutely everything together up until the summer Sloane goes missing. After the school year ends, Emily is devastated to hear that Sloane has disappeared with her family. Emily knows it wasn't a vacation that caused this surprise, for Sloane would've given her a fair warning. Regardless of where she was, Emily was still home and alone. She had no other friends because her and Sloane were an unbreakable package for only two. Emily’s daily routine became dull and gloomy, for she didn't have to go school so she sat at home all day. She explains how her summer was ruined by saying “the whole direction I'd planned for my summer to go, just vanishing. And” she realizes that if Sloane were there things would be so much better(18). Instead of going to the concerts, and on all the road trips her and Sloane talked about, Emily’s start to summer consisted of lying in bed, taking her brother Beckett rock climbing, and attempting to get a hold of Sloane. Her parents didn't care much about how she kept herself busy, for they spent their days in the kitchen writing the play they'd been working on. Emily is pretty much depressed till she receives a letter from Sloane. No, this is not a letter that contains details on where she is, for instead it's a list of things Emily needs to do. Sloane wrote her a list of 13 things she needs to complete before the summer is over. Because Emily is shy, reading that she has to go skinny dipping, and kiss a stranger doesn't make her feel too up for the challenge. However, she must complete all thirteen items on this list to see her best friend again. This causes Matson’s readers to walk through Emily's journey of completing every item on the list. On the way, Emily meets new people such as Frank Porter, and Collins, who she soon calls her friends. Does Emily ever see Sloane again?? Read the book to find out!!
          Reading this book is fun for kids my age because there are many relatable moments. Because Emily is a normal teen, she's constantly mad at the world, frequently feels alone, develops crushes and is addicted to her phone. There are funny parts like when she brings Frank Porter over her house and her family is running around and giving Frank things to do and completely embarrassing Emily, and there are also tragic moments like when Frank tells Emily about his life story and how he's living through his parent’s divorce.
          This page turner could really be read by any age, for I give it ⅘ stars, but I would mostly recommend it to girls in high school, who would enjoy relatable moments. If you're looking for something to read, I highly recommend this book!
         

A Perfect World: Does it Exist?

Danielle Pouliot

Brave New World

By Aldous Huxley

Any person has the freedom to form their own path and make their own decisions. But, what if that wasn't the case? What if the government controlled every aspect of your life before you were even born? What if you were forced to follow the government or else you would be a laughing stock? That's the life of The World State in Brave New World. Reproduction, sex and drugs are the main focuses in this society, and no one is against it. 

We begin in the London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre, where humans are produced inside bottles and then are programmed to perform certain tasks. These tasks are performed based on a person's social class. Alphas are the highest rank of society, with each man and woman embodying a "perfect" version of themself. 

A group of students are touring the Centre with the help of The Director, who is the London Centre's director. He explains the process of the Centre to the students and introduces them to Lenina Crowe, "One could see that, for all the lupus and purple eyes, she was uncommonly pretty." (16) Lenina has been sleeping wth Henry Foster, "a fair-haired, ruddy young man..." (8), and many more people. Having many lovers is normal in The World State, and so is soma. Soma is a drug that makes citizens in The World State happy, it relieves them of their worries.

 During this tour the students meet Mustapha Mond, one of the ten World Controllers. He explains the past to the students, how children used to have a mother and father and how couples were loyal to each other.

Bernard Marx is introduced. Bernard is an Alpha psychologist, but he does not possess the normal characteristics of an Alpha male. He plans to take Lenina on a vacation, but wants to focus on the emotional aspects of a relationship, not physical. 

This book is not for everyone. It can get confusing at times and touches upon subjects that people may not want to read about. But, if someone does enjoy utopian fiction, I highly recommend this book. Although I have only read a section of the book, I am confident in saying that it will be a great read. If someone had also enjoyed reading George Orwell's 1984, I would suggest reading this book.

Aldous Huxley had done a fantastic job on writing Brave New World. Every part of this book has extreme detail and describes a life that is bipolar to the world we live in. It displays how distorted society could become if everything was perfect. It also gets the reader wondering what life would be like in the shoes of Lenina, Bernard or even The Director. Just like each person in our lives play a special role, these characters mold together a perfect version of The World State.

Unlike Brave New World, our society is not expected to be perfect. We all have our flaws and our issues, not matter how we portray ourselves. But, people accept is for who we are, flaws and all. For example, Bernard can't expose his flaw of not wanting an only physical relationship with Lenina because it's not socially acceptable. He, and many other people in The World State, don't accept their issues, they use Soma to fix themselves. Today, people hide behind their social media profiles to not show the truth. As Huxley once stated, "People intoxicate themselves with work so they won't see how they really are."

Jakob Bailey
June 13, 2017
English
D Block

What's It Worth?

Imagine yourself, stuck between a rock and a hard place; you have no money, your parents don't love you, your husband left you, and you work a crappy housekeeping job. What would you do to get back up on your feet? Or would you even try? As we left off in my last post, Kathy is hopeless. She goes to her house to ask Behrani what the deal is, and steps on a plank filled with nails. She goes to her lawyer, who informs her that she needs to pay market value, roughly, $135,000, to get her own house back. Let me remind you that her house was taken from her over the government thinking she was running a business from her house, which she wasn't. At witts ends, she appears to be saved by the heroic Officer Lester Burton, who has fallen in love with Kathy. First, he threatens Behrani with deportation. Then, to help Kathy directly, they move into a friends fishing house for a little bit, but then Kathy loses hope a day later. She attempts to kill herself by shooting herself, only to be saved, ironically, by Behrani. But, her faith was not restored. Only a day later, again, she tries to overdose on pills. Yet again, however, she is saved. Not by Behrani this time, but his wife, Nadereh. She is nursed back to health by the family. Then, Lester crosses the line: he kidnaps Esmail, Behrani and Nadereh's son. Before I ask the obvious, I highly recommend this book. It is full of life lessons, inspiring thoughts, and overall engaging. Now for the corny ending that is supposed to make you go out and buy the book: What will happen? Will Lester convince Behrani?  Will Kathy get the house? That's for me to know and you to figure out.   

Can You Survive The Winter?

By: Neil Patel

Brian's Winter
By: Gary Paulsen

     What if you got lost in the forest and had to survive the winter. The question is, Can you possibly survive the freezing temperatures? Brian's Winter is another book that explains what would happen if Brian, from Hatchet, have never hits the button on the plane. In the Hatchet, Brian hits the button on the plane which led to him being saved at the end. This book was made to explain what would happened if the button was never hit. The sun started to rise later and later and went down earlier and earlier. Fall was coming to a end. Winter was waiting to rise. Survival started to become harder and harder for Brian as each day flew by. The animal population began to decrease as the cool and bitter Arctic air came into Canada wild forest. "a brush of new-cool air."(8)Brian needs to use his skills and smartness in order to survive the wild forest. "Brian become part of nature."(10)He gets into lots of problems that is hard for him to solve but does what ever it takes to solve the problem. He uses surrounding and item to his advantage. One small bad move could possibly lead to huge problems. Will he survive the Winter? Read the amazing book to find out what happens to Brian.

     I really recommand this book to everyone. The next time you go to the book store ask for this book. Three reason why I really like this book is was, first this book was easy. It's a easy read that you will enjoy. There wasn't anything complex in the book. Everything you read will make sense if you read the first book which was the Hatchet. The last reason is that you won't be able to stop reading this book. Almost all of the chapters left off on cliffhanger. I wanted to know what was going to happen next. So I kept reading on and on. I recommend reading this book in the summer because it something little to read for the summer when your bored. Since this book is great I rate this book a nine out of a ten. It's a nine and not a ten because in some areas there was too much description and the description kind of got me bored. But that was the only bad thing about this book. I recommend this book to people who like survival books. There is lots of survive tips in the book. This is a realistic fiction because this could happen. I hope you like this book.

Don't look back-you won't like what you find!!! Yuli Cardona

                  Samantha is a stranger in her own life. The day she disappeared with her best friend was the last day of her regular life, she got kid napped and injured her head so she lost her memory. When she wakes up all bloody and bruised in the woods, she was terrified of her appearance but mostly because she couldnt remember what had happened or why she had gotten there. She walks out to the street and was found by a police officer who was patrolling the zone. They took her to the hospital and when she wakes up sees this male and female whom she does not recognize. As they approached her she starts to get flashbacks about that night. The doctors tell her that those people were her parents, they took her home and meets her brother. She feel as she is just getting introduced into a whole new life. Carson Ortiz walked into her room and treats bad ignoring her thinking that what she did and what she says of her lost of memory is a big lie. since she was always a liar and was very mean to him and everyone, not that many people liked her. Samantha feels disgust of herself because she can not believe how rude she was before.  As she starts to meet strangers which were actually her friends but does not recognize them, her first impression of them is not good. After getting to experience her old life she begins to be happy at what her new life is like because she had a drastic change in personality and was nothing like before. It was like starting out fresh and begging a whole new life with different style and experiences. This Samantha is much more liked by others !!!

          This was one of my favorite books because it doesn't have a sad beginning but as you get closer to the end it shows you how to view the good in bad stuff that happens. Although Sam was not happy with what has happened to her, she liked the way she had a second chance in life and those past scars made her stronger and more willing to persevere through any hard obstacle in life. I can not relate to the main character but I feel that her way of moving on with her life was extremely smart and appreciated the way life was giving her the opportunity to reshape her identity into something great and respectful.
               
             I would recommend this book more for young adults and teenagers because it shows to never give up and that no matter what happens your life will continue. Although the struggles some may be going through, there is always a way out and a positive side to every story. Also the violation done to Samantha is something still happening now to young people like her age so this would be a good novel to open up there mind to.

"The Maze Runner" Outruns Expectations

Nick Perez

D Block

6/13/17

The Maze Runner Book Review

When I was first picking up “The Maze Runner”, I did not think much of it. I assumed, despite the hype I had heard about it being a good movie and an even better book, I figured it wouldn’t live up to the hype. I had assumed it was just another dystopian novel with nothing new to offer to the genre, flat characters and a plot that made no sense. What I got was quite the opposite. I ended up finding a great novel with interesting characters and a great story. The outline of the story is increasingly interesting as more information is revealed throughout the novel. The author’s ability to use the right word at the right time helps immerse you into the story and feel for the characters as they go through their trials and tribulations. This book truly is more than any old dystopian novel, and will keep you hooked from the beginning to the end.

The book follows Thomas, a teenager dropped into an unfamiliar territory, surrounded by people who use a strange language and seem to be self sufficient. He is confused, but befriends Chuck, who helps him ease into the new world that he has been thrust into. He demands some answers, but no one seems able or willing to give him any. As he goes from working job to job, he discovers the Runners, a select group of the boys who are meant to go out and explore the maze that surrounds the entire estate. Thomas decides that he wants to become a Runner, which he cannot explain, but is something he feels he needs to do. He is met with very strong disagreement. However, he later rushes into the maze to save two of his comrades and gets trapped. After surviving the night in the maze, everyone in the camp is amazed, and he is nominated to become a Runner. Though this is exciting, Thomas worries if they will ever be able to escape this place that they seem to be trapped in. The plot of this novel is very interesting, and the way the author is able to progress the plot in an effective way that was easier to handle than some other books out there in the same genre. The characters seemed believable and real, with the dialogue making sense, and being believable, though the slang the boys use can be confusing as it is interjected in sentences sometimes at random. Though I haven’t gotten through all of the book, should the novel continue the way it’s going so far. Overall, the plot and writing style of the book are very good, and capture the interest of readers from the very beginning.

Though this book may seem average from the outside, you should never judge a book by it’s cover. I thought this book would be nothing special, another run of the mill dystopian novel. However, the more I read the more interested I become, with the author spinning and weaving an intriguing tale of survival, and mystery. Overall, I would recommend the book to anyone looking for an interesting read, and especially anyone who enjoys dystopian novels. Overall, a great book and definitely worth your time.

"An Abundance of Katherines"

By: John Green

(part 2)

Blog post by: Leah Jones

          If you were going on a road trip with your best friend, where would you go? Wouldn't you plan out a destination place? Don't you think that it's a good idea to have a plan when traveling, even a possible backup plan if something goes wrong? Well for Colin and Hassan they felt as though they didn't need a plan. Instead their plan was to drive until they got sick of it. It was all about exploring and going on wild adventures this summer, Hassan's goal was to get Colin's mind of off his ex girlfriend Katherine XIX for awhile. 

          Colin and Hassan drove far and made a few pitstops in between certain towns. Once they reached the town of Gutshot in Tennessee Colin sees a sign off the road that states 'see the grave of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand.' Colin is eager to go, but Hassan is giving him a hard time about it since Colin shot down the idea about going to see the 'World's Largest Wooden Crucifix' about two hours earlier that Hassan had suggested. Hassan is unsure about this offsite adventure at first but finally gives in. 

          The boys walked into a store requesting to go see the grave. A young girl named Lindsey Lee Wells explained that she was the tour guide, "Tours start every hour on the hour, cost eleven dollars, and frankly aren't worth it." (31). The boys took the tour and got to know more about Lindsey and her background. Colin and Lindsey realized that they had a lot in common.

          Colin, Hassan, and Lindsey got along very well. Lindsey's mother 'Hollis' offered the boys a job. The job required the boys to interview people around town. Colin and Hassan were supposed to ask different people about a factory that Lindsey's great-grandpa 'Fred N. Dinzanfar' created. Mrs. Hollis Wells stated "I just need you to be reasonably smart and not from Gutshot, and you both fit the bill. Five hundred dollars a week for both y'all. You're hired! Welcome to the Gutshot Textiles family!" (64). Since the boys have no official destination they took the jobs. Mrs. Wells also offered the boys a place to stay, "You can't just stay with strangers, Colin." (90) stated Colin's very concerned parents back at home. 

          After a while Lindsey starts to notice that her mother is acting stranger and stranger by the day. She was determined to get to the bottom of this. One Thursday morning Lindsey jumps onto Colin's bed stating "Get up. We're going to Memphis,....We're skipping work and going to Memphis to spy on Hollis and find out why she was filling the swear jar." (190)

          The boys and Lindsey come together and planned on spying on Mrs. Wells. Eventually the truth came out, they found out that nobody had been buying tampon strings from the family's factory in a long time. Lindsey's mom had been dumping the un purchased products into the ground every night, this way she didn't have to fire anyone. Without this factory many people would be out of a job which would stop their income flow.  This was all starting to make sense. The reason why Colin and Hassan were offered the interview job was so that Mrs. Wells could see why the factory was doing  a lot better back in the old days. Lindsey took this dreadful news very hard, Colin comforted her which lead to a lot of secrets that were shared. 

          Colin is shocked to hear that the 'Archduke Franz Ferdinand' was just an anagram of Lindsey's great-grandpa. Meaning that Ferdinand wasn't actually buried in that grave. 

          Lately Colin had been trying to figure out how to predict relationships since Lindsey and him were officially dating. He had been using a Theorem that involved math which he believed would apparently help him predict his future relationships. The author stated, "The graphs that Colin wants to use for his Theorem all need to cross the x-axis twice (once for when a couple starts dating, and once for the dumping)." (224).  Colin finally figured out the Theorem and was convinced that Lindsey was going to break up with him in exactly four days. The Theorem failed when Lindsey never broke up with Colin. 

         At the end of this book Colin, Hassan, and Lindsey decided to get back on the road and basically see where it took them. Once again they had no plan they were just driving until they didn't want to anymore.

         This book left me on a cliff hanger I wanted to see more of a conclusion. I wanted to know what Colin's parents were going to say after this wild summer trip. This book was sort of predictable, I guessed that Colin and Lindsey would end up together and break the revolution of "Katherine's". The overall plot wasn't great but it was decent. At times it got boring but overall it was an okay book. 

           

Ready! Set! Go!

Ethan Morales
6/13/17

Ready Player One

By Ernest Cline

Ever wonder what life is like in the future? Continue reading to find out!

In the year 2044, the world has taken a turn for the worst. The only way teenage boy Wade Watts finds a way to enjoy life is when he is off exploring a virtual utopia that is called OASIS. Wade's passion is to learn the puzzles behind the world of OASIS and to discover what the reality is behind the utopia. The puzzles are based on the creator's obsession with the pop culture of the past and whoever can solve the puzzles is promised with massive power and wealth. But Wade is not alone, after finding the first clue Wade encounter many other players who are willing to kill to win the prize. The race is on, and the only way Wade will have any chance of surviving is to win and end up confronting the real world that he has always been so desperate to escape.

Early into the book I didn't think I was going to enjoy this book, But as I kept reading I stopped and said "wow". This book is a very enjoyable book to all readers as it takes your breath away with the hardships Wade has to endure. If you thought life was easy in the future, read this book and I believe you will be shocked in how twisted the world becomes.

There are many hardships that Wade has to endure in the real world. For example, The loss of his Mom, "When I was eleven years old, she shot a bad batch of something into her arm and died on our ratty fold-out sofa bed while listening to music on an old MP3 player I'd reapaired and given to her the previous Christmas." (19). This quote is an emotional ride on it's own as it connects Wade's life to many lives today. This quote also shows an effect of having to live through and witness the lives of many human beings end due to influences and bad guidance. Another quote that shows a common theme is, "I was jolted awake by the sound of gunfire in one of the neighboring stacks. The shots were followed by a few minutes of muffled shouting and screaming, then silence." (13). This quote is an example of the influences of firearms and the impact they have over everyone's life and the fear they hold inside. Also, this is a clear example of a hardship that occurs commonly in Wade's world and in our world. In almost any place in our world that you go to there will always be gun violence and the only way to stop it is to not fall into that path and continue to follow it because by the end of that sickening path the outcome you find will be grim whether you are alive to see it or not. Wade doesn't allow himself to fall into that path because of the few pure souls that guide him through and above them all his virtual utopia is there to guide him.

Now after reading this blog I hope you have realized the connections between our world and the world of Wade's Watts, and the hardships that are found in his life. After reading this blog I want all of you to run to the nearest book store and buy yourself this delightful book and enjoy reading it.

Champion

Melanie Wan

Champion by Marie Lu

     Have you ever met a "Mr. Perfect" or "Ms. Perfect"? Those types of people are perfect at everything-studying, survival, fighting, etc.- and you would have thought that their lives would be perfect as well, right? Well in fact their lives are a disaster. One of the "Mr. Perfects" was once the most wanted criminal and no one knew what he looked like. But they only knew that he could get anything he wanted from stealing without getting seen or touching anyone. And now everybody knows his face from saving the Republic and isn't seen as a criminal but a hero. That is Day. Along his side was "Ms. Perfect", June. While they were saving the Republic, there was some chemistry between them. But when the war ended another "Mr. Perfect" appeared, Anden. He is the Elector's son who is now Elector since his father died. He has liked June ever since their ending years of school. And now Andean and June has some chemistry too. Anden has made June one of the Princip-elect, the person next in line to be the Elector, so that he could keep her close to him. Day leaves to stay with his brother. After a few months, Day is still working with the Republic as an agent working on special undercover missions. Then after so long June contacts Day to invite him to a party. A party in which is actually a secret meeting with only the three princip-elects, the Elector, and Day. Once he gets there the meeting starts. There is a plague spreading around in the Colonies and they are blaming the Republic for it and are asking for an antidote which they don't have. Since Day's brother, Eden, was experimented on by Anden's father they think that Eden has a cure inside him and they are asking Day permission to experiment on Eden again. Day instantly refuses and leaves. What Day doesn't know is that if the Colonies don't get their antidote, there will be another war. Will Day accept or will he decline? Will there be another war?  

     I first recommend reading the two books before this in order to understand it more. This book grabbed my attention because, first, the plot is very interesting and intense. Also because of how the author describes what is happening, the settings, and what the characters are doing. When she is describing something she gets really specific even to their eye color of how their hair is and when she does you can even see or feel it as she is describing it. "Somehow, in the mist of these aristocrats who blend into one blurry portrait, my eyes catch her silhouette and pause. June. The noise around me fades into a dull hum, quiet and uninteresting, and all of my attention turns helplessly to the girl I thought I'd be able to face. She's dressed in a floor-length gown of deep scarlet, and her thick, shinning hair is piled high on her head in dark waves, pinned into place with red, gem-studded combs that catch the light...and the way she holds herself-poised and graceful, with her slender, swanlike neck and her deep, dark eyes-is the image of perfection." (37) If you like any kind romance-star crossed, love triangles, jealousy- then you would like this book. For me personally it's really hard to find a book that will grab my attention and keep it. When I read the first few pages it instantly grabbed my attention. And now the author of this book, Marie Lu, is my favorite author. So you don't necessarily have to like romance but just anyone who is looking for a book to read.  

Where The Path Has Led Me

Justin Loc

Pathfinder
By Orson Scott Card

Rigg holds a dangerous destiny, a destiny that both his birthright and powerful ability has set for him. The teenager possesses an impressive mind and body, as well as a secret power to see the "paths" once taken by the movement of living beings throughout history, from a minute ago to a thousand years ago. This supposedly unique power is used by Rigg to help with his job to trap animals in the forest. But, as the boy's supposed father dies, he learns of the existence of his mother and sister. This incident begins the teenager's journey, where he will meet new people, either friend or enemy, as he sets off to search for his unknown family. Along the way, Rigg must learn more of his power and its limit, and more about the world's secrets. Rigg's teachings from his father will help with this, but knowing everything from who to trust to who he really is will take time and effort, even for the ingenious boy.

Now that I have read up to half of the book (I only based my last blog about Pathfinder on the first few chapters), I have made a more conclusive opinion on Card's writing style and the story itself. Previously, I stated that the scenes and actions were detailed in the narration. This is still true throughout the first half of Pathfinder, and I don't doubt that it stays like this throughout the second. But, what I have found more moving to me is how the narrator explains their thoughts to the reader periodically: "'We are poor privicks,' muttered Umbo. Loaf ignored him. But Rigg thought about it. Umbo is a poor privick, though[...]his father did well as anyone else, and his family was never hungry," (150). With this, it helps the reader get a good understanding of what the character is thinking about. This style of writing is great for the character development of the main characters, while the minor characters' character development is done through the dialogue and actions, like I stated before. Next, in my previous blog, I stated that mystery was a theme in this novel, although it was science-fiction. I still agree with this, as many questions have not been answered yet. I feel that the book is long compared to an average story, but by no means think it's boring. I have not felt the slightest sense of annoyance or boredom reading the past 300 pages. The element of wanting to know more leads to wanting to read more. I call this an appetite for reading, and finishing the book is my meal.


Rigg's character won over my personal support of the book when I started it, as I stated in my previous blog. That has not changed, but I also have been won over by the beginning of the chapters. I'm intrigued by the second story being told besides Rigg's, which is Ram Odin's. The language used by the two characters in Ram's story is completely different from Rigg's: "'Each computer was an observer and a meddler in spacetime at the time the fold was created,' said Ram. 'You and I weren't observers, because we could not sense or even understand the convolutions of the fields being generated.'" (245-246). I find this separate story genuinely interesting, as it is strange compared to other writings. Most of it is dialogue, and the vocabulary is, in my opinion, scientific. And the story itself is something I have tried to think about before: traveling through spacetime. Not only do I get to enjoy reading this book, but I get from it new ideas for pondering about in the future.

I think it is obvious that I support others to read this book, especially since I have said only good things about it and that it won me over earlier. I recommend this book to those interested in either science-fiction or fantasy, as it feels like both. But, since it also has an interesting and long plot, I think that any teenager that enjoys reading would enjoy reading Pathfinder in their free-time.

Welcome To Your Tape

Kyleigh Hairston

Thirteen Reasons Why
By Jay Asher

     Today, Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 - 24 year olds. It is also something people don't address today. In Thirteen Reasons Why, they address this issue and show what a teens lifes is actually like during a time when they feel like their only way out is suicide.
     If you got home from school one day, after finding out someone you knew had committed suicide, and found a box outside your door that you weren't expecting what would you do. If it were me I'd be extemely curious what the package is. The way this story starts is when Clay, the main character, picks up a box left outside his house addressed to him. He cuts the box open and finds 7 double sided tapes that are numbered. The tapes were left behind for 13 people, including Clay, telling the truth about what led to hannah's death and how they were all a part of it. If somebody you knew had committed suicide and left behind tapes for you, what would you do? Clay is curious and inserts the first tape into the cassette player, and after hearing the words, "Hello, boys and girls... I hope you're ready, because I'm about to tell you the story of my life. More specifically why my life ended. And if you're listening to these tapes, you're on of the reasons why"(24), becomes very confused and a little frightened.
     This book spoke to me because it didn't censor many of the things that are censored in television today. It told the truth which many stories don't do and I was able to connect with the characters and understand them.
     If you are captain of the basketball team, a rich boy with no problems, a very charismatic person, the class clown, cheerleader, writer or a photographer, you can relate to this book. I personally related to the overall theme of the book and a little to all of the characters. As a high schooler, it is hard. You never know who is real or not and there are many times where it seems like the world is against you and this book helps you relate to it. I recommend this book to every highschooler and parents and teachers because it helps understand.
   

Two People, One Story

If you're looking for financial advice, turn away now. Recently, I have been reading a book called The House Of Sand And Fog by Andre Dubus III. This book is very interesting. We are first introduced to a man named Behrani. Behrani is an ex-colonel from the Iranian Air Force who immigrated to America. He has a wife, Nadereh, and a son, Esmail. They live in an upscale apartment in San Francisco, California. Behrani works as a trash collector during the day and a cashier at a convenience store at night. One day, he decides he is tired of the way he is living his life. He decides to purchase a home for $45,000, all of his family's money. This brings me to the next protagonist, Kathy. She is a recovering drug addict, and her husband recently left her,  She is living by herself in a home that has been in her family when she starts getting letters regarding unpaid taxes. She brushes this off as a mistake for several months, until one day the police come to her house. They inform her that they are seizing the property due to business taxes not being paid despite the fact that there is no business there. She is approached by one of the officers, Deputy Lester Burdon, who wants to help her get this issue resolved. Behrani, also, tends to have anger issues. One time he smashes his wife's cassette player, and another slaps her in the face with so much force that she falls off the chair and is left weeping on the ground.


One really interesting thing that occurs in this book is flashbacks. They happen to both characters, but I personally like Behrani's more. Behrani has flashbacks to his days as a colonel in the Iranian Air Force, and Kathy has flashbacks to her time spent with her ex-lover, Nicky. Not only do they add in background information, they do it in a way that is easy to understand, They don't make it very confusing by having it go in and out suddenly and they don't have it boring to the point where it just lists off facts. It add not only to the story but the whole reading experience.


So far, I have given only facts. Now, here are my predictions. I think that it is very obvious the house Behrani bought was Kathy's, but I could be wrong. I also think that, if things keep on going the way they are, Behrani and Nadereh will separate or even divorce, which will definitely put a fork in the road with Behrani's plan. Again, these are nothing but predictions, and mine at that.

Are You Ready?

         Have you ever wondered what our society will be like in the near future? Well Ready Player One by Ernest Cline creates a pretty good picture of where we might be heading. In the novel public schools are now electronic and people have used these electronics to escape their horrible lives. The actual technology used is a three-dimensional paradise called the "OASIS" where you can do anything you want, be anything you want, and look like anything you want. The creator of the OASIS, James Halliday has died and hidden an Easter egg somewhere in it. The finder of this egg will get his fortune of about 240 billion dollars .In the journey to find the Easter Egg one must find three keys and the gates that match each one of them.For example the copper key and the copper gate, the gold key and the gold gate, and the crystal key and the crystal gate.  In this twisted dystopian society where poverty and hunger has taken over, you can only imagine that everyone is looking for it. These people looking for it are called "gunters" and the main character, eighteen year old Wade Watts, is one of them. Wade has no parents and lives with his cruel aunt and whoever she is dating. As wade begins his search he finds the first key which causes a big enough eruption in the OASIS world that people are threatening to kill him and his family.
   
      When I started this book I wasn't quite sure if I would like it because I'm not that interested in video games but I'm a little past halfway and I can't put it down. I can relate to the character on so many levels. At the beginning of the book when Wade is informing the reader about his hideout is when I started to relate to him. On page 25 He says "I knew right away that I'd found something of immeasurable value: privacy." It probably sounds small but being the youngest of five kids and living with an overall of nine people in one house you can only imagine how hard it is to find some privacy and I am still yet to find my "hideout". Not only can I relate to the character but the book is just great, the storyline always has you on the edge of your seat. If I had to recommend this book to a certain audience then I would probably recommend it to gamers, people who grew up in the 80's or anyone looking for a good read. Most of the novel takes place in the OASIS and Wade spends most of his time looking for clues from stuff in the 80s because that's where Halliday told hunters to look before he passed away. If you actually end reading this book which I strongly recommend doing then I just have one more thing to say. Enjoy.

-Cullen Millerick

Not My Type of Book

Eragon
By Christopher Paolini


        BOOM! A pillar to the prison has fallen. Eragon on the back of Saphira screams to keep on going. Saphira shoots a fireball at the enemy urgals and they go flying. An urgal gets in swinging distance of Eragon and strikes with a quick jab of a dagger to Eragon's side. Eragon fires back with a blast of magic in the urgals direction killing it on impact. Eragon is wounded ,but determined and will not surrender. So, he keeps pushing deeper into the prison with each minute he's in there more people die. Eventually the whole prison is just a bloodbath and it'd seemed like this was all a pointless task. But, then a glimmer of hope appeared. In a cell in the far back of the hall seemed to be what Eragon was looking for. A small, delicate, unharmed,but frightened elf named Arya. Eragon grabs her by the waist and him and Saphira hightail it out of there. Hundreds dead all over an elf.

    That was just my take on one of the more exciting scenes in the book titled Eragon by Christopher Paolini. Christopher does an excellent job of writing a great novel for all ages. In this novel there is a poor, skinny, pale,and dark eyed boy named Eragon. He is our protanginist and a very good one at that. Eragon is very young, "Eragon was fifteen, less than a year from manhood."(pg 6) He was born into a poor village in Algaëisa with his uncle and cousin. Eragons life was pretty bland and simple until he heard a loud explosion in the woods. Eragon being the curious boy he is went to investigate and he found a crystal blue shiny stone that glimmered in the moonlight in the middle of the explosion crater. Thinking he could sell the stone for money he takes it and puts in his room. After that, he learns that he won't get any money for that stone. However, shortly after that " Suddenly a crack appeared on the stone. Then another and another... Eragon recoiled in shock. Standing in front of him, licking off the membrane that encased it,was a dragon."(pg 37) That's right a dragon hatched from the stone. Eragon touches the dragon ,and a blast of lighting happens and Eragon is left with a white streak on his hand. Eragon eventually becomes close with the dragon as through touching it he gained the skill to telepathically talking to it. He names the dragon Saphira. Eragon and Saphira become great friends as Saphira realizes who Eragon is and understands his story. Soon after this, two sketchy men come into town looking for Eragon. Since he just got Saphira he assumed it had something to do with that. So Eragon flies away on Saphira's back. Eragon comes back the next day to find the whole village levels and everyone in the village is dead. He soon learns that the king did this to try and kill Eragon and Saphira because they are part of an exclusive group of people Called the dragon riders. The dragon riders are legends and known for being very powerful ,so the king is scared and wants to kill all of them. So, Eragon and Saphira have to go on adventures to try avoid and fight the evils that are trying to kill them. And that is pretty much the plot of the story.

     So, now onto the actual review of the book. I'm going to say this now I hate this book. I only still have this book because I'm very lazy and I don't want to get up and go to the library. But, anyways the book takes so long to get going. I swear the first 100 pages are just about Eragon and his problems in his stupid town. Don't get me wrong Eragon is a great character and all ,but one character can't carry a whole book. In the first 100 pages I almost fell asleep reading it.All It talked about was farming and village life. I couldnt stand it. However, I have to recogonize that the character development in these pages were immense. In the book I saw Eragon go from a poor little farm boy who I had felt bad for him in pity to a strong intelligent man who it's impossible to root against. However, I honestly couldn't care less for character development. I'm more of an action kinda of guy than anything else ,and this section lacked that so that's why I didn't like it that much.

   I've currently read roughly three quarters of the book ,and the action has defiently picked up ,but I'm still not a fan. The next section was nowhere as bad as the first ,but I think it's the overall idea of the book I don't like. I don't like the whole fantasy genre being completely honest. When I read these types of books I can't get any sense of realism from it,and that is just such a turnoff for me. I want to feel like I could be in the book ,but for Eragon I couldn't feel that and that's probably because of the dragons and magics stuff  like those are just not real. However, Eragons and Saphiras characters are very indearing and perfectly played out. Eragon is just so likable and Saphira is just so wise it's impossible not to like. And the king is just a very hateable character ,so I want Eragon to win. The plot is also pretty good I have no complaints about that besides it started too slow. However, in the end the bad our ways the good ,so id give the book an overall thumbs down.

   I feel a lot of people would like this book. I think people who love fantasy genre would love this because it has a a lot of the elements that makes fantasies what they are. Like mythical animals/people ,talking animals ,and magical stuff. I wouldn't recommend this book to people who like action over characters and plot like me, but if you're the opposite go for it. Lastly I'd recommend this book for everyone because it's different. I've never read a book like this before and that is good. It has had a great story so far and it's different than most books I've read ,so I would recommend it for everyone because it never hurts to try something new.

-Jake Gustafson

Keeping Promises

Keeping Promises
Caroline Crowley

Faith, Hope, and Ivy June
By Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

       Could you imagine telling someone your darkest secret? It would probably be a tough situation for anyone. For the smart and shy fourteen year old, Ivy June, she is put in a situation where she needs to tell someone her worst secret. The person that she needs to tell is another fourteen year old girl ,Catherine Clark,who is athletic and outgoing. Ivy is currently living with Catherine for the next couple of weeks because they both are in a student exchange program at their schools. The two girls were on their way to a school dance at Catherine's high school, and Catherine whispered to Ivy, "I am going to tell you something that nobody knows about. I am secretly dating that boy Cameron from our school" (211). Ivy was in shock because she was the only person who knew about Catherine's secret, and Cameron would be showing up at the dance that evening. She promised not to tell anyone. When Ivy arrived at the dance, she met up with some of Catherine's friends and they were discussing who they were going to slow dance with at the dance. Catherine's best friend,Kate, said, "I want to dance with Cameron. He seems like my type" (215). Catherine then joined the group, and Ivy mistakenly spilled the news to all of Catherine's friends about Catherine and Cameron dating. Her friends found it hilarious, but at the same time were annoyed with the fact that Catherine didn't tell them about the news.  Later that night at Catherine's house, Catherine confronted Ivy about how embarassed  she felt and how mad she was at Ivy for being untrustworthy. Catherine is out to get revenge on Ivy, and in return she is forcing Ivy to tell herself her most darkest secret so that Catherine can make Ivy feel just as bad as she herself feels. My opinion of the book is that it's very interesting and realistic. The book is realistic fiction, so many of the events that occur in the story can relate to real life situations that many teenagers face everyday. An example of this is when Catherine and Ivy have their ups and downs with each other, but at the end of the day, they are always friends. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a lot of dialogue full of drama.  This is a great book especially for teen agers who are experiencing ups and downs with their relationships.