What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know

The book I am reading right know is titled What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know. Robin, the main character is basically the school bullies' punching bag. Since kindergarten, he has always been the victim of bullying. He talks about how he is even bullied by the "nerds" of the school. Now a freshman, Robin has a girlfriend who just happens to be one of the most popular girls of the school. The title comes in to play when he realizes his girlfriend's life is spinning upside down. By dating him she is now a victim of bullying too. Right now in the book, Robin has just gotten into an argument with Sophie about how she is ashamed in being with him.

I really like this book because it is entirely written in poems and each poem can stand alone and is written beautifully. I also like this book because the author is very good at writing humor! I laugh so much when reading this book! It is a great book because you get attached to Robin, when he is sad, you feel sad. When he is angry, you can feel that anger. And when he cracks a joke you can't help but laugh.

Hunger Games

As I start to end the hunger games I realize why this book so loved and known by all. At the start of the book I was a bit skeptical about the meaning and over all message that the book was trying to send the reader. As I dove deeper and deeper into the book I started to become in touch and understanding of the characters. Each character has something new to offer the story. As the book goes on the meaning of family really seems to be a reacquiring issue in the book. With me having an older sister myself I sort of expected that she would take the lace of her sister in the hunger games. This was when I first started to get more interested in the book. I started relating it into my life and putting my self in the situations and wondering were I would end up. After a while I realized that even though this book may be fantasy there are realistic problems that teenagers and children can face ever day. Without giving too much away id like to say that this book has taught me a lot about perseverance. Its taught that great work equals great success

Enders Game

I recently read Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card; this book revolved around a apocoliptic earth, where Buggers have threatened mankind. Though 2 kids is the limit in this futuristic world, Ender Wiggin is born. Valentine and Peter, his older siblings were almost perfect; the government gave permsion for Ender to be born in the vain hope that he will be Earth's savior. Ender is six years old when taken and whisked away to Battle School. This is where the young, exceptional children go to prepare for the war against the Buggers. Psycologial barriers are tested, as well as physical ones at Battle School, where Ender must go through a great many challenges in order to stay.

I like Ender's Game for many reasons. Its writing combines complex characters and a twisting, turning plot that brings your eyes hunting for the next word. It is a special, one-of-a-kind book that had me laughing, crying and cheering for Ender as he gought to make a life for himself, define a perpouse for living. Orson Scott Card makes exquisite characters come to life through a serries of mind-blowing events. Its a fantastic book I highly recomend to anyone who loves humor, smart-alec characters, futuristic fighting or a intergalactic war in a race to save mankind/

Time Riders

I have just finished the book Time Riders by Alex Scarrow. The plot is about three teens that were saved right before their deaths to protect the world from people that mix-up time. They have to overcome many obstacles along the way including being left in the past and almost starving to death. This book was absolutely phenomenal! Besides teaching me about history and what could have happened if history was changed in a certain way, it also had great morels and lessons. Including "we learn from the past, so we will not repeat it, and never if you ever get a chance to mess with time don't because the outcome may not always be better, or as you wanted it to be, even though it may be bad now." I would give the book a 10 out of 10 because of its amazing descriptiveness and the suspense the book creates. I was literally biting my finger nails. I also love the way it is written because it jumps back and forth from different times. Oh, you may also learn some history while reading it, the history involves WWII and the Titanic. Once you have read this book I would suggest you read the next in the series because I am guessing it will be good too.

Devious

The book Devious by Cecily von Ziegsar is an It Girl novel. In this installment to the addicting series, the Dean of the school is replaced with a new Dean, and the new Dean has two children; Isla and Isaac. Sweet Jenny Humphrey quickly takes liking to Isaac, and troublesome Tinsley immediately agrees with even crazier Isla. Isla and Tinsley are never up to any good, and at a secret party in the dean's house, Isla breaks the stain glass and then blames it on Tinsley. I think this manipulation between the two girls is because of them both willing to do anything for a good time but then never wanting to take responsibilities for what they do. This book is getting more and more addictive with each chapter and I can't wait to see what happens.

End of Seabiscuit

I recently finished Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand. It was a great story, Seabiscuit was a race horse during the great depression who drew ridiculous crowds to his races. In what is considered to be on of the most famous sporting events of all time, a 1v1 race between Seabiscuit and his rival War Admiral. Seabiscuit was a huge underdog despite his many accomplishments. Over 70,000 people were in the stadium where the race was run and thousands more on the nearest rooftops and lamposts, just trying to get a glimpse of the race. Plus there was millions tuned in on their radios. Seabiscuit one the race not by his speed but by his heart. They were both incredibly fast horses, but Seabiscuit's injured jockey, Red Pollard, said so himself, and he sure was right. Red had been replaced by the Iceman, George Woolf, one of the greatest jockey's of all time. The horses were dead even for the majority, but both were winded towards the end. Seabiscuit refused to lose he would not slow down and he one the race by about ten lengths (which is some horse racing distance that I never figured out what it translated to in feet.) This book made me appreciate horse racing much more, previous to this story I had always considered horse racing to hardly even be a sport, but now I see how fit jockey's actually have to be and how they are the athletes who actually give more for their sport than any other athletes. It was truly a great book and I recommend it to anyone.

Brisingr

I am now reading Brisingr by Christopher Paolini, the book is the third in the Inheritance Trilogy, I had read the first two a few years ago and really liked them, but never got around to this one. So thus far the main character Eragon and his dragon Saphira, with Eragon's cousin Roran have ventured into an evil and dark structure known has Helgrind. In hear they hope to free Roran's fianceé, Katrina. They also hope to kill the Raazac, beetle like warriors who killed Garroth, Roran's father and Eragon's uncle, but he was like his father, as Eragon never lived with his real father. They also hoped to kill the Lethrblaka, who are the Raazacs parents. They are like big, ugly horses with wings. They succeeded in doing all these things, but they also found Sloan, Katrina's evil father who betrayed Roran to the Raazac. Eragon kills Sloan when he finds him blind in his prison cell, but he just tells the others that he found him dead. Thus far it is a great book.

I.O.S.F.of C.S.Lewis: 2nd Post

I have just started chapter four in my book, and it is about another one of C.S. Lewis’s books of which I have not read …yet. In the beginning of his chapters, Kilby has long summaries of the books, highlighting the connections that he has found. I think I may want to read this book, after all is said and done, because it seems pretty interesting. The chapter is about the book The Everlasting Incorrigibles, I haven’t gotten to the analyzing part of the chapter yet, but I like C.S. Lewis’s style so far for the way he writes out his characters, and plot.

I think that another of C.S. Lewis’s books will be my next Independent Reading Book, because I still need more pages. Any suggestions for a book? I happen to prefer fantasy, or parallel universes with political/science fiction, because it is like stepping into another world. Although, I am not closed to another genre. I think I may finish this book over the weekend. So I’m looking forward to buckling down to do some serious reading!

With Basketball season starting and everything, I’m getting concerned that I may not be able to read like last quarter. This is something I will overcome.

I am currently halfway through with the book Dash and Lilly's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohen and David Levithan. This is a lighthearted novel with a twist of romance. Lilly has hid a book in a library and it is left for anyone who has the time to open it. It gives clear directions on what to write and where to put it. The lucky person to accept the challenge would soon be Dash. Both teenagers continue to write back and fourth in the notebook talking on a deeper more personal level. Although they have never met I can really feel the connection between the two characters. Both learn more about themselves through what they write to each other. I predict that they will at one point meet and share an extremely deep understanding and love for each other. I really like how the authors choose to keep it extremely hilarious while they help find what the real meaning of life is. It gives two different points of view on anything and everything. Two word birds are now on the quest to finding meaning and reaching their goals, hopefully together.

Tangerine-Nick Washuta

Over the past few weeks I have been reading Tangerine by Edward Bloor and stopped reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling (I read a total of 217 pages in that book for this quarter-but take away 65 from last quarter=152 for this quarter) In Tangerine I am 67 pages in the book so far, and it has been a great book so far.

In Tangerine the book is based around the Fisher family. The main character is Paul, a soccer goalie; his parents, and his superstar-football player brother; Erik. The first scene of the book takes place in his Texas; when Paul and his mom are packing it up. They were moving from Texas to Florida. Florida, to them seems like it is hiding something. They wander why there is so much smoke there and even end up calling the fire department. The man who showed up was, I would say, in his twenties. He replied and answered their question with “muck fires,” but still left them wandering what that meant. Oh yeah, and did I mention that Paul does not like Erik because pretty much he gets all the attention.

The next thing to cover is school. He and his brother were attending Lake Windsor High School and Middle School. On the first day of school Paul is classified as an IEP-a person with bad eyesight who needs a guide to act as his “own eyes,” but denies the fact that he has bad eyesight and goes back to class. After a few days of school Paul has soccer tryouts where he is informed that everyone makes the team, but only half will play. By the end of the tryouts-or practice-he knows he will be the starting goaltender on the team. The last main part that happens is that Mike Costello gets struck by lightning and dies. But not only that, Erik gets a whole new reputation from Paul, when saw Erik and his friend making fun of Mike’s death.

Wintergirls

Lia had a best friend named Cassie, a girl who she met when Cassie moved in across the street in second grade. The summer between their fifth and sixth grade, Cassie began dealing with bulimia to become thinner. By eighth grade, both Cassie and Lia shared a goal of being the thinnest girls in their class. Cassie and Lia had a contest to see who could be the thinnest. Lia was hospitalized to treat her eating disorder during their junior year of high school. Nine months later Cassie was found dead in a motel. The cause of death was unknown at first but an autopsy showed that she died from boerhaave syndrom. Lia, getting a message from a motel employee named Elijah, who told her to come to the motel to meet him, went to the scene of where her ex-best friend died. When she met and saw Elijah, he didn't know who she was, so she told him she was her step-sister Emma. At Cassie's wake, they meet again and finally, at Cassie's funeral, he learns the truth of her name after Lia's mom finds her. During this time, Lia's weight drops from 101 pounds to 93 pounds, though she has rigged her family's bathroom scale so that her parents believe she weighs more. After her father gets back from his trip, and tells Lia she is moving in with her mom, since she isn't working with them, she goes into the bathroom and cuts deep into her skin, from her hand all the way to her brain. Her step-mother Jennifer and step-sister Emma find her and take her to the hospital, after that, she is supposed to live with her mother, Dr. Chloe Marrigan. Dr. Marrigan feeds her and doesn't leave her side without having someone else watch her.

Man vs. Beast

For this post, I am posting about the new book I started literally this afternoon, a book with the name Man Vs. Beast. This is the sixth book of the CHERUB series, and I must say, the first five pages were enough to reel me in easily. It starts off with the story of a boy named Andy, living with his brother and his mom in a poor suburb. His mom works three jobs, and one of them includes working at an animal lab, to test products on animals. But unfortunately, this is her only option to work at, for the other jobs, she isn't qualified for. Andy is a unorganized sort of slob, which is kind of like me, while his brother is a straight A organized dude, like some other people I know. Then, one day, their mother was walking to her car when she was spray painted on her eyes, blinding her for life. The suspect are men who are like PETA, but a more radical and responsive version of them. These men attacked Andy's mom because her job at the animal lab, so they basically hated her. This really set up what the story was going to be about. The way that it said what was going to happen before it went to the main character, James, really made me want to read on and see how James would react to his potential mission, probably entering the PETA thing, and cracking it down, one by one. I'm very excited to keep reading.

Before I Die

          I am currently reading the book Before I Die by Jenny Downham. The book is about a girl named, Tessa, who has diagnosed with cancer about four years ago. A little bit ago the doctors told Tessa she didn't have much time to live. Instead of sitting around and moping all day Tessa wants to live life and not die until March when she will be 17. She creates a bucket things of all the things she wants to do before she dies. Somethings she wants to do is try drugs and go one whole day saying yes to everything people ask her to do. So far Tessa has done the two I have just mentioned. During the story so far Tessa has had to go to the doctors to get a serious of test done. She describes the hospital as a place where she spends her time dying she also says she can't remember each nurse that she has all are nice to her, but the faces all blur together. Tessa really doesn't care about her life any more and gets thrills from putting herself at risk and I think that she is going to get very injured  and that may even lead to her death. I like this book so far, but feel like I know what is going to happen in the end. I feel lucky to not have to be tested on continuously.This book is a very classic idea for a story but I hope it will be unique.

Water For Elephants 2

I am still reading Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen. By this point, I am pretty sure that the genre is realistic fiction. Also, I have come to the conclusion that the time period is not the 50's, but the early 40's. At the circus, (when Jacob is 25) Jacob had to kill Marlena's (his boss, August's, wife) horse because it was very ill. Many of the animals were being malnourished because Uncle Al (owner of the circus) spent a lot of money on buying performers from a different circus. One of those purchases from another circus was an elephant. At first, everyone was so excited that they finally got one, but then August found at that the elephant was really dumb and could hardly do any tricks. At that point, August put Jacob in charge of taking care of the elephant. Things are starting to get tense between August, Marlena, and Jacob. Jacob loves Marlena and I'm quite positive that Marlena loves him back, but obviously she is married to August. August often loses his temper about the dumbest things, and many times, Marlena is subject to his wrath. In other words, she is being beaten by August, but for some reason Marlena is willing to live with it. Meanwhile, "old Jacob" (90-ish)" is being visited by his family and they are taking him to the circus. Truthfully, my words do not give this story justice. The plot may sound childish in the way I describe it, but trust me it is an AMAZING book!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer

Since my last post, I have finished Lord of The Flies (271 pages I think), Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (183 pages), The Invention of Hugo Cabret (533 pages), The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (274 pages), and Fruits Basket (7+ books of manga so far, so I'm not counting page numbers; my guilty pleasure).

An adult historical fiction book I have finished recently, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, has been on the New York Times Bestseller list. The whole book is written in the form of many letters, and takes place during World War Two. The Germans have taken control of Guernsey Island during the war. Juliet, a current popular author, has gotten letters from the Guernsey literary an Potato Peel Pie Society from Guernsey Island. The whole literary society started when two men are caught after curfew, eating a pig feast in secret (because pigs and other food was taken away from the islanders.) Soon, Elizabeth comes to the rescue and explains they were just finished discussing books. Soon as Juliet discovers the story of Guernsey and is introduced to many wonderful people living there, she goes to visit. Through her visit, she finds out about a vivacious lady named Elizabeth. She takes care of Elizabeth's daughter Kit while there, and ends up falling in love. Although Elizabeth isn't an active character int he story, you discover her along with Juliet.

I absolutely loved this book, and finished this book in one day. Although it is an adult book, it is appropriate for mature readers as there is no inappropriate content in it. It is truly a heartwarming and quirky story, and it is quite unique. I would recommend this book to readers who are looking for a more challenging yet interesting read.

To Kill a Mockingbird

Since my last post of Ashes, Ashes I have been trying to find another good book that I could read. It took me like a month to find this book, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Unfortunately I have only got about 50 pages into the book when I told Ms. Swearingen and she told me that I had to stop because we would read this book later in the school yard. At this point I was bummed because for the most part, the first 100 pages were AMAZING!!! This has got to be one of the top 10 books I have ever read. This book was mainly about a girl, nicknamed Scout, her brother, Jem, and her new friend Dill. I haven't gotten very far into the book, but so far the main plot in the book was that these three friends were trying to get a supposedly very mean and angry person to come out of his house (Radley). That's about all I know of this book, but so far it's very good and I like it a lot. You guys will enjoy this book when you read it later on in the year.

The Invisible Man

Currently I am reading The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells. I just started the book so I am not very far in. However, based on the summary at the back it is about a scientist who turns himself invisible in a science experiment, but goes mad when he can't go back and make himself visible again. So far at my part in the book a mysterious man checks in to an inn covered head to toe so that no part of his skin is exposed. He acts strangely around others and prefers to be alone. The few people that have seen or heard about him are angry at his seemingly rude behavior.

The Invisible Man was written in 1897, so some of the language is odd, and can be hard to follow at times. However, one of the things that I liked was that Wells used a lot of creative foreshadowing in the first few pages of the book. This isn't the regular type of book that I usually read, being that it was written over 100 years ago, but I am really enjoying Wells' writing style and am eager to read more.

Make Lemonade

I just started reading the novel Make Lemonade, a novel by Virginia Euwer Wolff. Make Lemonade is a story about a seventeen year old girl named Jolly. Jolly has two children named Jilly and Jeremy. She is a single teenage mother who can't spell, and doesn't have much of a job. She knows she can't take care of Jilly and Jeremy all by herself, so she posts a "Babysitter Needed" sign on the high school bulletin board. A fourteen year old, Verna LaVaughn is the only one who applies for the job. Verna LaVaughn lives with her mom. She is working very hard in school and saving up for college. Verna had the idea to apply for this babysitting job to add onto her savings for college, and do her homework while the kids are sleeping. Verna got what she had hoped, the approval of her mother to take the job, and she got accepted by Jolly on the first visit to her house. She is doing this hard job while she she tries to maintain her grades to get into college. At first, this works out alright, but soon Jolly is taking extra time at work without giving Verna a notice about it, and Verna ends up having to stay the night at Jolly's house with Jilly and Jeremy, and skip a day of school, waiting for Jolly to return from work. Meanwhile, Verna's grades are going under the bust, and moved quickly from straight A's to C's. Jolly soon returned back home from work injured and scraped all over her face. Verna is struggling to maintain her high level of grades, the same time she is taking care of this poor family.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

I recently finished the first book in the Harry Potter series. I have seen all of the movies and have been addicted to them ever since I first watched them. After I read the first book, I immediately wanted to read the second. As good as the movies are, the book provides much more detail and information than the movie ever did. It was a lot of fun to read the book after I've watched the movie because then while I am reading the book, I can visualize what the characters and setting looks like.

In the beginning of the first book of the series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, it mainly introduces the characters to you. My favorite character is Hermione Granger because she reminds me of myself. She is very outgoing, smart, and a great friend to Harry and Ron.

Harry Potter finds out he is a wizard for the first time. He has never played a game while flying on a broom stick, worn a cloak of invisibility, befriended a giant, or helped to hatch a dragon. All Harry is familiar with is the boring muggle life with his horrible step-parents and their terrible son. All of this changes when he receives a letter from an unknown owl. In this message is an invitation to a world so magnificent and magical, it doesn't sound real. He finds great friends, sports, and magic everywhere he goes.

Harry goes through an interesting adventure with his friends in order to destroy the sorcerer's stone, and keep it from the dark side. Throughout this magical adventure, Harry defeated Lord Voldemort, and saved Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Johnny get your gun

The book i am reading is titled "Johnny get your gun". this book is about ww1 and discusses the struggle a family goes through in the war. It starts out sort of conserved and quiet but farther into the book, they start describe how the war was actually happening and they describe "play by play" war scenes that can get pretty gory. I personally am not into blood but it is extra credit in Steve social studies and i wish there was a better option but anyway............, the book has a lot of nasty scenic which am not allowed to describe to but i ams sure you might be coming up with your own imaginary scenes, that i assure you are nowhere close to the way the book describe. well, thats it bye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Specials

In Specials, the third book in the Uglies series, Tally Youngblood becomes a Special Circumstances agent. With every bone replaced with ceramic ones, and monofilament muscles that can stop an arrow in it’s’ track, Shay and Tally have become the ultimate fighting weapons. Together, the two girls embark on a mission to destroy New Smoke, home to the Smokies. Smokies live outside the city lines; some are born into the Smoke, while others are recruited from neighboring cities. Before, the Smokies were non-violent and used only rudimentary tools to survive in the wilderness. In Specials, they have acquired control of a city, created pills to release the Pretties, pretty, oblivious, light-headed party goers from their odd, waking-dream of life. Tally’s mission is to stop them from distributing the dangerous drugs, after her boyfriends’ brain was slowly eroded by the nanos in the pill. Tally’s affections are tangled up however when she comes face-to-face with an ex-boyfriend, the distributer of the drug. Loyalties are tested, lines drawn and secrets spilled in Specials. It’s a really good book, fabulously written and a plot that is continued through Specials. I highly admire Scott Westerfields’ work and recommend this took to anyone who enjoys a good sci-fi, romance, action-filled novel; this is the way to go.

Born at Midnight

I am reading Born at Midnight, by C.C. Hunter, which is the first book in the Shadow Falls series. So far, Kylie Galen found out that her parents are getting a divorce, her grandma died, and her creepy stalker can't be seen by anyone other than her. Oh, and her best friend might be pregnant. So when Kylie's mom said that her therapist, Dr. Day has recommended that she go to this camp that she believes will "help her" Kylie has no choice but to get on the bus, and go to Shadow Falls. She meets some pretty weird people on the bus, like a boy who can change the color of his eyes, a girl who has dyed her hair lime green, black, and pink, and who carries a mysterious toad that just disappears, and another girl who has unusually pale skin, and wears big sunglasses to cover her eyes. Then she finds out from her new therapist at the camp, Holiday, that she has special powers being able to see ghosts, and that's why she's been sent to the camp.

I am reading the book, Seabiscuit: The American Ledgand by Laura Hillenbrand. The book is about Seabiscuit, a horse who is small, stocky, sleeps a lot, and has bad knees. But as it turns out, he is insanly fast, you just need the right way to train him. His trainer is a man named Tom Smith, a man who doesn't talk much, loves horses, and hates the press. Seabiscuits owner is a man named Howard, and he loves the press. His rider is a man named Pollerd. Right now Sea biscuit is about to face the dreaded War-Admiral.Sadly, Pollard got his leg broken, and his good friend George Wolf had to ride him.

Scorpia

The book i read i read and finish is Scorpia. It is a story about a 13 year old boy name Alex Rider and he is taken by a Spying Agency name Scorpia and put in a training camp. As Alex wonders through camp he learns from his families path which could be lie or the truth but no one will know unless you finish the book. Anyways, as Alex trains anger starts to build against Mrs. Jones who works for M16 who is supposedly the bad guys in this book. Anyways Alex is sent out on his first mission as an assassin to kill Mrs. Jones but something happens and Alex ends up staying with M16 and learning the other side of the story about his families past and does not know who to believe so he is confused and ends up picking M16 hoping it is the right choice because Scorpia is planning a massive attack on thousands of children but no one can stop them but Alex. Alex being the 13 year old boy does the best he can and ifyou read the book you learn about what he does and does he succeed. I personally recommend this book!

The book that i read is titled Rash by Pete Hautman. The book is was about a boy name Bo Marsten and his fake computer friend of artificial intelligence named Bork. In the story, a school wide rash breaks out and Bo is to blame with his first victim, Karlos Mink, even thought Karlos put on a cream that gave him the rash himself. They had already gotten into a lot of fights with each other that had some eyebrows already raised. After their last encounter Bo was sent to a McDonald processing plant where he made pizzas. By the way, they live in the United State of a Safer America USSA. In the USSA, football is illegal but in the processing plant he goes to, the warden authorizes football and it becomes one plant vs. another, the Coca-Cola processing plant. After the game, Bo is let go because bork gave himself real smarts to be a lawyer. When Bo gets back home he tries to break the school running record.