Final Blog Entry~ Never Wave Goodbye by Doug Magee

  The book Never Wave GoodBye by Doug Magee and I believe it belongs in the teachers classroom, because the book explains a life message on never to give up. In this book two parents  sends their child Sarah off to soccer camp for the first time. Too busy being excited and anxious Sarah's mother puts her on the wrong bus; she send her child on the bus which she thinks is her departure bus, but no. Sarah was kidnapped with other children from her neighborhood who was also attending the camp. Many people were notified and questioned on the kidnapping. Sarah's parents never gave up hope that one day she'll be found.
 This book held a lot of emotion, and drama. The reading level for this book is easy and modern. I'll give the book and 8/10, because it left a lot of unanswered questions with serious suspense. I believe this book deserves and part II.

(Final Blog Entry) Looking for Alaska By: John Green

The best book I have read during this school year would definitely have to be Looking For Alaska by John Green.  John Green wrote a very powerful and inspiring novel.  Throughout the novel, John Green found ways to connect the book to you and touch your life.  John Green is one of my favorite authors by far and I really enjoy reading his books.
Looking for Alaska is about a boy, Miles, seeking for a Great Perhaps.  Miles is through living a life filled with boredom.  He decides to listen to the wise words of Francois Rabelais and look for a greater perhaps. Miles transfers to Culver Creek high school to being a new life. Throughout the book I felt a strong connection to Miles. This is because he didn't just sit around and let his life waste away.  He wanted to make something of his life, so he did.   I personally believe that we should enjoy our lives while we're young because we wont be young forever.  We have to make something of our lives now because before we know it, our chance will be gone.
 I believe that all teachers should have this book in their classrooms because this book could potentially inspire many and make a difference in their lives. John Green is an amazing writer and touches your life throughout the story.  His way of writing is easy to understand. However, there are parts in the novel which make you think and challenge you as a reader.  This book isn't very long so it isn't hard to read or finish. However, if you read at a good pace, you will feel and instant connection to the characters. I believe other readers will love this book because is displays a solid message and makes a great impact on your life.
Rate: (10/10)

Final Blog Entry~ The Host by Stehphenie Meyer

          This year I read the book, The Host by Stephenie Meyer. I believe this would be a good book for a teacher to have in her classroom library. It's about a girl that gets her humanity taken away from her by a soul. these souls abduct humans and take over their lives. There is a guy that is in love with this girl and he doesn't know what to do when she is gone. There are still some humans scattered all over in hiding hoping to never be found. It has to do with present day and the characters are very detailed in the book. I think it's pretty cool how the author wrote about aliens since they are not real. I think it is good for a teacher to have science fiction book in her classroom library.
          The reading level was somewhat easy. It was really hard to put the book down because of the combination of emotions and actions. It had romance, drama, violence, and sci-fi. I personally think that those things are the best combination to have in a book. It makes it so hard to put down the book. I would rate this book a 10/10 for the awesome job of writing the author did. It was one of the best books I have ever read.

Final Blog: Ark Angel by Anthony Horowitz

          Earlier in the year, I read the Alex Rider thriller Ark Angel by Anthony Horowitz. This year I had my eyes sighted on the Alex Rider book series as I read most of the books in the series. Of all the ones I read however, this one stood out as the best.
          Alex Rider is your average 14 year old. He's into video games, sports, and girls. But there's something not so average about him. He is a spy for the British Intelligence Agency, MI6. In the end of the last book, Alex was walking out of building when he was shot. An attempted murder by a hired hit man. Against all odds, Alex was not killed. Now we've just started Ark Angel. While recovering in world-renowned St. Dominics Hospital, he saw several suspicious men pull up in a dark vehicle. He took the elevator down to see that these men meant serious business. Listening through the door, Alex heard them asking for a Paul Drevin, the very boy that was staying next to him. After a while, he heard gunshots and the receptionist was dead. Using Alex's quick-thinking, he went upstairs and switched names and room numbers with Paul Drevin in the next room. He waited opposite the elevator in a long-hallway. After the men came, they asked him if he was Paul. He said yes, ran, and the chase began. Alex manages to knock out 4 of the 4 men. But later when Alex is catching his breath, he is hit in the back of the head... He woke up several hours later in an abandoned building. After a while, Alex is let in on the plan. All of this is led by an organization called Force Three. They are your "Eco-Freaks" so to speak. However, they will go to unimaginable heights to protect the earth's natural "jewels". In regards to Paul Drevin, he is the son of billionaire entrepreneur Nikolai Drevin. Nikolai Drevin has launched a program that will build the first luxury hotel in space. However, many of the rockets they send up carrying supplies give off harmful gasses. These gasses destroy the natural ozone layer that protects the earth and this does not sit well with Force Three. What will happen now? Find out what happens in Ark Angel.
          I recommend this book for a plethora of reasons. First of all, I think that classes could use a little bit of excitement. The tone of the book in general and the voice of the characters makes this a very enjoyable book to read. Especially out loud. I feel that it will make people excited to come to English class. Like something to look forward to. Also, even though this is a series book, each book is very individualized. You pretty much don't need to read books 1,2, and 3 to understand what's going on in 4. This is an advantage because teachers can read a different book every year while still posing the same types of questions. This way, teachers don't have to read the same book 10 years in a row. My final and most important reason for recommending this book to be part of an English curriculum is that it poses real-world issues in a passive way. I'm sure if there was a book called The Very Real Issues of the World That Can Affect Future Generations and Should Receive More Attention no kid, even adult would WANT to read it. But by integrating a problem (Terrorism) with an action book with the main character being around the same age as the readers, it can actually make kids interested. And that is what is great about this book. It passively introduces reality into an exciting fiction novel.

I give this book a very genuine 10/10.

Final Blog Truancy by Isamu Fukui

                                During the school year, I read a decent amount of books. If I had to pick one that every teacher should have available for students to read, I would have to chose Truancy by Isamu Fukui. The story's setting and lesson makes Truancy a great book that is worth reading.
                               The setting of Truancy is crucial to the story. This story takes place in a totalitarian society. I can assume it also takes place in an Asian country because of some of the names Fukui uses. In this society, the Educators, a board of strict teachers, and the Enforcers, a group of police officers and soldiers, completely control every aspect of everyday life. These groups only answer to the Mayor. The Mayor is the man in charge of everything that goes on in his society. He has the biggest influence on everyone's lives. He enforces strict rules and can sometimes make life unbearable, especially for children. Children in this society are treated the worst. The teachers expect that no child behaves poorly. In order to prevent this, the Educators made a rule that prohibited talking in school. Any student that was caught talking was sent to the principle's office and most likely suspended. These strict rules sparked the creation of the Truancy. The Truancy is a group of children who go on special ops missions in order to loosen the Mayor's grip on the society. Their main goal is to disrupt the Mayor's plans so that children and others can live freely in the society. They do this by destroying as many of the Mayor's bases and headquarters as possible; however, the Mayor is not a person who excepts defeat easily. Both sides are determined to fight each other until one side gives in.
                                 While reading this book, I found that the Fukui tried to teach his readers a lesson. The lesson in this story is that people must stand up for justice and freedom when these things are being taken away from them. All teachers should support "liberty and justice for all." The Truancy stood up against the Mayor in order to help the children and people living in the society. This lesson also applies to real life events. The Patriots revolted against Great Britain because they were being treated unfairly. Because of their efforts, all American citizens have freedoms and can live in a just society. Without their hard work and determination, the United States would not exist today.
                                I really enjoyed reading this book. The book's totalitarian setting and lesson made it a very interesting book to read. I would consider it a science-fiction book and a moderate book to read. I actually did a decent job pacing myself while reading this book and I was able to finish it within a month. Fukui's writing style in this book consists of him changing points of view form the Truancy's point of view to the Mayor's point of view. He does this constantly. I like this style of writing because I felt that it gave me a better understanding of each event that occurred. Overall, I would give this book four out of five stars.                                                                                        

Final Blog- Stormbreaker

        A book that I have read this year is Alex Rider: Stormbreaker- by Anthony Horowitz. This has been the best book by far that I believe should be included in every teacher’s classroom. This book is the first of the books in the Alex Rider series and it is one of the best. The plot is thorough and interesting as he is an orphan whose uncle dies, his legal guardian, and is brought to M16 to help them be a part of their agency. This book has moment to moment action and keeps you at the edge of your seat waiting for the next gun shot to be fired or the next time he gets himself out of a sketchy situation. The author also creates the main character Alex as a young relatable British school boy. He has problems, even though they may be different than the common problems of teens, he still had problems and he stressed about them. This book should be in every Teachers personal library because this book has a moderate reading level perfect for appealing to many students. The structure and pacing is consistent. It appeals to multiple genres and interests; there is action, suspense, drama and more. This is overall the book that I would recommend the most; it is the original of the series which might encourage people into continuing in the series.

Final Blog: Inheritance

The Inheritance Cycle (sometimes informally known as the Eragon series) by Christopher Paolini is definitely the best that I have read this year. I have read it before, but that is actually a sign of how good I think it is; normally I can't stand to reread books, except for my favorites. I haven't gotten to the final book, Inheritance, yet, but so far it has been great. The plot is constantly changing and morphing with unexpected events that have the reader hungry to find out what happens next. There is constant action, both in terms of stuff happening and of additions to the plot. This is a quality that I love in stories that have high potential. The books mainly follow the adventures of Eragon as he struggles through physical, mental, political, and familial issues to reach his goal of overthrowing the tyrant king, Galbatorix. 

King Galbatorix had been one of the Dragon Riders, a group of elves and humans with magical powers who kept the peace in the land of Alagaësia. When his dragon was killed, he went mad, and the Riders would not provide him with a new one because of his madness. Galbatorix then stole a dragon and began to slowly destroy the Riders and their dragons. He recruited 13 followers, called the Forsworn, who assisted him. He then took over Alagaësia and began his immortal reign, and since had been gathering his power to unimaginable heights. By the time of Eragon, all of the Forsworn had died, either through their own carelessness or through the attacks of the Varden, the main body in opposition to Galbatorix.

Eragon was a poor farm boy who lived with his uncle, Garrow, and his cousin, Roran. Eragon had no idea who his father was and all he knew about his mother was that she had only been in the nearby town of Carvahall a few weeks, to give birth to him and place him under the care of Garrow. One day while he was hunting in the neighboring mountains, a large, smooth stone suddenly appeared in front of him, obviously by magic. He took it and brought it back to Carvahall, hoping to find someone to sell it to. But nobody did, and after a few days the stone broke open, and a baby dragon came out. Eragon then had to raise the dragon in secret. Eragon later found out that two strangers from the Empire had appeared in Carvahall, inquiring about the stone. As the approach the house, his dragon panics and carries him far away. When he finally gets it to return, he finds the farm burnt down and Garrow mortally injured within. When Eragon is at Carvahall, he asks the town storyteller, Brom, about the dragon. Brom surprisingly has much more knowledge on the subject than Eragon had thought. Eragon and Brom then take the dragon, whom Eragon has named Saphira, and venture out of Carvahall seeking to avenge Garrow's death. Much of the story consists of this revenge. There are many later huge twists, such as Eragon's joining the Varden, communing with dwarves, and going to the elves to be trained as a Rider.

The Inheritance Cycle is, without a doubt, one of my favorite series of books. It consists of a complex mythical world of magic, elves, dwarves, dragons, and many more creatures. I highly recommend it for any lover of fantasy, in particular of magic, dragons, and the such. These are reasons that I think any teacher who agrees should have this series. The story, although it might be considered long and kind of complex, is actually a not very difficult read. The pacing and action is definitely continuous and flowing. There are multiple smaller stories that intertwine to add to the greatness of the plot. The writing style really reflects how the characters feel. When the books sometimes follow the actions of other characters (in particular Roran, and sometimes Nasuada or Saphira) every few chapters or so, the writing style is slightly different, which helps the reader to be able to understand the character individually much better. The books, in order, are Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance.

I rate the Inheritance Cycle 9.75/10.

The Fault In Our Stars (Final blog entry)

                The Fault In Our Stars is a wonderful book by John Green. This book is a very inspriational book about a girl battling cancer. This girls name is Hazel. She taes medicine to stop tumors from growing inside of her. She also has very bad lungs and needs to carry an oxygen tank around with her everywhere. Hazel's mom wants her to go to an support group. Hazel meets many different people there, but there is one certain man that she becomes close with. His name is Augustus and they become so close there bond is unbreakable. One night Hazel waks up with brutal pain in her head. She went to the hospital and was treated. Augustus was by her side at the hospital the whole time she was there.Hazel ended up getting better so her and Augustus when on a trip to Amsterdamn. They when on this trip to figure out the ending of there favorite authors book. The book that Augustus and Hazel were reading had a cliff hanger for an end and they wanted to know what happened really bad. They went on the trip and fell in love with each other. They started dating in the middle of the trip. After they got back from their trip Augustus is not doing so well. He is in a wheelchair a very close to dying. After a couple of weeks he ends up dying and Hazel is so sad. Hazel ends up making it through the death of Augustus.
             I think that this book would be good for a teachers library. There are some parts of the book that is hard to understand, but overall it is pretty easy to understand. This book is about love, courage, and strength. This book shows how hard it is to battle cancer, but it also shows how to make it through.

Flush (final blog)

        The best book I have read this year was the book Flush by Carl Hiaasen. I recommend for every teacher to have this in their classroom because its an amazing book. This book is good because it leaves you on a suspense. The book is about Noah who's dad is accused of sinking a boat. He sunk it because he believe Dusty, the owner of the boat, is dumping poop into the lake where the boat is located. Nobody believes that its true about the poop. Noah's dads in jail. Noah and his sister are trying to prove their dad right. They caught him doing it and he got caught.
          Every high school teacher should have this because kids would enjoy this book. Its an easy read and fast. You get addicted to it so you will finish it fast. This book is realistic fiction. I recommend this book for high school teachers to buy for their classroom.

Catching Fire! Final Blog

Catching Fire by Suzzane Collins is, by far, the best book I read this year in English. In this book, Katniss and Peeta are on the victory tour after winning the Hunger Games. In this action packed twisted that makes this book great! They find out they have to go back in to the Hunger Games and compete with the past winners. Every teacher should have this book availible for their students because this book can apply and relate to all ages. The writing style  keeps you captivated with every page. The ending is one of the best endings to book I've ever read! I reccomend this amazing book to all! I give it MR reading level. This is the best book Ive ever read and thats why I give it the MEGA Star!

The Nightmarys by Dan Poblocki (Final Blog)

        This year I read the book, The Nightmarys by Dan Poblocki. I believe that this book would be great for teachers library. It wasn't your average romance and super unrealistic book. It was a creepy mystery book with an intense plot that kept you changing your guess on what would happen next. Two kids named Abigail and Timothy get linked together by a ancient divice that feeds on their fear. This curse has been placed on them by someone that some how knows them. Also Timothys friend, teacher, and Abigails grandmother start to see things as well. Soon the curse needs to feed on someone to keep the curse powerful. So now they must find out who the person causing this curse is and also protect themselves from being killed.
        I think high school students would enjoy this book because it uses some confusing words at times and the plot can get a little complex. Also this book tests the reader to think about what the characters will do to save themselves and try and solve the puzzle. This book is under 300 pages so its not to bad of a length but from the first page to the last was a thrill. This book should definatly be in every teachers library.

The Hunger Games (Final Blog)

This year I read The Hunger Games  by Suzanne Collins, book one in the Hunger Games Trilogy. This book was intense, suspenseful, but also had a deeper meaning to it. The Hunger Games is about a civilization with a scarred, rebellious past, that now has to pay the consequences. Each year a boy and a girl from each 12 districts are drawn at random to compete in a game of survival. They are put in the forest with the only resources being the ones they can find, and fight till the death for peoples' entertainment. This is the punishment for their rebellion. In The Hunger Games, a girl named Katniss from district 12 volunteers to be in the Hunger Games because if not her younger sister Prim would have to go but Katniss has been like her mother because their real mother is too weak and sick to get food and care for them. Katniss meets a new friend on the way and shows how friendship, and persistence can help you achieve what you want.
        I think all teachers should teach this book in their curriculum because its an easy book to read, understand, and grasp the concept. I expecially like this book because of the futuristic civilization setting. I also love how Suzanne Collins contrasted what right and whats wrong in The Hunger Games and whats right and wrong in the real world. In the world Katniss lives in, its still wrong to steal and disobey the law, but apparently not wrong to send kids into a deathmatch like ancient Romans. This was a fairly short book and shows the reader to hold on to what you can, and fight for what you can't.

My Sister's Keeper (final blog)

           This year, I read the book My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Piccoult. The main plot of the story is that 16 year old Kate was diagnosed with leukemia when she was a child. She dealt with the illness the majority of her life. Her younger sister Anna was the one forced to donate bone marrow, organs, and whatever was required to treat her. Once Anna started to mature and grow up, she decides to sue her parents, Sara and Brian, for the rights of her own body since she refuses to donate a much needed kidney to Kate. Anna then decides to get a lawyer behind her parents backs. The trial continues to go on, and Kate begins to become more and more weaker because she needs the kidney. As the story goes on, it is revealed that Kate was helping Anna with the lawsuit because she was tired of living with leukemia and would prefer to just die instead. Anna ends up winning the case, and on the way to the hospital to visit Kate, she unfortunately gets into a bad car accident and dies of a brain injury.
         In my opinion, this book should be in a teacher's library because it really shows the reader how terrible cancer is, and what it's like for someone to go through it. There are also many lessons learned throughout the story. I believe the novel is mainly for high school students because it's about a medium reading level and would be harder to comprehend for younger students. The word choice Jodi Piccoult uses makes the reader feel very
emotional and almost as if they are another character in the book.  

every soul a star by: Wendy Mass (final blog)

    This year I read the book, every soul a star, by Wendy Mass.  I believe this book would be a great book for a teacher to have in their classroom library. The main plot is that three kids, Ally, Bree and Jack all end up at the same campground to witness a solar eclipse. The reason that all three kids are there are completely different, and they would never expect to run into one another. They are all very different kids, but throughout the time that they are there, they begin to become great friends. The main reason that I think this book would be good to have in a classroom library, is that it can relate to both guys and girls. It is pretty much open to any audience due to its characters.
    This books outline is very good for kids at a high school reading level. All three of these children are very, very different from one another, yet they seem to be able to put all of it aside and become good friends. Teenagers in High School can easily relate to this plot in the book. This novel's reading level isn't too hard, yet isn't super easy. The book always keeps you wanting to read, because the actions of the characters really never stops.
   I really enjoyed this book a lot and I think that other teens would enjoy it too. This book sends out a great message for teens and kids of all ages. That message is, even though you may seem very different form somebody, if you can put those differences aside, you may become good friends with them!

THe Boy in the Striped Pajamas (final blog)

          This year I read the book The Boy In The Striped Pajamas by John Boyne. Even though this book was very sad, I really enjoyed reading it. This book is told based on the life of Bruno and his new friend Shmuel. Bruno is the young son of a Nazi soldier, and Shmuel is a young Jewish boy in the Holocaust. Since Bruno is so young he doesn't know much about what is going on at this time. He often refers to the Jews as "farmers." This is interesting how John Boyne wrote this book because you get to read this story from a whole different perspective. Usually Holocaust stories are told from the perspective of an older Jew who survived the Holocaust, like Elie Wiesel in the book Night, but it was very smart of John to mix it up a little bit. 

          I think every teacher should have this book available for students to read because not only is it an easier book to read, it gives the reader knowledge on what it was like to be a Jew during the Holocaust. Even though this book is not a true story, it is based off of a tragic event in history. This book is easy to get through because it is not very long, but I have to say this is by far one of my favorite books I have read. John Boyne really makes the reader feel like they are incorporated in the book because of his great description and word choices in this novel.

 Final blog entry!
Week of May 20th

Think about all the books you have read for independent reading this entire school year. Which of those books (one book or several books) do you think should be part of every teacher's classroom library?

• Name the title and the author
• Clearly and specifically explain WHY this book was so good-- make specific reference to the character(s) and the plot
• Specifically explain why every teacher should have this book available for student reading. Comment on reading level, pacing, action, genre and writing style.

You do not need to comment on any other blog posts this week.

Choose A line- When It Happens (finished)

       This week I started reading When It Happens by Susane Colasanti. I just finished this book, too. It was a really great book to read.  I read another book by Susane and it was really good it kept me wanting to read more and more. I'm hoping this book will do the same. She puts real life situations in her books, and if makes me feel more connected.

      "The prospect of starting senior year next week without a real boyfriend is the worst. Not some math dork or physics geek I end up liking just because he's there. I mean a boyfriend who's everything I want. The whole package." (Page 1)

     This quote was said by the main character Sara. She is starting her last year in high school, and she is really striving for a good year with her friends, boys, and keeping up with boys. She really likes one guy in school, but he is a jock, Dave, and only notices her when she is alone, so he doesn't have to been seen with her with his friends (Sara doesn't realize this). Even though he started to pull the moves on Sara first there is another guy. Toby is all hooked onto Sara like paper is to glue. Tobey is really in love with her, but doesn't know how to tell Sara or get her attention. Sara does finally notices him, his big blue eyes and intelligence, are hard for her to forget. While dealing with boy trouble she forgets about school and starts turning things in late, failing unit test, and even does poorly on little quizzes. Her parents are getting on her back about everything now, and the stress in her house is just to much to handle. She starts getting back on track once Toby starts proving he really does care. She ends up picking one of he guys, you'll have to find that out for yourself. Her grades are getting really good now, and her life is back on track. Summer looks like a blast for her.

         When it Happens by Susane Colasanti is really and truly an amazing book, that everyone should read. I really did enjoy this book more than anything by far. I recommend this book to mostly girls, but also anyone that likes a good book.

 

 

 

 

                                                                            Rate 10/10

Choose a line Killing Kennedy

The book killing Kennedy by Bill O'Reilly is a non fiction book that tells the tale of ,yes you guessed it, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. It talks about the way people viewed Kennedy and the impact that he has had on the lives of the American people. It also went over the accomplishments and defining moments of his life.
In book the narrator says ", Most Americans born before 1953 remember exactly where they were when they heard the news that JFK had been assassinated." Kennedy has made such an impression on the American people that once they knew that he died, they would remember that moment as a milestone in their own lives. He has made such an impact in the American people's lives. People can now remember this man as a model president not just because of the way that he has governed but by The way that he has been able to relate to the people.

Looking for Alaska By: John Green

This week I started reading Looking for Alaska by John Green.  I haven't gotten very far in the story yet but so far I am really enjoying it.  John Green is one of my favorite authors. I feel like his novels speak to the reader and make them feel connected to the main character.
"Francois Rabelais. He was this poet. And his last words were 'I go to seek a Great Perhaps.' That's why I am going. So I don't have to wait until I die to start seeking a Great Perhaps." (page 7)
This quote was said by the main character Miles Halter.  Even though I haven't gotten very far in the story, it is to my understanding that Miles is tired of his boring and safe life at home.  He leaves for boarding school to seek what Francois Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps." Miles doesn't want to waste his life away by sitting at home and doing nothing   He wants to explore and make the most of his life.  That is why Miles decided to go to Culver Creek Preparatory High School in  Alabama for his junior year.  Miles leaves in the hopes of finding a better and more exciting life.  He wishes to to find the adventure and excitement he's desperately looking for.
Looking for Alaska by John Green is an amazing book.  I am really enjoying it so far.  I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading.
Rate (10/10)

Choose a line- The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

 

I have just started reading The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. To the point that I have read, Noah is an older man that shares his expiriences with the reader. He explains how there is a women who he hears crying and he knows exactly who it is. Next, he tells the reader how he hopes "this time it will work" or that "she will remember." He says "I realized the odds and science are against me but science is not te total answer; this I know. This i have learned in my lifetime. And that leaves me with the belief that miracles, no matter how inexplicable or unbelieveable, are real and can occur without regard to the natural order of things so once again just as I do everyday I begin to read the notebook aloud, so that she can hear it, in the hope that the miracle that has come to dominate my life will once again prevail."(page 5) In this quote, Noah talks about how she is "the miracle that has come to dominate my life." By this sentance alone Noah explains his love for this women that has forgotten him. The quote in itself expresses his true love for this woman. He has dedicated his time to her and never left her. Even with all the odds against him he is still there for her; supporting her and trying ot help her remember. This is my favorite quote because it shows his love and dedication to this woman. Nicholas Sparks wrote this quote to set the introduction for the whole book.

 

I rate this book a 10/10.

Week of April 29th: Choose a Line - Eldest

The Inheritance Cycle is a series of books by Christopher Paolini. The book order is Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and finally Inheritance. They are about a boy, Eragon, who finds a beautiful blue stone while out hunting. The stone soon turns out to be an egg, and hatches to reveal a baby dragon. Eragon keeps the dragon hidden as it grows. But eventually two strangers that work for the evil king, Galbatorix, show up in the town, looking for Eragon and asking around about the blue stone. As they start approaching Eragon's home, the dragon, who he has named Saphira, instinctively carries Eragon far away. They return to find that the farm has been burnt down and his uncle, Garrow, killed. Eragon embarks on a journey with the mysterious town storyteller, Brom, looking for revenge. But Eragon ends up becoming a huge part of the destiny of Alagaësia.

"'Don't think about,' [Saphira] counseled. 'You can do nothing about your condition, and you'll only make yourself feel worse. Live in the present, remember the past, and fear not the future, for it doesn't exist and never shall. There is only now.'" Pg. 879

This is a quote by Saphira from Eldest, book two of the Inheritance Cycle. This is some advice she gave to Eragon. Eragon had recently received a horrible scar from an evil creature, and he constantly had seizures caused by it. He fears that he will not be able to successfully do his duties because of the troubles his back gives him. Although Saphira is only some months old, being a dragon she has instinctive wisdom beyond her years. By this quote, she means to comfort Eragon, telling him not to  burden himself on challenges of the future. She counsels him to not worry, and think about what is going on around him in the present, remember the past lessons he has learned, and not bode on possible future problems.

Choose A Line- The Dead Zone

                             In the book The Dead Zone, the author, Stephen King, uses many great lines and imagery to describe and foreshadow events that occur in the story. This story takes place in the 1950s and 1960s in the United States. Johnny Smith is a boy who has been through some breathtaking, yet scary experiences. When Johnny was a little boy, someone, much bigger than Johnny, had ran into him. Johnny fell on his head and was unconscious for a short period of time. Johnny also had a terrible experience in a taxi cab. He was coming home from a date with his girlfriend, Sarah, when suddenly, the taxi cab crashed into a car. The impact of the crash caused Johnny to go into a comma. This is when Johnny goes into the "dead zone". King does a great job describing these events with certain quotes.

                           My favorite quote that King uses is used when Johnny is saying things after he falls on the ice. This quote can be found on page 3. "Don't jump it no more," Johnny said, unaware of what he was saying, thinking only of ice-black ice. "The explosion. The acid." King uses the term "black-ice" to show how bad Johnny was injured. He was literally blacking out after that fall. Also, King makes Johnny say the words "don't jump it no more", "the explosion", and "the acid" to foreshadow an event that occurs shortly after Johnny recovers from his fall. His father's friend, Chuck Spier, was trying to jump start his car's battery when it suddenly exploded. The corrosive acids from the battery had caused Chuck to lose an eye. This is my favorite part of the book because of King's great combination of imagery and foreshadowing.

                          In my opinion, Kings descriptive words and uses of foreshadowing make his book worth reading. In fact, I think it is one of the best books I've read this year. I've really enjoyed reading this book. I am almost sad that I am almost done with it. All in all, I would give this book four out of five stars. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes books with scary twists and suspense. 

Choose a Line

   My book title is Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood. This book is about Charlie and his brother Sam who get into an accident involving a drunk driver. Sam passes away while Charlie barely survives. Charlie struggles with this for the rest of his life but he has an extrodinary gift where he can see, talk, and play with Sam's spirit. It is a true miracle.
    The section I chose to quote came from page 3, in the introduction. The paragraph states, "That brings me to the case of Charlie St. Cloud. Like I said, it starts with a calamity on the drawbridge over the Saugus River, but theres a lot more to it than that. It's about devotion and the unbreakable bond between brothers. It's about finding your soul mate where you least expect. It's about life cut short and love lost. Some folks would call it a tragedy, and I see their point. But I've always tried to find the good in the most desperate situations, and that's why the story of these boys stays with me."
    The reason I specifically like this paragraph is because the narrator, or author, talks about what happens in the story but in such a vivid way as to where you still want to read the whole book. I like how he says "I've always tried to find the good in the most desperate situations..." because he looks to the upside where as others think of it as a tragedy. It shows that he has a joyful soul. I also like the vibe he brings through his writing. It's a happy vibe and also a strong one. To me it sort of helps me think that if I'm having a bad day, some people have it worse, so you should always look to the upside and be greatful. The image it gives me is the same image I get when I hear the expression "There's always a rainbow after a storm." because even though things are bad, or were bad, there is something good to come out of it. It just makes me think that everyone has their own struggles, everyone handles them differently, and everyone is strong in a different sense than others.

Choose a Line: beast of no nation by Uzodinma Iweala

 The name of my book is beats of no nation, by Uzodinma Iweala.
 In this book a young boy Agu who's from a unknown West African nation who's recruited to fight in a civil war. At a young age Agu lost his father. While fighting in the the war Agu lost his child innocence, and his original ways of life no longer exist. What inspired me was how Agu took on his role for fighting for his country. "... I am tasting blood. I an feeling like vomiting. The whole place around us I shaking, just shaking rotten fruit from the shelf..." This line inspires me because he's saying he's sick, but he's still getting up to fight for his country which takes courage.
Even though I have just started this book I believe it would teach me a life lesson

Choose A Line~ The Host

          I am currently reading The Host by Stephenie Meyer. This book is very intense. It goes through romance, loss, and violence. It's about the planet Earth being invaded by these souls. The souls take over the lives of the human beings and control what they do. They occupy other planets and are still in the process of Earth. There are groups of human residence everywhere that fight back. They hide from the souls and try to kill them. A girl, Melanie Stryder, is captured and a soul takes over her body. She is a very strong person so her mind stays with her. She still has power over her soul, Wanda. Her boyfriend, Jared, and brother, Jamie, lover her so much that the thought of having a soul in her body hurts them too much. They don't think it is possible to still be alive while a soul is occupying your body. They try to find a way to save her.
          " 'Who did this to you?' he pressed. With a hesitant finger, he almost touched the side of my neck. I held still, feeling no urge to cringe away from this hand.....Jamie waited for a moment, then turned back to me with the same intense expression. 'You're not Melanie, but you know all her memories and stuff, right?'.....'Then you remembered what happened to her?'.....'It's not pleasant,' I breathed.....I recoiled from the memory of pain, and Jamie's face went white under his tan." (pg 166-167)
         I chose this section of the book because it really portrays emotion. It shows her brother devastated over how her sister has a soul in her and it shows how Wanda cares for Jamie even though she is a soul and she is not supposed to. I like it because it has a very sensitive feel to it. "Jamie's face went white under his tan" shows how he reacts to finding out how Melanie died. He cares for her and is shocked that she died and he has no one else. After that, Wanda felt really bad as if she cares for the humans. The image that I see is a little boy pale in the face crying and a girl who is concerned and sympathetic towards him.

       So far I rate this book a 10/10.

Choose a line blog: The Perks of Being a Wallflower By: Stephan Chboski

       In the novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Charlie, the main character, is going through a very rough time. Charlie is a freshman in high school who has recently dealt with the death of his best friend. The hardest part about Michael's death is that he did it to himself. Following MIchael's death, Charlie had to face his first year of high school alone. While trying to find friends he gets mixed up with a group of people who pressure him to do things he doesn't want to do. Charlie does not want to turn down their friendship because he has no one else to be with. Also, Charlie is facing love and family problems at this time too. 
       "And in that moment, I swear we were infinite." I chose this line because it shows that Charlie really cares about Sam and that he knows she is special to him. Also, it shows that when Charlie sets his mind to something he follows through with it. For example, Charlie's best friend Michael did not have a lot of friends and he was different than the normal teenager,but those qualities of Michael did not stop Charlie from being his friend. In this part of the book, the relationship between Charlie and Sam in one way. This means that Charlie has feelings for Sam but she does not feel the same way. This quote also shows foreshadowing. It makes the reader wonder whether or not things will work out between them.

I rate this book a 10/10

Choose a Line- The Nightmarys

     The book The Nightmarys by Dan Poblocki takes place in New Starkham, Massachusetts in a current time period. Two seventh graders named Timothy and Abigail are having similar problems. They havent met before until one day in school and they become project partners for a class field trip. On the field trip Abigail is hit with a water balloon and then everyone that went after her, including Timothy and a couple of other people, begin to see things. Timothy and Abigail share stories and gather research from a library. They find out that all of the things that they are seing are being caused by a ancient jaw bone from an early civilization that plays with your fears to make you go crazy. What ever you fear thats what will come for you.
     "Mammoth red, scaly hands reached out of the chasm, claws the size of cars grasping at the space just below Taft Bridge(261)".
     In this single sentence the author shows alot of detail. The author is trying to make the reader imagine Timothys worst fear in person as if the reader was in  that situation. This sentence isnt that complex to understand but gives so much detail. I can imagine two cars but put those into the shape of claws and on the edge of a pit you have that line all sumed up.

Choose A Line Blog: This Lullaby by: Sarah Dessen

   The novel, This Lullaby, is about a girl names Remy. Remy's father wrote a song about her when she was born called, "This Lullaby".  Soon after, he died and so now Remy lives with just her mom. Her mom is about to ger married for the 5th time and Remy is starting to get sick of her marrying men all of the time. Remy also doesn't believe that love exists  but has had relationships in the past( they didn't last for very long).
   The line I have chosen is,"Okay, so maybe I did have a bit of history with expecting too much from relationships.But God, at least i had standards." (location 405 of 5156). This line from the novel, I think, really describes Remy's personality. She is that type of girl who is really edgy and doesn't let anyone push her around. Just from this line, you can tell that she is not like her friends. She just doesn't date any guy she sees, she actually really has to like him for to want to date him.
 

                                         I RATE THIS NOVEL 9/10 

Choose a line- Safe Haven

          Katie is a nice girl who works in a small town. Katie does not have a lot of money, but she needed to urgently move. Katie lives in the midle of the forest and the realtor told her she has no neighbors. One day she was walking home and a lady was looking into her house. Katie asked the lady what she was doing and it turns out she did have a neigbhor and her name was Jo. Katie was telling Jo about her "friend" which was really Katie. Jo said to Katie "Your friend has a lot of courage." (page 66)
           This quote shows how Katie has a lot of courage. Katie's husband used to beat her and treated her terrible. Katie tried to run away, but she ran right back to him because she had no where else to go. Katie had a lot of courage to deal with this. She has been dealing with this for many years. Sometimes she loved him so much she didn't want to leave. She would tell people not to worry about her. This also shows that Katie is a tough girl and can deal with him herself.

Choose a Line- A Walk to Remember

     I am currently reading the novel A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks. The story takes places in North Carolina in the 1950's. 17 year old "bad boy" Landon Carter learns to live life differently when he meets the local preacher's daughter Jamie Sullivan. Landon is the type of guy who is very self-concious of what others think of him, but when Jamie enters the picture he soon realizes that all he wants is to be with her. Jamie changes Landon's life forever.
     "By the next morning everyone at school knew I was walking Jamie home, and this started up a new round of speculation about the two of us. This time it was even worse than before. It was so bad that I had to spend my lunch break in the library just to get away from it all." (P. 156)
      In these set of lines, Nicholas Sparks wants the reader to see that Landon is always afraid of what others think of him. He is trying to place the image that students are talking about what Jamie and Landon have got going on. Landon does not like to be talked about, where as Jamie goes about her own business and pays no attention to the others. When Landon mentions that he now goes to the library, it's almost as if he wants to hide what he has with Jamie just so he does not get judged. Jamie doesn't really understand the reactions of the students. Landon is very self-concious and hates being the center of attention.
    So far I rate this novel an 8/10.