Semester 1 Reflection

So, this has been a pretty good semester as far as my reading and blogging has come in my opinion.  I have read two trilogies; The False Prince trilogy, and The Testing trilogy, along with two other novels; Mr. Penumbra's Bookstore and Room.  These are all fiction books but I have started to try and get away from the Dystopian so that I can get a larger range of materials.  I have started to enjoy realistic fiction more and more because it really makes you think about your own life and how it relates to what you've been through.

My blog has really taken a turn since my first post.  I started off really bored with it and thought it was dumb but now i understand what it means to connect with the audience so that they are kept interested in your post.  I went from a boring fact based blog to a blog that people actually might want to read.  I looked up some pointer on how to write a better blog and found The University of  Exeter.  They wrote, "At the same time, your blog is about YOU, and should be written in your voice and style, not like an anonymous web-bot." This really helped me in the long run of my blogging experience.  I have to admit that not all of my blogs have been superb but they have definitely been making progress.  I have realized that i haven't incorporated many quotes in my writing because I didn't want to be too factual based and I have tried to boost my human connection also.

I really want to take my blog to the next level in the second semester.  I want to focus on adding in more quotes when I am writing to help the audience connect to what i am writing about.  I also want to use more diction to help with keeping my audience interested in what i have to say.  Finally and possibly most important, I want to make sure my blog is more consistent. Until next semester, adios.

Romeo and Juliet

Since last week, I have not yet gotten The Notebook, so I am going to tell you about the piece we are reading in my English class, Romeo and Juliet. Thus far we hath read all of Act one whence we meet the brawling families and their children, Romeo and Juliet.  At a party the two young children see each other and fall in "love".  Everyone knows the story of Romeo and Juliet, the star crossed lovers that die.  The real struggle they don't know about is deciphering the text in its original form of Elizabethan English. 

Although Elizabethan English is English, we have problems figuring out what Shakespeare was saying in his play.  So far I have enjoyed the plot of the story.  There are a lot of comedic moments that are incorporated into the plot and bring light to the negativity of the plot lone that is told to us in the prologue. I can't wait to read more of Romeo and Juliet so that I can learn more about how our language is constantly changing.

What's up next?

Well, I finally finished reading my book Graduation Day, the third book in The Testing series.  I wrote two blog posts about the series already though so I don't want to bore you.  I'm thinking about taking a different direction with my books.  I have heard that Nicholas Sparks writes great books so I want to try one of those.  I am looking for suggestions since I noticed there are so many he wrote.  I have heard a lot about The Notebook by some girls I know, and A Walk to Remember's summary looks good.

I haven't read a lot of romantic types of books so I am kind of excited to switch it up.  I liked the dystopian fiction books a lot but they just weren't as interesting anymore.  The Notebook was Sparks first novel, and it took off.  That is why I am going to start off with that one.  It seems enchanting and something that will drag you into the world he created.  I can't wait to start reading!

12 Years a Slave

I am reading a second memoir called Twelve Years a slave. I am sure that many of you have heard of it already; it was made into a movie a couple years ago.  But that's not what I am here to tell you,  I'm here to tell you about the amazing BOOK that it is.  It has a strong central idea that is woven throughout the text.  Solomon, the main character who is kidnapped and sold into slavery, never gives up hope and never stops trying.  He is trying to let the reader know that even in the darkest times there is hope, and if you maintain that hope then you will persevere through to a better outcome.  He goes through many difficulties in his journey and hope is always there for him.

In Twelve Years a Slave, Solomon is a free black man in the north.  He has a family and wants the best for them. When he is offered a tempting job he accepts to make more income for his family.  He travels with two other men who are both white and when they get to D.C he is kidnapped and sold into slavery down in Louisiana. He works hard and is rewarded by his peers and master, until he gets sold again.  A different master is not pleased with his work and whips Solomon(now renamed to Platt).  But, he does not lose hope and still works hard as the days go on.  He sends word to his friends up in the North through a free man who knows that he is innocent.

Solomon with his family as a free man

Solomon as a slave

Solomon writes about a lot of things that happened to him along his journey as a slave.  He spent much of his time hoping and trying to figure out a way to escape.  Although he did not escape through the underground railroad this website offers information on what slaves would have had to go through to escape.  Their journey was tough and your comrades could die by your side but hope had to keep you going.

What book next?

I am still waiting on a couple of books to get in from the library soooooo no new book reviews. I want to try a new genre but I am not sure what yet. I am a big fan of dystopian but I'm already in a series of that.  Also, I don't want to read a memoir or biography, in class we are reading one. So far it's good but I want something different.  I read a book called The Kite Runner last year and I think I want something like that again.  It was a Historical fiction and I think I would like to read another.  

I went on to Goodreads to find another of the same genre.  I found a book with the title of Cold Mountain.  It seems very interesting; maybe not what you'd expect a girl to read but it sounds like a book that will trap you in and make you think about what happens.  I also discovered there was a movie made of it way back in 2003.  It is about a confederate soldier that is wounded and tries to go to South Carolina and reunite with his love. I think I will read this next once I finish my series.

The Runaway King

I just cannot get enough of this series! The False Prince drug me in and then The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen, held on tight after each page had a new exciting turn.  After Jaron's throne is returned rightfully to him, there is a threat of war lurking from all angle surrounding his country of Carthya.  Avenia and the pirates are thought to be potting a war, and Jaron isn't so sure his advisers are loyal.

Small Spoiler Alert: In the courtyard during his families funeral Jaron is attempted to be assassinated by to pirates, confirming his suspicions.  Jaron then has to conjure up a plan to fix the inevitable issue of war in his country and how to gain more allies.

All while these action packed events are occurring Jaron has some personal problems to fix, including his princess he will HAVE to marry and his servant girl he cant live without.  All of his choices will effect the outcome of his life, including when his death will be.

The False Prince

This past week I read The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen.  I had read a blog about this book and it drew me in so I wanted to share what a wonderful book it is with all of you! Niesen is just such a wonderful writer. She displays such characterization with Sage and the other boys changing and coming to realize that Conner isn't what they thought. She also puts in twists and turns and always keeps you alert for what is to happen next.

The False Prince begins with an orphan named sage in a made up country, in a time period still with a monarch.  Sage is an interesting character who undergo's serous change throughout the story.  So Sage was seen by a noble and "adopted" by Bevin Conner. Conner is a regent, one of 20 regents who advise the king.  Conner has two other boys waiting in the cart when Sage gets in, both are from orphanages in the night they get one more orphan and then travel to Conner's home.  There, many things happen, and are discovered.

At the end of two weeks someone is chosen and they travel to the Kings castle, where the unspeakable has happened...

Mr. Penunbra's 24 Hour Book Store

I read Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Book Store, by Robin Sloan this past week.  I found out about is on my friend Musa's blog he wrote a review and seemed to love it.  I really wanted to find out how good this book really was, I finished it yesterday and now know why he loved it so much. 

 It starts off with this young man who was recently laid-off due to the troubling economy we face in today's real world.  He was working in a new company making websites and coding for them since he had just finished college.  Then things went south and he had to find new work. While he was walking through San Fransisco one day and looking for job signs he stumbled across a bookstore with a sign outside,  he was unsure but then realized he needed money and applied.  

The thing is though the bookstore isn't your average day Barnes & Nobles.  Mr. Penumbra's is a creepy building with tall shelves that seem to go on forever.  As part of the job description Clay is not allowed to look inside of the books in the "wayback" the creepy section of the store and only members can get those books.  The members however are creepy themselves and with not many customers, one is bound to get curious of what is happening at the bookstore.

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The Testing

I just finished The Testing, by Joelle Charbonneau.  I can't wait to read her next book in the series, Independent Study.  The Testing really dragged me in quickly with how quickly it moved with such detail.  In the second book I am expecting the same great writing that will link how great the first book was to the second.The Testing always showed Cia's emotions, and described the setting around her very well. As i read I felt as though I was transported into the books dystopian world. If Charbonneau keeps up the same amazing writing for Independent Study this may just be the best dystopian trilogy I have read.

Room

Yesterday I finished a book called "Room" by Emma Donoghue  .  I could not put it down for three days everything in it was a new fresh rendition on literature that I had never seen before. "Room" is a book like no other, it is written in the point of view of a 5 year old boy who has spent his whole life in a single solitary 11x11 room.  The wording of the book shields the reader of some of the truths that are said differently because Jack, the little boy, doesn't actually know what's happening or happened.  His mom and him live together in the Room where he was born.  His mother has been in the room for 7 years after being taken by a man, "Old Nick".  A big portion of the book is learning about their situation and then Ma send Jack for the "Great Escape"  I rated this book 5 stars.  I rated it that high because I absolutely fell in love with the characters and I could feel their pain and visualize what was happening at all times.  The way it is written takes real time, effort and skill to go and write like a 5 year old.  I would recommend this book to mature young adults and adults alike.  If you are looking for a new type of genre this is a perfect book because it incorporates many different genres.    I normally don't pick a book that has kidnappings but this really caught my attention when I heard a lot of great reviews.  I can't wait to read more by her!

I read Something Like Normal as my summer reading book.  I really enjoyed it because the characters really changed.  Travis changed a great amount from the beginning to the end.  In the beginning he hated being home and his dead best friend, Charlie, "haunted" him and spoke to him.  In reality it was just Travis imagining him because of his PTSD.  For example, when Travis is in the airport he thinks he sees Charlie, "Charlie?" I take a step forward and this weird sort of happiness fizzes up inside me like a soda bottle, because if he's here in Florida it means he's not---dead."  But in the end of the book Travis realizes his problem and asks his mother for some help and to get a Psychologist. This helps move the plot along throughout as he heals and realizes new things happening around him. 



Travis is a great example of what many of our own soldiers go through every day.  There is an article that shows that Travis experiences PTSD.







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