Looking for Alaska!( SPOILER ALERT!!!)

         I Finished Looking for Alaska by John Green, and it turned out to be one of the best books i have ever read. It is about a young boy named Miles Halter or pudge as his friends call him who goes to boarding school in Alabama looking to experience the Great perhaps, which is in other words  means the great unknown, The great thing that could happen. Miles is sure that experiencing this unknown excitement would change his life and the way he sees it. While in camp he meets the out of control, funny, clever Alaska young. She takes his heart and the rest of him on a out of the ordinary ride of his life. From then on he professes his love to the unattainable Alaska. Until the day that everything changed.
        When reading this book you will read two quotes that set the story up in a very philosophical way. The first quote was " I go seek a Great Perhapes" by Francois Rabelas. As said in the first paragraph the great perhapes is that exciteing, fufilling thing that is out their somewhere. But the thing is, what if there is no Great perhapes to forth searching for, it says that it is unknown, that we must go looking for it in order it experience it. What happens when we look for the freedom to experience it and  come up to a dead end, a stand still.  I feel that it is not worth looking for the influence of others to begin your Great perhapes, it might be better to create it on your own, choose your destiny and create your own paths. In the book Miles keeps on saying that the people around him ( hometown florida) were not helping with his experiences for his great perhapes. but, i think that Miiles could have started it himself, that it was him who did not make those heartpounding , blood pulseing decisions that would ultimately ( if there is one) get him to that Great Perhapes.
           The second quote was by Simone Bolivar he said "How will I ever get out of this libyrinth". To me this qout represents how humans will get away from their suffering or pain. In the book Alsaka is haunted by the death of her mother when she was young, she lives, thinking each day that she is to blame for her mothers unexpected death. This puts her in her own surrounding Libyrinth. She whats for something she free her from it but never succeeds but in the end, her death was the answer she was ultimatly looking for.
        Once in boarding school, Miles's relationship with Alsaka has resson, she is what he wants to be his Great Perhapes that one thing that would fulfill his dreams. But Alaska gives him something even larger than that which was friendship. Someone to share their deepest darkest secretes to, and they shared them all. Miles started to feel that he belonged somewhere, that he was excepted somewhere. It was to good to be true, and unfortunatly for miles it ended to quickly. Alsaka at the young age of 17( I think) died in car crash. For a long time Miles believed it wasn't true, he was to shocked that his Great Perhapes and his friend was gone in a flash.
       When loved ones die you try to hope that it was fast and painless, to ensure they went out peacefully. Miles wished for this and more, he desperatly wanted to know why she was out why she was driving drunk on a school day. All of these questions swam in his head for weeks without answers that nearly drove him insane. It took him a while to realize that Alaska wasn't who she was just becasue, the experiences of her childhood lead her to who she was today. That the actions she made, made her want to get out of her pain and suffering, to finally get or of this Labyrinth that she called her life.

Girl In Translation

      Girl in Translation is about a young Chinese immigrant, named Kimberly. The story is in kimberly's point of veiw, which shows her stuggles in adapting to her new strange life. In her thoughts she describes her emotions while first being in America, saying that americans strange customes were not common in her country. I think this gives it a very personal touch to the story, we get to go through a life of an immigrant.
       When we meet someone new, we usually look at them as an outsider, a strange new person. Some people give them a chance, by talking to them and getting to know them. While others, dont even try, only judging them by what they do and their apperance. In this book many of kimberlys classmate made fun of her for being chinese and not speaking english. Laughing when she messed up on words, and classwork. I felt that they had no right to do that to her, it is very hard to start over in a new place where you dont know any one. thsi kind of teasing causes people to fell terrible about themselves, thinking they are not good enough. Luckily kimberly found someone that  was on the outside like her. She felt happy that someone could relate to the struggles that come with being different than the others.

There's No Place Like Home

                    Last weekend I went to Barnes and Noble to get the book There's no place like Home   by Jen Calonita. It is part of the series Secrets of My Hollywood Life series, this is the last installment, unfortunately.  The series, is about a stare-struck teenager named Katlin Burke,She is the Princess of Tinseltown ( Hollywood ), Her life is always in the bright spotlight in all her glory.  In the last book, she returns home after a summer in New York starring in the Broadway show "Meeting of the Minds".
                    Okay, enough of the retelling here are my thoughts on the book. One character that really caught my eye, Katlin's Controlling Mother, Megan. As most parents do, they with for are never-ending happiness. They would do anything for them, what ever it takes. Megan ( Katlin's mom) is on of those parents, she is the manager of Katlin and controls her life. Their dream was to get famous and keep busy to stay in the game. But lately her mother has been pushing it into overdrive. Thinking that it's making Katlin happy, getting to the Prime of her Acting career. Many parents make wrong decisions for   their children's lives, they assume that what they want, is what their children what. But, most of the time it's the exact opposite thing. For Katlin she wants to have the normal teenage life, even though she might be a star, she wants what every other 17 year old wants. As she tries to tell her mother what she wants, the more her mother ignores her of them. Megan plans, and plans her daughters life away without even asking, katlin what she wants for her own life.
                      When realized this while reading it  immediately made me think of "The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet" because in the play, the Capulets ( Juliet's parent ) control their daughters life. Juliet and Katlin remind as the same person in a way. As they both begin to mature into young women, the more their parents oppressed all of their ideas, and or choices for their life. The more Parents try to force a lifestyle on their children the more, they will try to rebel against all of their ideas.
                     Finally, I believe that very soon Katlin will try to take charge of her life, and tell her mother that, in the end Megan might be controlling her life, it's Katlin that's affected by all of the choices.

True Believers- By Nicholas Sparks

               Two days ago I began to read the book True Believers by Nicholas Sparks. The reason I choose this book was because, in the beginning of the year i read The Last Song also written by Nicholas Sparks. The book was very good, it really made me change my mind about Romance Novels.I decided to try this book to see if it was the same.

      So far the book is a bout this High powered Journalist named Jeremy Marsh, who writes for the Scientific American on supernatural Causes. I feel that so far Jeremy thinks that he is a god given gift to all people. When i realized this, i wondered, what makes someone think that they are better than everyone, a God given Gift. This "trait" has been going on forever, whether it was with the Whites and African Americans, or the case in this book. By saying that you are higher than everyone else in the world, in many religions like Christianity that is comparing yourself to god, maybe even saying you are more powerful than God himself.

      Okay I am going off topic here, even though Jeremy feels that he is the best person, everyone especially him, has their flaws. Because no on e is perfect, no madder how much you try, you will always be the same a everyone else. But I find that soon in the book, someone will reveal this to Jeremy, trying to pull him back to earth. I feel that as soon as everyone is at the same level, all back to earth, we can give each other equal chances, in our lives.

      But i also have another prediction, and it is on the negative side. Maybe Jeremy is so full of himself he can never fell that every one is his equals, and he will never have anyone tell him otherwise. He has to realize that before he was on top, he was at the bottom like everyone else.   

     

Peace Love and Baby Ducks REVISED!

         This book is about the bittersweet relationship between two sisters Carly,and Anna as they both try to find themselves in the viscose cycle of high school. As they help each other throughout the book they are faced with many obstacles, not only with each other but also with popular themes such as,racism and faith. The story is told by Carly's point of view, I really like this because, Carly shows Power and strength in her attitude and personality.She gives her point of view on the themes above, and gives a new light on how other people in the south might preseves them.

    Carly has a very good sense of values and morals, in a large percent of the book she seems like the only person with a good head on her shoulders. But I soon realized that it is not the best characteristic to have, because I feel the more you think that you are right, the less you feel others are right. Since she is the older sister Carly is the one that steers Anna into the right direction even if the wrong way seems easier for both them, but on occasion Anna is always Carly shoulder to cry on.

   I think that it is very cool that the roles of older sister care - taker, can easily be switched.But when both siblings get into a difficult encounters, They only have each other for sereninty.They frequently remind themselves of a family saying "keep paddling"( from an experience Anna had with their father while practicing swimming) that short saying always gives them the hope to get through their relationship or any of their other problems.

      Reading this book made me, compare Carly and Annas,  relationship to a rubber band, because no matter how far people or themselves pull each other away from one another, in the end its always an impossible task. As sisters they have a bond that can never be broken, so they will always spring back together again. 

the CATCHER in the RYE

    Today in project real i started the very old book The Catcher In The Rye. So far i have only read only 6 pages. I know this can not be enough to find the plot or any themes what so ever but i wanted to discuss a quote i read in the book.

   "What i was really hanging around for, i was trying to feel some kind of good-by. I don't care if it is a sad good-by or a bad good-by when i am leaving a place i like to know i am leaving it. If you don't, you feel even worse" 

          When i read this sentence i was thinking that he was taking about his acceptance in the school. Whether he was good enough for everyone expectations while he was there. If they had enough respect for him as a person to acknowledge his absence. When you leave a place you know that you are walking out, but are you okay with just that, or do you want to know that everyone their tells you, that your gone. So to show you that they know you.
     I think that it does feel much worse when know one tells you good-by when you leave, you feel worthless, not good enough for them to waste their breathe on. That when you were there they didn't feel your own presence in the room. I think that is what themain character is trying to say. He doesnt care if its a good or bad good-by, just to know that everyone would give him the ability to leave at peace.
     To the main character, when someone says good-by to him that what signals him that he is leaveing, that he is not coming back. With everyone else when we go we don't neeed anyone to tell us we are leave ing we already know that. Even if we would rather someone to do in anyway. In his other schools he left without even realizing it mentally because no even cared so much as to say "bye."
     I never really realized how much saying a liitle word like "good-by" would matter so much to people. It shows everyone else a sign of respect to one another even though it is only one little word.

The End Of Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks

     Every thing has to come to an end, and this is the official end of me book Peace, Love,and Baby Ducks. In the end of the book Carly and Anna's sister bond was tested for the last time.  In This ending scene, all of the emotions are blown out of proportions. That means that all of the bottled up feelings they had towards one another overflows like the bursting of a damn. This would certainly be a sight to see because while they are having a sisterly fight, a massive party is underway, ruining there parents house while they are away. To me I thought that they were fine with each other before this scene because I thought they had told each other everything. But i guess not. For Carly it was her Sisters likability, even though Carly is the older sister Anna looks like the bigger, and Badder version of Carly.

      I think that Carly feels that Anna is everything she will never be, she is no longer the older sister, the more mature one physically. But what Carly doesn't know is that Anna is not everything, Carly and everyone else sees her to be, she is like any other little sister. She wants to be just like her older sister. Anna needs her Carly to take care of her to look out for her, even though she never looks like she ever does. But every time Carly rejects her because of who she is, its like everything in her own world is crashing down on her shoulders. But Carly feels that she is to mentally superior than Anna to ever give, even though they are sisters.

Peace Love AND Baby DUCKS

This book is about the bittersweet relationship between two sisters Carly, and Ana as they both try to find themselves in the viscose cycle of high school. As they help each other along the way their are obstacles along the way, not only with each other but also with big topics like, racism and faith. The story is told by Carly's point of view, i really like this because, Carly shows Power and strength in her attitude and personality. Also Carly has a really good Ethics value on her so she knows what good and bad. Since she is the older sister she is the one that steers anna into the right direction even if the wrong way seems easier for both them, but on accasion Anna is always carly shoulder to cry on. But when both siblings get into a diffecult encounters, they remind themselves of a family saying "keep paddleing" ( from an experience Anna had with their father while practicingg swimming) that short saying always gives them the hope to get through their relationship or any other problems. While reading this book I often compared their relationship like a rubberband, because no matter how far people or themselves pull each other away from one another in the end its an impossible task. As sisters they have a bond that can never be broken, so they will always spring back together again. 

GOODBYE GLASS !

When I finished the book Glass over the break I read the authors note, noticing for the first time that this story was for her daughters that had a ride with the monster. I wonderd If that was hard for not only the author but her family as well to resurface all the emotions and the struggles they had to face when they were going through that horible time. but know their story is on the bookshelvs of many people. Even though she only used minor details, it is still part of her and her collection of other books. I feel that knowing now these words on the book really happened makes me feel even more connected to all of the characters even more. Kristinas mother for all of pushes to get her on the right track and never giving up, she really reminds me of my own mother for her stregth and determination everyday. I also feel connected to Kristina when she didnt know which way to turn and alone, I have been in that sitiation before, I relate to her emotions because i had the same ones. I think that Ellen Hopkins shared her story with the world so that teens relize the struggles of a drug addict, how it can take a toll on you, you family, and friends. But most of all how family gets you through it all. 

KEY IDEAS IN ELONA KASHARNY'S BLOG

Check out Elona's great post!

       While reading Elona Kasharny'S blog i saw that she wrote about allot of key points while reading the book Fixing Delilah By Sarah Ockler.  In the beginning of the post, Elona give a great summary of the book so far. She explains that Delilah the main character has gone through several deaths in her family in the last year, it effects everything she does, from school work to her personal life. As a fact Elonas summerary was longer than mine, but still have the same sense of the book to let begin to be informed while she starts to infer about the certain observations she saw in the book.

       Their was one observation that really cought my eye. Elona described that Delilah makes herself harder by letting it affect her daily life. Even though the people who died were very close to her. It shouldn't completely let her life go at a stand still. Even though Elona does prove her point, I disagree ( sorry Elona Your Post is really good though!) I think the reson that, even though it is Delilah fault that she is doing poorly in school. In a way its not her fault. After all shes been through, with all of the deaths that accured in her family, she can't concentrat, on school. This time in her life, i think that to her Family and her friends school work is the least of her problems. I think that in the posistion she is in with her family, she does need to calm down and relaxe with her family, as Elona also said. But she also needs to find where priorities are in her sitiuation, It might take her a long time until she is  capable of improving her life.

    In the end I want to say that Elona did a awsome job in her post. Once you read hers that mine, i might make you think about what your thoughts are on the piece, and to write as many comments as you can.

JUST GO TO: elonaisacookie.blogspot.com

The blog post is FIXING DELILIAH BY SARAH OCKLER  

GLASS

Yesterday I began reading the book Glass by Ellen Hopkins, it is the sequel to the book Crank, but unfortunatly i was not able to read the book. But so far i get the jest of the beginng of the dramatic story of the youn girl Kristina (bree) that not only can not find her self, but is drowning in her addiction. After a visit with her father she got hooked to it, and never lost hold of it. she lost everything to the Moster but never stoped using it. I feel that the reason that kristen keeps calling the crystal Moster is because not only is it terring her family apart but also herself, she cant survive without. so the monster inside her controls her every move. No mater how hard she always trys to stay away, it grabs her from behind and she falls back into her old bad habits. This made me think about how even though we forget our bad ways that happened in the past it comes back to bite in the butt hard. We then remember that we are no better than that bad act that we commited, that what we did was wrong and it could never happen again. But when we all would forgive our selfs and forget, Kristena did not forgive and did not forget, she not only blamed her self for the start of it Her inner self Bree started to fuel again once more aand she was hungry for the wrong doings she once commited. Because i am only so far into the book I dont know the reasoning for Kristinas sudden urge of the monster and what happens to her life as she knows it. But as I always I will keep you posted.

American Born Chisnese By Gene Luen Yang

Today i have recently started reading the book American Born Chinese, i have read the book before but i though that i would read it again since it was so good. Because we have recently stop'ed learning about social Issues, i read the book this time with an eye for detail. I saw that not only was the author portraying the treatment of the different minorities, but also the stereotyping of the main character. In the book people automatically think he is from china, when there are many places in Asia that he could be from. To me this shows that the people around him ( in class and neighborhood) don't care about his personal life and who he is. All they Know is that he is Asian and that's as far as they want to know. Also in the book the American classmates don't care to hear about his culture, they just want him to be "normal" to be American. Like different foods or the way he speaks. Because no one excepted him for who he was he had to change, In order to assimilate into the school. Because of the reaction his peers made when he first came to school, he didn't want to be affiliated to anything that had to do with his culture. I think that to become someone you are losing yourself , your culture and our family. Why should he become the same person that teased him when he came to that school. I think that if I were in that position i would stick to what i know, stick to who I am, and not forget where I came from, because then I would never know where I am going hopefully the main in character learns that who he is good and no one could tell him other wise.

JUST LISTEN by Sarah Dessen

In my last post I was discussing how people are judged by their appearance and their family, and as read further into the book i notice that this would be an occurring theme. Not only with the main character, Annabel, but with many miner characters as well. In the book Annabel meets Owen for the first time, he is defined by others as hostel and very dangerous. Because of this no one speaks or looks at Owen. No one Knows him. Except Annabel, she finds that he is a different person than the one described by other observers. While in the past she was doing the same thing to him, judging by his actions. So in the part where she meets his sibling, she prepares herself for a goth girl/boy in all black. So while reading this I was wondering was it good for her to be expecting the worse, even if she has never meet him/her before. Even though she begs people not to do the same to her. She forcefully wants to be a different person from her family. Is she not seeing that other than her world, that other people go through the same thing.While in Annabel's mind Owen is a nice Music love ling guy, she is afraid that he might judge her for what he think she is. Because of these accusations she has lost all of her friends trying to get where she used to be. Connecting back to my last post Annabel describes her house as her family, and herself also. I thought that was a  good way to represent the Perfection everyone sees in her house and her family but on the inside it is hanging by a thread. I think that Annabel might be the only one actually trying to pull everyone back together, while every one else has lost hope. Maybe Owen is the only thing that is stable for her right know thats why she likes him. I hope I get the answers to my questions by the next post                        

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

      I just started reading this book named Just Listen by Sarah Dessen so far it is about a girl named Annabel who last summer apparently lost everything, her friends, and her sisters. On the outside she lives the picture perfect life, loving family, she is beautiful, but on the inside it is a different story.
     This made me think about how your peers or your family forces you to be someone that your not. Many people assume different things by how you present your self or who your family is. But, is this the right thing to do. If we " Judge the book by its cover" with every person we meet, we will never know the real person. All of the opinions and assumptions people might throw at others, could really ruin their life.Is it easier to be popular, but have every one relying on you to stay perfect, throughout your life, or be left on the outside, being who you are and no one else. Well it also depends on who your family is because the pressure starts at home. For example in the book, Annabel's two older sisters were, her mothers craved imaged of perfect. So all of her life she has tried, and sometimes failed to strive to be just as perfect as they were. Her mother always thought she knew what was best but, what she wanted wasn't what she wanted. But, just because your family or your friends live or is none to have a certain reputation does that mean that's automatically your choose. I hope I find the answer to my question as I further read what Annabel's choice might be.    

TTFN (Ta-Ta- For-Now)

The book TTFN is the sequal to TTYL, and is about 3 teens finding themselves while going through everyday high school. The formate is the things that grabs you right away. When reading IMs( the format the book is in) is like looking into someones personal life, more like interupting it. Because it is only in IMs there are no descriptions of the characters, so there are like no idenitities to the IMs, they have a mind of there own. There are only actions of the characters.
What i have noticed so far in the sequal is  about the connections and friendships that come and go through the highs and lows of high school. The friendships in high school really make or brake you. If you have good friend, that supporte you and give you advice, they would help you make the right decission. If you dont have the right people beside you, it feels more like your alone than having friends. But when we do come to have the right friends,  some still go off and make the wrong decisions. In the book this happens quite often.i found out that, when meeting new people, they find that the lifestly they use is much better than the one they live through with their friends. So they change, thinking it is for the better, but is it. Is leaving with the old and going with the New always the best choice. Or is staying with what made you, you the  good way to go.