Deadline- The Finale post

The book I chose to read was deadline by Chris Crutcher. The book was about a boy going into senior year in high school. He is diagnosed with cancer and his life turned around. He tried to hid his cancer from everybody and live a normal life. This book was romantic, funny, and very intense. The book was also very easy to read because it felt like you were with Ben Wolf just having a conversation with him. Flaws in this whole reading assignment was how I managed my whole time, because I really rushed to finish the book and I should have started it sooner. This assignment was really nice because I got to pick the book I wanted to read, not a book I was forced to read. I felt like I had more freedom and could read at anytime not have assigned chapters each day. Throughout the book I noticed total character development in Ben life throughout high school and with him dealing with his cancer. I cant say anymore though!!!! you will just have to go read it. But this book was a very good book with lots of funny things that made me laugh out loud and by the end of the book I was tearing up. Overall the book was a very good read that was fast paced and a page turner.

Eleanor and Park

I absolutely loved the book Eleanor and Park, by Rainbow Rowell. This was because, the book pulled me in from start to finish. The book was funny, empathetic, and romantic. I had trouble stopping at any point in the book and just picking back up again because it was so good. I remember stopping at the part when Eleanor went over to Park’s house for the first time and he walked her home only to give her the biggest surprise of her life. I regretted it because I didn't want to stop reading. I always try to stop at the end of a chapter, but it didn't always seem to work in my favor. Picking back up again at that part also was something I regret I didn't start only because I wanted to take it in all at once.  Reading this book for pleasure made me focus in on the important ideas on Eleanor and Park, for example, how Park admitted his love but Eleanor didn't say anything back, better because I could understand it more reading by myself and on my own time without over analyzing and under-appreciating the book. Personally reading, I was able to track important events, keeping up with the reading, and make connections to other texts and life in general well. I also was able to track Eleanor and Park’s character development. Park started off embarrassed for Eleanor until he realizes how great she actually is. He loved Eleanor mostly because she was weird. He called her a work of art and said that she meant something. On the other hand, Eleanor, started off as friendless and alone, she doesn't remain that way for long. She was able to become friends with Park, and later on, closer. She always hided herself, however, like she’s leading a double life, so that Park wouldn't question her. Although she never does admit to him that she really does fully love him, she says it to herself hoping that it’s enough. Even though I did most things well, I need to work on identifying literary devices while I'm reading. I tend to look over them and pay no attention to them instead of putting them into context. Overall, I loved this book, and now I’m reading Rainbow Rowell’s other book, Fangirl, because her writing is so amazing.

Deadline Final Post

Deadline by Chris Crutcher was a really good book. It was outgoing, romantic, funny, ironic at times, and sad when the main character actually dies at the end. Most books and movies end up resolving the problem from the beginning of the book and end it happy. The way the book was written made me feel like I was talking to the narrator, Ben Wolf, a senior in high school who was diagnosed with cancer. This book was very different from books I have read in the past related to school because it included some inappropriate words and content, and had a different type of writing to it. One thing that I really struggled with was my time management. Two days before the book was do, I hadn't even started which was not smart on my part. The one thing I really appreciate about assigned reading books is that we have to read a certain amount of pages for the next day in class which made me read. With the freeness of the outside reading book, I was immature and didn't plan it out, but I did get it done. Another thing I noticed as I was reading is that I need to work on staying interested in the book. I could not seem to just read it, even though what I had already read had been good so far. As the book went on, I felt like I did notice character development in Ben. He went from being an immature senior that thought it was cool that he chose to not his life was ending soon, to actually being a mature graduate of high school. Even though he never ended up changing his mind about the life decision, it showed even more maturity that he decided to go with his original plan and stick with it. This showed what type of character he was becoming throughout the book. Another thing as I was reading that I need to work on is that I read a lot when I find the energy and interest to, but other than that, I cannot seem to just read it, even though it has been good so far. Overall, the book was an easy read and a very heart wrenching story.

Third Rail- Final Post

I enjoyed Third Rail very much. It was a humorous, entertaining, hooking mystery that had me wanting to flip the page constantly to find out what was going to happen. I think that the author did a very good job making the topic realistic because in these situations some authors make it too fake or too dramatic. But, in Third Rail the author did a very good job with including current events about the city of Boston and even pop culture. I may have even loved the book a little more than o would because it takes place in my favorite city, Boston. The book started off a little slow for me, but it progressively gained speed and grabbed my attention. I couldn't stop reading because the action slapped me in the face and told me to keep reading. I liked this project very much because I did not need to stress about a grade when I was reading. I could read at my own will and whenever I wanted. I didn't need to read on certain nights like an in class reading book would make me, but I could read when I had free time that I wanted to fill.

Blood on my Hands Reflection

For me the book, Blood on my Hands, it was very interesting. First off I love murders and mysteries, I find them for intriguing than a sappy love story. However this exact book was kind of short, meaning it didn't really have a big climax. Throughout the book it was just about her hiding from the police and trying to find who killed Katherine. But when she finally got caught it was a to rushed ending of the story. I felt like "What that's it?" or "Are you serious?". Don't get me wrong it was interesting to finally see who the killer was. You would have never thought.
Reading for pleasure I believe was a lot more fun and relaxed instead of having assigned reading. Mainly because I had a lot of time to take it all in and I could read at my own pace. Plus i got to pick the book I wanted to read, instead of reading the boring ones in class that have no meaning. Even more, reading for pleasure actually turned me on to reading a little more everyday.
When I am reading I am able to track character development. I am able to see who they are as a person and what their actions will be in a lot of different situations. While I am reading, after very chapter, especially in a mystery, I will stop and look at all the facts or evidence that might have been mentioned in that chapter. Doing this helps me put into perspective who the killer could possibly be, and who was involved. Although I did that, this book was good at keeping me on my toes, and had in for a plot twist when I found out who the real killer was.
What I need to work on, is keeping up on reading. I should be more organized on everyday of what I am reading and how many pages it should be. I like to think I have enough time to read it, that near the due date I have a lot to read. Its not that the book is boring its just my procrastinating, that I really need to work on.

Gone Girl- Final Post

Gone Girl 

Hailey Daniel

Throughout the story, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Gone Girl is one of my favorite books. Each chapter it switches point of view from Nick to Amy, getting both sides of the story and getting a taste of their personalities. There are cliff hangers at the end of every chapter which makes it almost impossible to put the book down. I was very surprised when I found out that Amy had faked her death in order to frame Nick. It made me completely change my view on the characters. In the beginning of the book I felt bad for Amy, which was her goal, but by part 2 of the book I realized that Nick is the innocent one in the situation. I loved this book because it wasn't predictable. There were many plot twists which kept it interesting. Sometimes I just wanted to skip a chapter to see how the character continues to react to a certain situation, it always kept you guessing. I most definitely would recommend everyone to read this book when they have the chance and I would love to read more books by Gillian Flynn. 

Final Post- Third Rail

I for the most part enjoyed my reading 'Third Rail' by Rory Flynn. It began slow but eventually it caught my interest. The main character is hard to relate to at first but if you give him some time you will learn to relate.  Reading for pleasure allowed me to read for fun and not have to worry about a grade. If I had a busy night I didn't have to read but if I was free I could relax and read. With the reading I did a good job keeping up with character development because I was very interested in the main character Harkness. I was able to really see a change in him and a development of his character. However, in the future I need to keep up with reading more. Last night before it was due I had to read about 50 pages. Next time I would have liked to not have to cram in fifty pages and give myself more time to enjoy the ending.

Four

After finishing FOUR, by Veronica Roth, I can say that I enjoyed the book. At first I was not interested because it was only talking about his decisions and the relationship between him and his father. But then as soon he started his new life with his new faction, the book got interesting and the action started. I kept flipping pages and I finished the book in three days. The reading for pleasure you can read on your own time and also you can choose the type of book you like, different from assigned books that are usually boring. In the personal reading I did well tracking the character development, and identifying theme. But I still have to keep working on keeping up with the reading, because I might have skipped  a few days before starting to read where I have left of during the first chapter.

Final Post- If I Stay

I am really content on my choice to read If I stay by Gayle Forman this semester. I really liked this book as a whole and love how author Gayle Forman chose to write it. The narrator is Mia, the main character, and the main point of the book is about how a family gets into a car crash on a snowy winters day, and the entire family dies besides the oldest sister, Mia. The essential question of the book is if Mia stays on earth or goes to heaven, but Forman tells many stories in this one book. She shows Mia's childhood life with her family, and her life when she meets her boyfriend Adam, whom was Mia's first love. Forman describes this in an interesting way; through a series of flashbacks. When Forman switches to present tense again, Mia is experiencing a literal "out of body experience". She can walk around the hospital where she is recovering and see how everyone is reacting while her literal body is in a hospital bed, unconscious. This is an interesting approach because it is still unknown what happens while a person is unconscious, whether they can hear you or not. Forman makes you feel like Mia is your own friend, and her experience moves you and makes you feel attached to her. In the end, you are rooting for Mia to make the right choice, and she finally does. The ending is bittersweet, and she stays on earth with Adam and her best friend and lets her family go to heaven because she knows that thats what they would have wanted. Overall, I am very glad I read this book and because I liked it so much I am well into the next one, Where She Went, also by Gayle Forman.

The last post...

It is sad but I am done with reading "In the Heart Of The Sea". It was a great book from start to finish. At first I was intrigued with the history of the art of whale hunting but as I kept reading it began to become more action packed and even scary at some parts. The thing I really liked in the book was the constant history references. The author intertwined history with the book extremely well. He was able to both keep an interesting story and teach me how the world was like way back in the days of whale hunting. Throughout the story you can see how whaling evolved from a couple of men looking for a monster to a multi-billion dollar whaling industry. This book is extremely dramatic and explores many different areas of the human mind. This could be seen by the authors and the main characters constant remarks explaining how the mind deteriorates without food, water, and entertainment, leading to insanity. I really enjoyed Nathaniel Philbricks writing style using a historical event and converting it into a intense story. I often caught my self telling the book not to do something, for example when they ate there dead friend. But if you were in that situation you would probably eat the friend as well. I think the author was aiming for the reader to be in the characters shoes and agree with the tough decisions they had to make. I loved having a semester reading book because it gave me something to do over the weekend or even during a class. It was also really fun making the trailer for the book. Although I loved having to read the semester book "In The Heart Of The Sea" I hated blogging so so so much because it is easy to forget and it is a journal entry online and I don't really have the fastest internet. Reading the book was a great way to finish 2014!

Team Building, Team Eating

As we near the end of the book the people begin to become more savage and desperate. For example a lot of men began to eat there dead friends. First they were team building working with each other, but now they are team eating. The book related this occurrence to the Medusa shipwreck which sounds very similar to the Essex crash. Which I love because like I said I am a history buff.

Why I picked IN THE HEART OF THE SEAAAE

I have chosen the book "In The Heart Of The Sea" for many reasons. To begin I am in love with history and action, in the heart of the sea combined the both to get the best of both worlds. Also I saw Nathaniel Phil brick talk about his book at the New Canaan library and it made me want to see it even more.

Glass Castle Final Post

Finishing the book, The Glass Castle, was the most rewarding part of reading a semester reading book. While not to say I prefer this process over reading with the class, the most obvious benefits made reading the book a special experience for me. I could not have picked a better  book for this experience, while Catcher in the Rye was also special to me, it was in a different way. Analyzing Catcher was easier in a way because there was room to infer about this time that Holden was telling us about, but in the Glass Castle, it's Jeanette Wall's job to tell this story as it happened, in the most descriptive way possible. That is the only way to get to know these real life people. But in a book like Catcher, it's not what Holden says always but how he says it and what he doesn't say. Also a main point of the Glass Castle is how the character ends up. Making the connection between their childhood and how they end up is important to reading the story. It truly says something about the Wall's childhood. Like how Maureen was given special treatment as a child as result of her beauty, it is her that chooses the dangerous path of drugs and lack of shelter. But her sister (Jeanette) find luxury and happiness even though she was forced to take care of herself. Although as a child I would much rather be Maureen, Jeanette really says something about the connection between independence and strength. It's not as if Jeanette has the better set of skills like how oldest sister, Lori, is exceptionally talented in art, but at a young age, Jeannette took it upon herself to take care of the family. The divide between Jeannette's childhood and adolescence is very clear once her mother leaves the family in her hands. It's the divide between believing in her family and handling it her own way. Even this strength is better than her mothers weakness. The personal connection I felt to Jeanette involved major respect, which I felt develop as I chose to read more about her, is something that a long term story offers solely. That connection is why this story appealed to me most.

GONE GIRL

After finishing Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn, I have to say I really enjoyed it. At first, I was extremely bored with the book but as it continued on to part to, the constant plot twists had me continuously flipping pages. It took me a long time to get through part one of the book, but once I hit part two, it was only a matter of a few days. The thing I loved the most in the book was the way Flynn conveyed the characters. She shows how the characters are with each other and dives deep into the crevasses of a failed marriage. Throughout the story you can really see how Nick and Amy manipulate each other, yet how they are unable to just walk away. This book is extremely dark and explores different branches of sanity and insanity. The main characters often border on going crazy and doing anything to prove a point. Although very frightening, it showed what a failed marriage could lead the partners to-- insanity. I loved her writing style where it was a diary entry of Nick and Amy giving their stories, while reading Amy's diary entries, you hate Nick, but while reading Nick's diary entry, you hate Amy. You watch the couple become unable to express any of their feelings to eachother as they fall apart, which ultimately leads to the situation. You go through a series of emotions before, during, and after Amy's disappearance. I loved having a semester reading book because it allowed us to enjoy reading a book over a long period of time and not rushing to finish it or analyzing every bit of it, although I enjoy having class discussions about the books we are reading, I also really enjoyed being able to develop my thoughts on the book without another influence. I thought it was a fun project to wrap the year up with and I overall thought it was an enjoyable project to work on.

"The Circle" Final Post

The points that the book made about the power of social media and the line between surveillance and invasion of privacy were interesting and I liked how each character symbolized Mae's decisions. However, I did not like Mae herself. Her character was shallow and repeatedly made poor decisions. Her entire being depended on what other people thought of her and at points in the story she just went too far in her distress. Reading for pleasure was really different than for an assignment. Instead of having to keep a journal of all my thoughts at each important moment, I could just go with the flow and remember what stuck out to me. I also did not really have to analyze every detail as I went along. With my personal reading, I think I did well in keeping track of character development. I could really tell a difference in Mae between the beginning of the story and the end, and of course how she behaved in between. In contrast, I think I could have done better identifying literary devices. I noticed the symbolism in Mae's choices and certain events throughout the story, however I did no see anything else. I think I should have looked harder for additional symbols. Ultimately, I think "The Circle" is a good book for people who are interested the technology and social media boom currently taking place and the effects it will have in the future.

Unbreak My Heart

This semester I really enjoyed the pleasure reading assignment. I liked it a lot, because it gave us a lot of freedom to read whatever and whenever we wanted and I liked being able to pick a book that seemed really interesting to me. I loved The Catcher in the Rye this fall, however, there have been several books in the past I didn’t like as much. In books in class we have to annotate and a lot of work comes along with the reading, which at times can be difficult and make it less enjoyable. When reading on my own, I feel like I can enjoy it more and just take it all in. I think I had great time management this semester with the personal reading. I had read 3 or 4 books this semester, and ended up just picking one of them for my project. I have been in the position before when my reading was finished until the last minute, and it isn’t a great place to be, because you are cramming in the end and it is just miserable. With the reading I also did well with making connections to my own life and seeing parallels in some of our feelings. In the story, Clementine had a sister about 4 years younger than her, as do I, and it was interesting for me to see what their relationship was like.  I think for the next semester I want to read a book that maybe isn’t something I would typically pick off the shelf, and try and read more of a variety of novels.