Monday, August 19, 2013

Summer Reading

Over the summer, you were asked to read at least two novels of your choice.

1) Briefly tell me what you read, including the titles and authors.
2) I want to know what you liked about the books, what you learned and, more importantly, what matters to you about the book's content? How does it resonate with you?
Please do not give me a summary; I care more about what you took away from the book.

*Make sure to adhere to proper conventions and proofread your response. If, for some reason, you did not read two novels, tell me about two novels you have read and enjoyed and answer the above.

34 comments:

  1. I read "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien and Snakehead by Anthony Horowitz.

    I liked both the books for many reasons. I like The Things They Carried because it was filled with action and was "deep." Tim O'Brien really showed the horror of war in his book.
    I liked Snakehead because it was also action filled and really caught my attention.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I read, "Hounded" by, Matt Ziselman and "Luckiest Man" by Jonathan Eig. I really like "Hounded" because of what the author showed in how you can learn from dogs (or anything else) doing even the weirdest things! "Luckiest Man" really was amazing in a time when if you were popular, drinking consistently and being with girls consistently was the thing, Lou Gehrig was nothing like that. He was very polite had no alcohol or girl problems unlike his homerun partner Babe Ruth. This showed that Lou Gehrig even though he was one of the best players of all time, he still had a very good and high moral standard and, he is definitely a role model for all.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This summer I read, "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult and " The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants" by Ann Brashares. These two books are two of the best books i've could have ever picked up. Both, two stories that are so different but yet so much the same. They both suffer from loss and the hard consequences of their actions, these books taught me the importance of loyalty and independence. Because of these two books I feel more of an individual and more thankful for the life I have. Im also a better writer because the way the authors wrote that provided so many different points of views.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I read the books "Sahara" by Clive Cussler and "Black Hawk down" by Mark Bowden.

    I like the book Sahara because it had lots of action and started off quickly. It also had history from the Civil War and Kitty Mancock's goal to fly around the world.
    I enjoyed Black Hawk Down because it showed how gruesome war is and what it is like being a soldier leaving your family. It also showed how Washington should have sent in air support for the U.S. All in all, the books I read over the summer were very enjoyable and fun to read.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I read two books from the same series. The book titles were "Of Poseidon," and "Of Triton," both by Anna Banks. These books follow a guy, Emma the half-breed, and Galen the mermaid, through a long adventure. Emma is in high school and has lived a human life but is actually a a half mermaid. It is up to Gale to convince her of that she is. As the story continues love blossoms between the two but the mermaid laws forbid a a half-breed. Matters get worse as the nation is on the verge of war with itself. The existence of a half breed would only make matters worse except for the fact that she has the power to control sea creatures, known as the Gift of Poseidon, and it could just save the mermaid nation. Read and find out what happens.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I read "And on the eighth day she rested" by J.D Mason and "Ruby redfort,look into my eyes" by Lauren Child. The ruby redfort was an ok book. It was just a book for me to read on the airplane this summer. On the eighth day she rested really hit me because it's about and African American woman who goes through domestic violence with her husband. It meant a lot to me because my mom went through the same thing with my dad just two years ago.

    ReplyDelete
  7. This summer I read "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams and "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card. I enjoyed both books a lot, and continued to read the series. "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" is about a man named Arthur Dent who finds out his friend is an alien after being saved from Earth's destruction. Arthur Dent and his friend Ford Prefect go to space on wacky adventures and encounters with aliens, miserable robots, and tasty new beverages. This book is really funny and stupid. Enders game is full of danger, friendship, and action as young genius Ender goes into a space program to save the human race from alien buggers. At the same time Ender struggles against his murderous side to become a better person.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This summer I read Princess in the Spotlight (by: Meg Cabot) and Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging (by: Louise Rennison). These to books were really fun and entertaining! I was also proud of my myself for getting so into the books and wanting to red because normally I don't just go and pick up a book. Some things I took away from these two books were lots of lessons for teenage girls (like me). They basically teach you that you're life will go on no matter what. Its also gave lots of different points of view from girls like me even if they are fictional characters. ~Bergen <3

    ReplyDelete
  9. Over this summer I read the two novels required for this class. The first was The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch. The second was The Best Night (Of Your Pathetic) Life by Tara Altberando. The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch was a novel about a teenager and his father trying to survive a post apocalyptic America. This novel was extremely exiting with plot twists and danger at every turn. One thing that I especially enjoyed was how Jeff Hirsch sets the scene particularly well, with details that made the image in my mind crystal clear (on everything except the faces, this book was FULL of slender men). This book had a very powerful messages that can be placed into my life. One of these was how we must adapt and change with our surroundings. Whether is is the Apocalypse or high school. Another was acceptance for one another.
    The second novel I read was The Best Night (Of Your Pathetic) Life by Tara Altberando.
    This novel was about a group of four high school seniors who are trying to with the biggest unorganized (and somewhat illegal) competition of senior week. This book was alleyways interesting from the hint itself, to the interesting interactions between all the characters. With frequent use of humorous dialogue this book will keep you entertained throughout each page. Along with the awesome story of the book this story had a equal great moral. Through the hunt the characters realize that as sweet as victory is it is better to be a good person. Over all both of these books were fantastic and I would highly recommend them to anyone who wants a good read! Over this summer I read the two novels required for this class. The first was The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch. The second was The Best Night (Of Your Pathetic) Life by Tara Altberando. The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch was a novel about a teenager and his father trying to survive a post apocalyptic America. This novel was extremely exiting with plot twists and danger at every turn. One thing that I especially enjoyed was how Jeff Hirsch sets the scene particularly well, with details that made the image in my mind crystal clear (on everything except the faces, this book was FULL of slender men). This book had a very powerful messages that can be placed into my life. One of these was how we must adapt and change with our surroundings. Whether is is the Apocalypse or high school. Another was acceptance for one another.
    The second novel I read was The Best Night (Of Your Pathetic) Life by Tara Altberando.
    This novel was about a group of four high school seniors who are trying to with the biggest unorganized (and somewhat illegal) competition of senior week. This book was alleyways interesting from the hint itself, to the interesting interactions between all the characters. With frequent use of humorous dialogue this book will keep you entertained throughout each page. Along with the awesome story of the book this story had a equal great moral. Through the hunt the characters realize that as sweet as victory is it is better to be a good person. Over all both of these books were fantastic and I would highly recommend them to anyone who wants a good read!

    ReplyDelete
  10. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Over the summer I read about twenty books. Those that counted for the summer reading were “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green, and “The Hunger Games” trilogy by Suzanne Collins. The one thing that I loved about “The Fault in Our Stars” was how it tugs at your heartstrings. I will admit this book made me cry for sure. The other thing that was really nice about this book was some of the harsh realities of life, good life lessons. Some of those were “The world is not a wish granting factory.” and “That’s the thing about pain, it demands to be felt.” These are just some things that I really took out of this book, you can’t always get what you want and Hazel and Augustus find this out. Another thing that I really loved in this book was Augustus’s metaphor with his cigarettes. Where you put the killing thing in your mouth, but don’t give it the power to kill. Augustus never lit his cigarettes. I just love this metaphor because it’s very true, don’t let the things that can harm or kill you do it. Embrace them but don’t give them the power to harm you. The other books I read were “The Hunger Games”, “Catching Fire”, and “Mockingjay”. What I learned from these books is to stand up for what you believe in and go with your gut instinct. This is what Katniss, the main character did from district 12. She stood up for her beliefs throughout “Catching Fire” and even more in “Mockingjay”. And at the end of “Mockingjay” Katniss does something no one expected, but she followed her instincts and it paid off. I love this trilogy because it has action, humor, romance, and empowerment. I like books/series that have good lessons, action, romance, adventure, and a great story line. These four books have all these qualities in them, I’m so glad I read them this summer.

    ReplyDelete
  12. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I read the books, The Candy Shop War: Arcade Catastrophe by Brandon Mull and Brisingr (The third book in the Eragon series) by Christopher Paolini. The part of Arcade Catastrophe that I took the most away from was when the henchmen's boss was finished the heroes and the henchmen worked together to escape death in a collapsing cavern. It showed that even complete enemies can work together. In Brisingr there was a part where the main character had to be a political helper to one of his dwarf friends in order to gain the dwarf's support in a war. In this part of the book it became apparent that there are many types of people out in the world and you have to deal with each one differently than all of the others. Overall both books were great reads and i would recommend them for lovers of the fantasy genre.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Over the summer I read Peak by Roland Smith and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. What I liked about these books is that they are very thrilling. They kept me wanting to read not just being some boring book that is very hard to read. I learned many things from these book like in Peak I learned lots about how hard it is to climb the tallest mountain in the world Mount Everest. There are many different stages\camps on the way to the peak of Mount Everest. What matters to me about the books content is that what this boy did was climb the highest mountain in the world at the age of 14 and that's a very hard thing to do.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I read 2 books over the summer. The first one I read was "The Rule Of Three" by Megan McDonald. I liked that I could relate to this book through out most of it. As I my self belong to a family of a mom, a dad, and 3 girls. I relate to the youngest the best though probably because I am the youngest in my family. I learned that no matter what your family will support each other as well as you. What matters the most to me from this book is the bond the three girls had in this book and that I want that with my sisters as well. I also read "Click Here" by Denise Vega. This was an excellent book. What I liked about this book was that it was a book about a girl in 9th grade and it really gave me a clear picture of high school. I liked that because I think it will help me through out this year because it was a very realistic book about high school. I learned that high school is going to be a tough year if you don’t manage your time well and that can really be a bummer if you are doing sports. I loved how this book is something I can use through out the year to help me out.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Over the summer, I read No Easy Day by Mark Owen, and In the Company of Soldiers by Rick Atkinson. I liked both the books because they both were suspenseful and action packed. I learned a lot about our troops overseas, and especially what their mindset is from the perspective of a reporter, Rick Atkinson, and Mark Owen, a Navy Seal. Probably the most important thing about the content is learning about what these men and women are really doing for the U.S’s freedom. Mostly what I took away from the two books was a huge increase in my sense of security, and freedom.

    ReplyDelete


  17. This summer I read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and The Fault in our Stars by John Green. I loved The Hunger Games because it portrayed the way life could be in the future. This book painted a world that has fallen apart and been built into a dystopia. The government in The Hunger Games brainwashes its society into thinking what they are doing is right. What I loved about this book is that, unlike most dystopian novels, the characters in The Hunger Games recognize the abusive government and stand against it. It taught me to be more aware of government and stand up for what's right.
    The Fault in our Stars has become one of my favorite books. The main character, Hazel Grace, has terminal cancer. The Fault in our Stars portrays Hazel's life, but in doing so portrays the way the world works. This book was so interesting because it was very real. The Fault in our Stars is not the sugar coated fairly tale we become so comfortable with. It shows that there are no happy endings but no hopeless endings either. In the end you will have to be content, even if the end is sudden with things undone and questions unanswered. I loved how John Green wrote this in a way that was so real. Usually a book takes you into a world that doesn't exist. It was extremely refreshing to get lost in a world where everything was straight forward. While reading this novel I felt the same things I feel going through life: loss, sadness, disappointment, excitement, happiness, amazement and those few moments where everything is entirely perfect. The title explains life perfectly. The stars are so beautiful and infinite. Each one is unique and full of possibility. But even the stars, beautiful and infinite, have faults. Just as life does. As a whole, life is beautiful and unique and full of possibility, but is never perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I read IT by Stephen King &Ppaper Towns by John Green.

    IT- this book challenges the mind and you have to concentrate while reading it. The book showed me how important promises actually are, and that you should fulfill them. No matter what. And also that conquering your fears are important, it gives you a sense of relief and also you can go out and face your fears. Overcoming your fears is a choice, and with reference to IT I would recommend making the choice of overcoming them.

    PAPER TOWNS- I loved the sense of mystery in this book! It showed me that true love and friendship doesn't fade over time. And also that following your dreams are important, and don't let anyone stand between you and your dreams. Choose your friends wisely, say close to the ones that you trust, don't waste your time with the rest. The book opened by eyes, it showed me how easy it is for people to hide their feelings, we don't know what's going on behind the doors of other people's houses. Take a few minutes to ask a person how they really are, show them that you care. Be the friend they can trust.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Over the summer I read “Pendragon The Merchant of Death by D.J. MacHale” and “ A Midsummers Nights Dream by William Shakespeare”. What I really liked about Pendragon was that the author really hooked you into it and you never wanted to put the book down. What I liked about A Midsummers Nights Dream is that it had proper english and that it was multiple plays in one. What mattered about Pendragon’s content was the action scenes and the overall character appeal. What mattered about A Midsummers Nights Dream content is that it started out as like a love story but then it got confusing and went into a totally different play. Pendragon resonates with me really well because it was one book that I couldn’t set down and I will be reading the whole series soon. A Midsummers Nights Dream really doesn’t resonate with me because it got really confusing after the first part of the book.

    ReplyDelete
  20. This summer I read Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card and World War Z by Max Brooks. I liked Ender’s Game because it shows how much kids can do and accomplish with just a push in the right direction. I also enjoyed the book because there wasn’t really a slow moment anywhere and was always catching my attention. I liked World War Z because it showed the zombie war from so many different perspectives and with that kind of retelling of the stories you got a much better idea of what the war was like than you would have with a regular novel.

    ReplyDelete
  21. 1) ¬Across The Universe By: Beth Revis and Nantucket Blue By: Leila Howland

    2) Across the Universe: What I liked so much about this book is that it was so interesting, and it kept me entertained. I took a lot from this book. I learned that you can’t take things for granted because they can be taken away from you so fast. I also learned that you should always remember the little things because that’s what counts the most. I loved the relationships the characters had in the book, and how they connected.

    Nantucket Blue: What I liked about this book is the story plot and how the author explained the feelings of the characters. Some things that I took from this book is that if you love something chase after it and that you have to keep strong even when things are hard. I loved the story all around and can’t wait to read more of her books.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Over summer I read "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" by Avi and "Black Hawk Down" by Mark Bowden.

    "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" is a very interesting book that introduced one of the best character I have read about. His name was Bear and he filled Crispin's head with several ideas about becoming a free man since Crispin was accused of a crime and ordered to be killed. I relate in a way because I hear new ideas every day of what to live like and such and I think it is interesting the way Crispin translates the new ideas he hears. "Black Hawk Down" by Mark Bowden is a great book that explains the way of war. I think it is fascinating to see how far war has gone. Starting with just putting in kids and telling them what to do and hope they understand to having elite soldiers in just 20 years. I really like the writing and the way that the author explains how the shooting and misunderstanding made such a big impact in the war in Somalia.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I read The fault in Our stars by John Green & The twilight series by Stephanie Meyer.

    The Fault in Our Stars- I absolutely loved this book! It wasn't the regular boy meets girl, they fall in love, in the end everyone lives happily ever after. No this book had ups and downs and a major twist in the middle where you just want to cry. That's what I liked about this book it was different. I never wanted to put this book down and I never wanted it to end and that's why it resonates with me so well.

    The Twilight Series- The Twilight series I liked because it was a romance with a few twist here and there. However I thought that the writing in the first book was a little childish and it could have been better. I wanted to read these books because all of the movies were done and a lot of the buzz has stopped. This being the reason I didn't my judgement of how the books were written to be altered by the glamour of the movies and the fans. Was it my favorite series of all time? No. Was it the a fun book to read? Yes. It resonates with me a little bit because I'm a major romantic and I wanted to to finish it. Could I have put the book down and be okay with it? Maybe.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Over the summer I read “Dewey’s Nine Lives” by Vicki Myron and “Flowers in the Attic” by V.C. Andrews. What I liked about “Flowers in the Attic” is that it is a very detailed and descriptive book. Everything is very clear and easy to visualize what is happening as if it was happening right in front of you. I really enjoyed this book because it very thrilling and exciting to read. When I read this book I learned that family is most important and you have to stick together. Even though the mother forgot about her children, the siblings all stuck together in the attic and were all there for one another when they needed each other’s help. The other book was “Dewey’s Nine Lives”. What I really liked about this book is that it is about nine different cats and how they changed the lives of people and influenced people’s lives in a positive way. I also enjoyed this book because it is very inspiring to hear how cats and people can help each other if they are struggling through a tough time. I enjoyed reading both of these books and would recommend anyone read these books.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Over the summer, I read The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, and Monster by Walter Dean Myers.

    What I really liked about The Old Man and the Sea was it's theme. It's that even if things look bad, never give up. This is a very good theme to have for school. Even if my grades are down, I should never stop trying my best.

    Monster has a similar theme to The Old Man and the Sea. In the book, a teenager is in court for being suspected for robbing a store. The odds get very bad, but he never gives up, and that makes this book very exciting.

    ReplyDelete
  26. During the summer, I read The Magician's Nephew and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.

    In the first book I think that the first part of the story where the author gives very well details of the home and of London. To me it felt like I was their with them during the whole book. Also I liked how it was not to boring in the beginning and it was to good to let down.

    The Lion, the Witch, and the wardrobe was like the first book but this one had a bit more detail and it also had more action and it was a very hard thing to let this book down for a while.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Over the summer I ready Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven. Both by Mitch Albom.

    I liked both of these books very much. Tuesdays with Morrie was very deep. It had some great philosophical meanings in it and I almost cried at the end. I really liked how well it was written and how much emotion you saw the author put into the book.

    The five people you meet in heaven was by far my favorite. It was just so interesting. I mean when you think about going to heaven you think about all your loved ones that you will see again. But you never really think about the unsolved mysteries in you life before you died. This book was so amazing in the was Albom made all five people relate and how it would tie into the end. It really pulls at you heart strings when he sees his wife. At that point I was in the car silently crying and my sister was like what is wrong with you? I think it takes a good book and a good author to make you happy,sad, and makes you really have to think! both of these books are amazing and worth taking time out of your day to read!

    ReplyDelete
  28. over the summer i read Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins and A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn.

    I read Catching Fire because the movie is coming out soon and i wanted to read the book. A kiss in time i really liked cause its like a modern sleeping beauty in comedy form. I liked catching fire because it left a cliffhanger. i like books that are interesting and funny. i hate when books are boring,

    ReplyDelete

  29. Over the summer I read Black hawk Down, By: Mark Bowden. And Flags of Our Fathers by: James Bradely. I learned a lot about the two wars, Like how the soldiers that raised the flag in Japan were mostly young men instead of adults. I also learned a lot about the helicopter that crashed in Somalia and and the outrageous and amazing things that everyone did to try to rescue the pilots of the downed helicopter. I really enjoyed ready Black Hawk Down because I learned a lot more about that battle then the movie shows. I really enjoyed the two books because they were both about the history of the army and the history of wars. I don't typically like reading books but Black Hawk Down was really good and I enjoyed it a lot. Flags of Our Father was also a good book but it was a little slow

    ReplyDelete
  30. This summer I read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, I also read, Crispin The Cross of Led. Those books spoke to me in a very particular way especially the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games was very impactful from the characters to the story line. Katnis the protagonist of the series was a hero to anyone who read the books. Personally my favorite character was Finnick. He was the roughest toughest man around. Every guy wanted to be him and every girl wanted to meet him. The story line of the series was so amazing that I can't put it into words. On the other hand Crispin wasn't the most exiting book. I felt for Crispin by the fact that he lost his mom, but the book didn't really connect to me like The Hunger Games did.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Over the summer, I read “The Notebook” by Nicholas Sparks and “Matched” by Ally Condie. These books both had different impacts on me. In “The Notebook”, I fell head over heals with the story of Noah and Ally's love for each other. I am a complete helpless romantic and I am obsessed with love stories. However, the story line was not the only thing that intrigued me about this book. The author, Nicholas Sparks, was absolutely phenomenal in this book. The way he incorporated the flashbacks and imagery was stunning. This is one of the most well constructed books that I have ever read. He constantly kept me wanting more (which is uncommon for me). I could not stop turning the pages and continuing to read. I feel madly in love with this book and the story. I love the way that it teaches you to believe in true love. It also taught me to keep looking for the light during the dark times. I did not know when I was reading it, but now, I can really appreciate this due to my dads death. I learned that if you look to your future and work hard, things will pan themselves out eventually.

    I did not have as deep of a connection with “Matched”. In this book, I thought that the author did a very thorough job adding different twists to the story. I enjoyed this story as well simply because it was another love story, but it was not my favorite. I liked the love triangle and her different emotions throughout the book. These different factors made the book more interesting and exciting. Overall, I believe that both books that I read over the summer were very interesting and I enjoyed reading the two. I hope to continue to learn more in the books that I read in the coming years.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Over the summer I read "Chicken Soap of the Teenage Soul on Tough Stuff: By:Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Kimberly Kirberger. From this book I learned that a lot of kids go through some really tough stuff but they always found a way to get passed it.I have to say the one thing I really like about this book was it was real kids actually story's that actually happened to them. The other book i read was "Aquamarine" By: Alice Hoffmam. from this book i honestly didn't learn anything but I read this book because the movie is one of my favorite movies and I wanted to see if the book was different than the movie. I have to say the book is way different than the movie and the movie is way better than the book. I didn't really like the book but I love the movie.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Over the summer, I read "Heaven is for Real" by Todd Burpo and I read "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins.

    What I liked about "The Hunger Games was that it was totally different than how we live today. It was a total fantasy that was filled with action and adventure. There was a love story that was a lot more realistic than most of the fake love stories that they show on tv or movies where someone spills a drink on them or something. I really liked "The Hunger Games" because it wasn't fictional to a level of impossibility but it was something that could actually happen. By reading this book I learned that nothing is impossible if you try hard enough. What matters to me about this books content is that it kept me wanting to read which is different than most of the books I've tried to read. If there's a book that doesn't hook me in within the first couple of chapters, i put it down and probably never pick it up again.
    What I liked about "Heaven is for Real" is that it's a true story full of miracles and it is a 100% true story. This book could start some discussion between someone who is a Christian versus someone who isn't. This book could also turn someone to believe in the Christian God or push out any doubts that they might have about religion if they believe in the stories of the book which I really like because it amazes me that a story can have someone make one of the most life changing decisions in their life.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Over the summer, I read "Heaven is for Real" by Todd Burpo and I read "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins.

    What I liked about "The Hunger Games was that it was totally different than how we live today. It was a total fantasy that was filled with action and adventure. There was a love story that was a lot more realistic than most of the fake love stories that they show on tv or movies where someone spills a drink on them or something. I really liked "The Hunger Games" because it wasn't fictional to a level of impossibility but it was something that could actually happen. By reading this book I learned that nothing is impossible if you try hard enough. What matters to me about this books content is that it kept me wanting to read which is different than most of the books I've tried to read. If there's a book that doesn't hook me in within the first couple of chapters, i put it down and probably never pick it up again.
    What I liked about "Heaven is for Real" is that it's a true story full of miracles and it is a 100% true story. This book could start some discussion between someone who is a Christian versus someone who isn't. This book could also turn someone to believe in the Christian God or push out any doubts that they might have about religion if they believe in the stories of the book which I really like because it amazes me that a story can have someone make one of the most life changing decisions in their life.

    ReplyDelete