Monday, September 26, 2011
Hey, what are you reading? POST DUE BY WEDNESDAY 9.28.11
So we finally started our independent reading books today--a Monday morning tradition that I hope you will relish! In a comment to this post, please tell us about what you are reading. Include the title and author, and a brief synopsis thus far. How do you like
the book? What do you think?
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I am currently reading "The Usual Rules" by Joyce Maynard. This book if focused around main charectar Wendy who leads a normal life with her mom, stepdad, and younger brother until the morning of September 11, 2001. Growing up in Manhattan, her mother worked in teh World Trade Center as a secretary on the 82nd floor. Wendy hadnt seen her dad since he left them when she was 6 and wants to visit him in California. The entire morning Wendy fought with her mother and never got a chance to say goodbye. Her stepfather advised her to call her mom and say goodbye when she got to school but she never did. I am currently on page 63 and Wendy and her family are greiving the loss of their mother. I like this book so far and am wandering what is going to happen next in the novel after she can overcome this grief (not forget though).
ReplyDeleteThe book I am currently reading is "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins. The book is about a girl named Katniss Everdeen who lives in District 12, the remains of what used to be the United States. She lives with her mother and young sister Prim whom she takes care of because her father died when she was young. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As a part of their terms of surrender, each district agrees to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual television event called (you guessed it), The Hunger Games. Prim is picked from the lottery and knowing that Prim knows nothing of survival, Katniss steps in to take her place.
ReplyDeleteThis is just what people have told me and what I have read from reviews and such. I am only about 10 pages in but I am very excited to read the trilogy!
I am currently reading "Keeping the Moon" by Sarah Dessen. This book is about a fifteen year old girl Colie and how she never fits in. In the beginning it talks about how she loses all this weight but still struggles with shedding her negative self-image. So she is sent away to stay with her eccentric aunt Mira in NC, for the summer. After moving there Colie doesn't expect too much from Colby, NC but to her surprise there is still a lot of negative gossip that goes on. But good thing for Colie, she gets a job as a waitress at a restaurant and learns a lot about high school worries, boys and life management stories with her new friends at the restaurant. I am only about 20 pages into this book, but so far I really like it and like how it is based on a teenage girl in a high school atmosphere so I can easily relate to it.
ReplyDeleteI am reading The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks. It is about a couple who are having problems because the husband (Wilson) forgot their wedding Aniversary. The book is sort of like The Notebook 2 another Nicholas Sparks book It has Noah an original character from The Notebook as the father of the wife. Through out the book he has to realize his wife fell out of love with him and has to find ways to bring her back to him. So far i like this book a lot i started reading it over the summer and i thought it would be a perfect time to finish it. I really like those sappy love stories Sparks makes up and i love The Notebook, so this book is far more interesting to me.
ReplyDeleteThe book that I am going to read is "Million-Dollar Throw" by Mike Lupica. Mike Lupica is my favorite writer, I have read a couple of his other sports books and really enjoyed them. This book is about a teenager named Nate Brodie who is a football player. He is the quarterback of his team and admires Tom Brady. Tom has been his favorite player ever since his first Superbowl win against the St. Louis Rams. Ever since then he has wanted to buy a football that is signed by him, there is one in a store called SportsStuff that costs five-hundred dollars and he has been saving up for it. His family isn't very wealthy so this wasn't easy for them to pay for half like they promised him. After he purchased the ball there was a flyer advertising a million dollar throw that would be happening at Gillette Stadium during the half time of the Patriots game. He entered, and luckily won the drawing and was selected to be the contestant. During this time his best friend Abby is starting to go blind from retinitis pigmentosa, it is gradually getting worse and breaking Nate's heart.
ReplyDeletei am reading a book called "surrender" by Sonya Hartnett. i am allready reading this book in my other class Creative Writing. it is a confusing book and kind of depressing. it is about this 21 year old kid who is dieing and he is telling his life and how he has failed at it. his only friends are his dog Surrender who he takes out on walks and his sketchy friend Finnigan. it seems very interesting but i have a feeling that it is going to be pretty depressing
ReplyDeleteI am reading ROOM by Emma Donoghue. i havent started it yet, but from what i have heard it is an incredibly interesting book. i have been told it is narrated by a 5 year old boy who is in a room with his mom, they never seem to leave but the boy doesnt seem to be scared or worried by this.
ReplyDeleteI am reading "The Unwritten Rule" by:Elizabeth Scott. I really like this book so far. It is about two best friends Sara and Brianna, Brianna has a boy friend and Sara is in love with Brianna's boy friend. Brianna does not know about this and she cant tell her because it is a "rule" that you cant like you best friends boy friend and the story is about how Sara deals with this and how she can still stand being around Brianna and her boy friend. This book seems like it will be very interesting.
ReplyDeleteI am reading the book, "Change-Up" by John Feinstein. I've never read a book by this author, but I've read many sports books before. I've mostly read Mike Lupica's sports books in the past. From what I've read so far it seems to be about this teenage sports writer, named Stevie Thomas, and his friend Susan Carol Anderson. They have the chance to cover the Washington Nationals winning the pennant and going to the World Series, which by the way won't happen anytime soon in real life. While they are in the clubhouse trying to interview the team as they celebrate, they meet a player they don't know. This player's name is Norbert Doyle. He was a late call-up for the Nationals and is a pitcher. Stevie starts to talk to him, but doesn't get a story out of it. For the next couple of days, Stevie is mad at himself for not inquiring more and writing a story about Norbert Doyle. Now his mission is to get to know Doyle more and be able to write about him. I like the book so far. It seems pretty interesting. The title caught my eye and got me intrigued. Part of the title says, "Mystery at the World Series." Hopefully it keeps getting better, but so far I like it.
ReplyDeleteFor my independent reading that i am currently doing, my book that i chose o read was Kick by Walter Dean Myers and Ross Workman. So far i have competed 18 pages and already seem to have an interest into what is happening and in what is to come. In the book the main character Kevin, has been arrested and sent to Juvenal on charges of grand theft auto, kidnapping, driving without a license and misleading. He is also 13 years old. He wants to go home as soon as possible because he has a state tournament for soccer which really the only important thing to him. Sargent Brown, a cop who helps kids his age get out of trouble and become good kids, wants to help him and Kevin is dwelling on if he should accept his offer. I haven't got farther into the book but it sounds good already. I can wait to read more.
ReplyDeleteI am reading the book "Code Talker" by Joseph Bruchac, so far i haven't read that far into it yet but the main point of the book is focused on a young boy named Ned Begay that is from the Navajos tribe and has recently just left his hogan to go to an all white boarding school but he later hears that the Marines are specially recruiting Navajos, so as the book progresses he will enlist in the Marines and will find himself involved in a top-secret task that he is just telling his grandchildren for the first time now.
ReplyDeleteThe book I decided to read is "The Bourne Identity" by Robert Ludlum. The story is about a former CIA agent called, Jason Bourne, who has lost his memories during a severe combat mission, and now suffers of amnesia. Bourne can't remember anything and through out the book he tries to figure out who he truly is and how he acquired his instinctive skills. But during his chase of figuring out who he is he must fight against murderous conspirators led by the master assassin, Carlos. So far the book is very interesting and enjoyable to read. I enjoy the thriller and action that the author portrays in the story, and he also adds a little bit of mystery which makes it even more enjoyable to read.
ReplyDeleteI am reading a book called ROOM by Emma Donoghue. I'm not very far into the book but as of what I've read, this book is written in a little 5 year old boy's perspective. His mom and him are in this room and they are being held in there. The little boy doesn't know of anything outside of the room, he thinks everyone's life is like this too, being stuck in a room all day. So far, I am really enjoying the book and it's really interesting to me. I like the mystery it adds because I still have no idea why the little boy and his mom are stuck in the room and it makes me want to read more so I can find out why they've been in the room for the past five years.
ReplyDeleteI am reading "Shoot the Moon" by Billie Letts. This story is about the murder of Gaylene Harjo and the disappearance of her baby, Nicky Jack in the town of Declare, Oklahoma, 1972. This story is in the view of Nicky Jack when he returns to Declare about thirty years later to reveal some facts about the night that he disappeared. This book was recommended to me by a teacher at Mulready while I was popping popcorn for CHAPS, she thought I looked bored. She said that it was a great novel to read and then gave it to me. I haven't gotten far in the book so far but it seems very interesting. Whenever I read it, I don't want to put it down.
ReplyDeleteI am reading "Hoops of Steel" by John Foley. I'm only on page 18 but so far it seems like a book I'm going to be interested in. It is about a high school teenager named Jackson O'Connell who is obsessed with basketball. Life outside of school and basketball is tough because his family isn't the most wealthy. Jackson sets goals for himself for the upcoming basketball season and has his heart set on achieving a division 1 college scholarship. Coming off a broken hand injury last season, Jackson is determined and anxious for the season to start. The reason I chose this novel for my independent reading is because basketball is my favorite sport and something I can relate to. I hope as I make my way through the book I stay interested and hopefully can recommend it to others.
ReplyDeleteThe book I'm currently reading is "How it Ends: From You to the Universe" by Chris Impey. As the title already says, this book is about how the universe will eventually come to its end and the events that will lead up to it. I've always been curious about astronomy and I'm looking forward to learning more about how we are a part in the end of the universe. I've never actually read a book like this before, but I'm sure I'll learn to enjoy it more as I continue to read more about. I'm not that far into it yet, but so far Chris Impey is explaining how the end of the universe isn't something that will happen in the next few years.
ReplyDeleteI am currently reading Firestarter by Stephen King. I have only started the book briefly but so far it is about a family that is being chased down by agents of the government. The main character Andy and his daughter named Charlene are running through the streets of Longmont Virginia. The action starter right from the first page and is continuing through chapter 2. I think it will turn out to be a great horror story.
ReplyDeleteI am currently reading Gone by Michael Grant. This book seems interesting from the very beginning. What happens is randomly one day everyone over the age of 14 vanishes without a trace. Everyone who is left must fend for them selves and survive. So far it looks like a really good book. I am looking forward to reading it.
ReplyDeleteI am currently reading "The Hunt for Red October" by Tom Clancy. It is about a submarine captain of the Soviet Union who has been slighted again and again by Mother Russia. He decides that he will defect, and based on what I've read, I think it is because of whatever was done to his wife. I am not sure if his crew knows but the summary of the book says that the Americans are hunting for the submarine, the Red October, which contains state secrets from the U.S.S.R. The Soviets are looking to get her back, but her advanced technology hides her from both sides. It is so far a very good book, and I've seen the movie even though that was a long time ago. I know that Tom Clancy is a very respected and popular thriller author and he has a seemingly unfeasible amount of books authored, so all in all, I'm looking forward to the excitement.
ReplyDeleteSo, the book that I just started reading is Burning Up by Caroline B. Cooney. So far the book is starting off slow. I am only on page ten so I presume it will get better as I get farther into the book. The book is supposed to be about a fifteen-year-old girl named, Macey who as a child loves her hometown. This book is a mystery novel, and the mystery of this novel is the fact that there is a mystery of a home or barn that had burned down across the street. She volunteers at her church in Connecticut and tries to uncover some details as to what happened. There happens to be something people are "hiding" because when she asks people questions and no one wants to answer them. Macey then needs to uncover the truth about the fire, especially since in the process of uncovering the truth, a friend of her's who lives next to the church dies. What could be so important to hide, that her friend dies and no one wants to talk? That's what I will try and figure out when I read the novel some more. I will also see if the novel gets any better, so far slow, I hope it get's faster, but not so fast that I want more. I hate books that up and end, so I hope this isn't one of those kind of books. Well that's it for me. Now I will see what the mystery behind the fire is.
ReplyDeleteI am currently reading the novel "Clean" by Amy Reed. Although no one recommended this book to me, the title and picture on the front of the book captured my attention. Even though I didn’t get far into reading it yet, I am already urging to pick the book back up and start from where I stopped reading before. I really enjoy how the book is divided into chapters based on different characters who are talking in their perspective. This novel is about teenagers that have abused drugs and are in rehab. They all have different drugs of their choice, for instance Christopher’s drug of choice is meth where as Eva’s is painkillers and weed. I was also surprised that “the new girl” in the novel is addicted to diet pills. A girl named Kelly who is yet another main character is on suicide watch because she admitted to having thoughts about killing herself. The rehab takes precautionary and Kelly now has to leave her door open and get checked up on every fifteen or so minutes. This novel so far has opened my eyes to see that teenagers are faced with problems beyond what we see on the surface and I can’t wait to continue to learn more about the characters.
ReplyDeleteLike a few of my other classmates I am reading "ROOM" by Emma Donoghue. I heard my friends who are seniors talk this book up all summer so I figured that if they liked, I had a good chance of enjoying it as well. Even without their suggestions, the colorful title on the front grapped my attention because bright colors are easier to catch your eye. To the main character, a five year old boy, Jack, the room he lives in is the world. He was born in this room to which his mother has been kept "in prison" for seven years. Jack watches tv day after day and believes that everything happening in the little square box is imaginary. He has absolutely no interaction with the outside world. So far I am really enjoying this book and I feel the further I get into it, the harder it will be to put it down. I have a lot of questions at this point in the story because I am not far in, but I am sure Donoghue will cover all of them as I work my way through the novel. I am really excited to finish this book!
ReplyDeleteThe name of the book that I am reading is called "Embedded" by Timothy Carlson. I was going to read a different book, but i decided that i wanted to keep this book, because it was more interesting to me. This book is about the war in Afghanistan, and it is journalist getting interviewed, telling us their experience behind the lines. Each chapter is a different journalist telling what they found out about the war. Some of the journalist were allowed to go behind enemy lines where the United States military could not go. I am very interested in reading this book, and I plan on enjoying the rest of it.
ReplyDeleteThe book I am reading is titled "LIfe of Pi" and it is by Yann Martel. Only in the first chapter it's not very clear what the plot of the story is, but the preview on the back book cover indicates that the main character, Pi Patel, will soon become stranded on a life boat following a ship wreck. Also, from what I've read, Pi misses his home of India, loves the country of Canada, and is very knowledgeable on the behavior of sloths. I think this book will be interesting to me because the seemingly random analyzations and events which are presented in this story. I think I will like this story.
ReplyDeleteI am reading a book called "Room" by Emma Donoghue. The story is about a boy who is 5 years old, that lives with his mother. However, they do not live in a normal home, they love in an 11x11 single room. I have yet to start this book, because I have just recently purchased it. I have heard many great things about it, and it has won "best book of the year" from the "new york times". I look forward to hopefully start the novel tonight.
ReplyDeleteI am currently reading, “Because I am Furniture”, by Thalia Chaltas. I haven’t actually started this book yet but I plan to read it on my own and during independent reading. From what I gathered this book is about a girl named Anke’s who’s has an abusive father. Her father abuses her mother and siblings, but not her. Then in school she tries out for the volleyball team. So far that’s all I know about this book.
ReplyDeleteRight now I am reading "The Bang Bang Club" by Greg Marinovich. It is the real life story of a group of four young combat photographers,Greg Marinovich, Joao Silva, Kevin Carter and Ken Oosterbroek who risked their lives to show the world what the results of the South African Apartheid looked like. So far this book is amazing, the author does an amazing job mixing in history and his experience. While I am only so far in I can tell that it is going to be a really good book, and that I will probably finish it very soon, because I cannot keep myself from picking it up.
ReplyDeleteI am reading the book "Past Forgiving" by Gloria D. Milklowitz. It is about a girl, Alexandra, who gets abused by her boyfriend. However, she thinks it's okay because she feels as if she provoked him in some sort of way to hit her. So far, I really like the book, it's very interesting and very good read. Even though I am not very far into the book, I can already tell it is going to be a book I won't want to stop reading. :)
ReplyDeleteI am reading Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins - the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy. I have yet to get started on it, but in this time I have read the first Hunger Games book. The first book overall is about a country called Panem that has risen from the remains of what was once North America. The Capitol, the countrolling power in Panem punishes the 12 districts of Panem for an uprising that had previously occured, by forcing two randomly chosen teenagers from each district to compete in a bloody battle trying to kill all of your opponents. The main character is Katniss Everdeen, who is chosen to compete for district 12. I read the book in about a day and I absolutely loved it. I can not wait to get the second one to get started on that, which is about how the Capitol reacts to Katniss's actions in the previous book. If I had the time to just get all three books and sit down reading them all straight through, I totally would.
ReplyDeleteI am reading Room by Emma Donoghue. I like the book so far but I think the story is going to be really sad. From what I've read, I can tell the book is about a five-year-old boy named Jack who lives with his single mom in a really small room. Jack is not allowed to leave the room and is struggling to thrive in his limited environment. I think they can't leave because the mom's old boyfriend is holding them hostage there. He probably abuses them because when he comes over the mom hides Jack in a closet.This book is going to be about Jack's growing curiosity about the outside world and his struggle to get out.
ReplyDeleteThe book I am reading is Among The Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix. I have already read this book a couple years ago but I never finished the series so I am trying to re-read it all. I like the book so far. The book is about a boy who shouldn't be born because only two kids per family is allowed, he is the third child. He has to stay in hiding hence "Among the Hidden".
ReplyDeleteI am reading Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. I like the book so far but it is already very sad. It is set in the early 1900's about a Cornell vet student whose parents die in a car crash. He find out that he is left with nothing because his parents gave everything to pay for his education. Not knowing what to do or where to go, he jumps on a circus train.
ReplyDelete