Elsewhere

This is a book that I would definitely recommend to my friends. Not only is the book relatable as it follows the story of a girl around the age of my friends and I, it's also a really enjoyable read. It isn't difficult to follow, and puts a really interesting spin on a topic that is already absorbing on it's own; what happens after you die. If I had to pick a book from what we've read in English class Freshman or Sophomore year that is most similar to Elsewhere, I'd have to go with Catcher in the Rye. Though the plots of the two books are in no way similar, the protagonist in each book is around the same age, and both spend a lot of time throughout the book bitter and dwelling on past events. I don't think my experience changed much, reading Gabrielle Zevin's Elsewhere. Throughout the book, I felt a strong connection to Lizzy. That connection allowed me to be interested in the book from beginning to end, because I wanted Lizzy to leave Elsewhere and find her way back home to her old life, family and friends almost as badly as she wanted it for herself. If given a choice, I'd love to read The Hunger Games next. With so much hype surrounding the books and the upcoming film, I definitely think these would be a good read for me. I've always said what a huge fan I am of science fiction, which is the genre that these books fall under. I've also heard that there are a few love stories thrown into the books, which I've always been a fan of.

My Sister's Keeper

After being 75 pages into my personal reading choice book, The Prince of Tides, I realized that I was not quite fond of it and unlikely to finish the 600 pages I had still to read. This, I thought, was defeating the whole purpose of having the personal reading project so I switch my book to My sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult and really enjoyed it. The style in which I read this book was incredibly different to how I The Prince of Tides. For the Prince of Tides I found myself only reading when forced to do so by the deadlines for the blog and at a very slow pace. However, with My sister’s Keeper I was able to read the full 423 pages within three days (which is, for me, incredibly fast). I would definitely recommend this book to my friends because of its intriguing subject matter that is both, in context, untouchable, but, out of context accessible. If I had to pick a book most similar to My sister’s Keeper I would say that it would be Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley. In both of these books, there is a protagonist that was not brought into this life under a normal circumstance. In terms of reading another book, I am not quite sure but I might read March which is a sequel to the Little Women series, Louisa May Alcott (although it is not by the same author).

The Final Glance

Although the novel Second Glance was an interesting book, I don't know if I would recommend the book to my friends. Out of the large spectrum of books that I have read, it wouldn't be one of the first novels I would urge people to read. My feelings towards the book were mediocre. I don't think it would leave a large imprint in my mind unlike other books I have read years ago, to which I still remember the plots to. My experience reading this book constantly changed from chapter to chapter. There were particular parts of the book that were boring, and chapters that were way too long. However, in light of that, there were certain story lines that I was intrigued by, and particular scenes that made my experience reading Second Glance more enjoyable. If I had to pick a book from English class that is most similar to Second Glance I believe that it would be Lord of the Flies. Although the genres and styles of the books are very different, the one thing they have in common is a historical background. The novel Lord of the Flies took place during World War II, and specific aspects of the novel was influenced by the war taking place elsewhere. The war even has a direct effect on the outcome of the novel even though it didn't directly affect the majority of the plot. Similarly in Second Glance, the eugenics project is occurring during that time period that also influences the main plot and directly affects the outcome of the story. If given the choice, the next novel I would like to read is Crime and Punishment. Although it is a different genre than Second Glance, it is a classic novel that has been on my bucket list to read.

The Book Of Lies

I have just finished reading the novel The Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer, and I thought it was fantastic. Bases around a man struggling to clear his and his fathers name, he finds himself in the hardest of all places; do the unethical or risk being know as a traitor for the rest of his life. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys action with a little bit of comedy. This is a fast-paced novel that is sure to keep the reader turning the pages at a mile a minute. From start to finish this novel was full of conflict, leaving no dull moments. For me this was a major plus, if the story gets boring I get bored and I usually end up choosing a different book, I need something that will keep me glued to my seat and this novel did just that. I would most closely relate this book to Frankenstein because they share a common theme of finding ones self. In Frankenstein the main character, victor, struggles to find himself and what he stands for. Is he a scientist who needs to always find the truth or a responsible human being who does the right thing. This is much the same in The book of Lies where the main character Calvin must decide to do the ethical thing and turn himself in or break the law and follow a hunch that will brand him as a traitor if his hunch is incorrect. Another book that I would like to read in the future is The Hunger Games I have heard great things about it and cant wait to read it.

Final Post- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

I read the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which is a story written in the epistolary form about what happened during WWII on this island. It follows four main characters, who write to each other and describe their experiences in the aftermath of the war and how they are putting their lives back together. The main character is Juliet, who after writing letters to many members of the literary society, decides to go visit and meet her new friends. She is so moved by their story that she ends up writing a book about it. I would definitely recommend reading this book, it is somewhat slow getting started, however once the story lead us to Guernsey, and we really started to meet the more interesting characters, I found it fascinating. Each person had their own story and tragedy, but they all banded together to try to overcome and recover from the damages of the war, and they were all very inspiring. Even though there were many aspects of the book that were sad, because that is a major theme of war, it did not focus on those parts as much as the relationships and love that came out of this suffering. I found that the love these people were able to hold, especially after that much torture and heartbreak to be admirable. I loved the theme of respect and loyalty that held true in this book, and I really enjoyed the time period so I would like to read another book, not necessarily about a war, but with this major theme.

I think that it is most similar to Of Mice and Men, because in that novel, the two friends suffered greatly because of their trouble finding work and struggled with Lennie’s obvious disabilities. However, even though it would have been easier for George to leave Lennie, and lead a more normal life, he did not do that because of the love and companionship they felt. George and Lennie stayed together and loyal to each other through good and bad conditions just like the people in the literary society. In both these books, the characters banded together to hold bonds of love and acceptance and for support during difficult points in time. Both of these strong bonds are admirable and provide support for the people involved.

Is The Game Ever Over?

I definitely would recommend The Hunger Game to a friend. It is a thrilling book about survival, that is a good read for girls, boys, and even adults. The suspense you feel when reading this book is so amazing that it makes it hard to put it down. Because of all the thrill and adventure in the Hunger Games, the most similar book I have read in English class would be Lord of the Flies. Both books put the characters into a similar situation. The characters are both thrown into a new and crazy environment. They are also both required to live on their own and fend for themselves. In each book the characters both form relationships with each other and in both books people die as a result of these relationships. In the beginning of the book the story was a little slow. The author needed to use a lot of description to lay a foundation for the book to grow. After I passed the beginning descriptions of the story, the book became thrilling and suspenseful. I could barley put it down. I would definitely like to continue the series because it was such a good book. I can really picture each situation the main character was put in, because of the author's meticulous descriptions. I have also grown attached to the characters in the book, and I want to see what happens to them next!

My Opinion of The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

For English class, I read The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. This book won the Newbery Medal, and to me, was one of the greatest books I’ve ever read. The Westing Game is a novel that incorporates murder, clues, riddles, and a mystery within a few hundred pages. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend because it is filled with suspense and tension. Page after page, the reader will become more interested in the novel and desire to know the resolution. Every chapter ends with a cliffhanger that basically forces the reader to continue reading and to come a few steps closer to solving the mystery. The genius plot will fascinate anyone, and is definitely a book that everyone should read. The book Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is most similar to my book because they both contain unbelievable twists and turns that renders the reader speechless. As in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, people and objects are not who or what they seem. Just like how Dr. Jekyll is actually Mr. Hyde, there is a character in The Westing Game that is disguised as someone else. Throughout the book, I got more into the book, and read more often. As the book progressed, I felt more attached to the characters and pictured what I would do if I was in their place. The characters in The Westing Game were all stated in a will of a millionaire paper company owner, Samuel Westing. The 16 individuals all had different unknown relations to him, and were told that within them, was the murderer of Samuel Westing. The characters were paired up and given a clue to find the murderer. The winner would win 200 million dollars and get Westing’s successful paper company. Ellen Raskin did a great job of portraying the feelings and dilemmas that the characters encountered as they tried to decipher the clues. If I was given a choice as to what to read next, I would definitely choose another mystery book. I wouldn’t necessarily choose to read a book by Ellen Raskin, but any mystery book author, such as Agatha Christie. Overall, The Westing Game was a great book, and I recommend it to everyone.

Decode the post, and go get Decoded!

Decoded by Shawn Carter took me to places that I haven’t been before while reading a book. With all of the stress of High School academics, extra-curricular activities and trying to maintain a healthy social life, joyful reading has been put on hold for me. I was happy to have an assignment where I read a book that I wanted to read while also being relaxed and stress-free. Decoded was a perfect personal choice reading book for this assignment. It is a book for obviously, any fan of Jay-Z but also anyone interested in music, poetry (through Shawn’s lyricism) and different cultures and backgrounds. It connected the reader not only to “Jay-Z” but it connected the reader to Shawn Carter. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family. As weird as this sounds, Decoded reminded me of two books in particular for two different reasons. Decoded reminded me of Pride and Prejudice through the emotion of the writing. Pride and Prejudice has a certain language and emotion in it that is reflected in Jay-Z’s lyrics that he decodes in the book. A lot of the songs Shawn Carter lyrically analyzes are about coming of age and the loss of innocence, which were two main themes of the book I read last year called Catcher in the Rye, so it reminded me of that book as well. While reading Decoded, I was hooked from the start, which is another reason I would recommend this to a friend. Each page was better than the last and the stories and adventures Shawn Carter discussed never ceased to amaze me. Through the excellence that was Decoded, I would love to read another autobiography of a musician or artist, in particular John Lennon. I am a fan of music, I am a fan of art and I am a fan of my emotions being manipulated through thoughtful lyrics. I feel as if an autobiography by both John Lennon and Shawn Carter will fulfill my wants and needs as a reader.

The Blind Side to The Hunger Games

After beginning The Blind Side as my personal choice read, I felt like I was not fully engaged in the book. I was on my way to Boston, extremely bored, so I decided to text my friend from another school asking her what book she thinks that I should read. She recommended The Hunger Games. I was skeptical at first about reading this book because it did not seem like something I would be interested in. But, I decided to give it a try. I am so happy I started reading it. When I read the first chapter I was kind of confused as to what would end up happening in the book. But after I started to understand the plot of the book better, it made me enjoy reading it even more. Although I have yet to finish the Hunger Game, it is by far my favorite book that I have read and my experience was great. After my friend recommended it to me I would absolutely recommend it to anyone else. I feel like it is a very versatile book that a lot of people can enjoy. I haven’t ever been so immersed in a book. I was so unhappy when the train ride was over and I had to stop reading this book. There’s no book that I’ve ever read, MKA or personally, that I can compare it to. I think that I will continue to read this book and the other books in the series. So, if I were ever given a choice I would definitely continue with the series. I am so happy that I found these books to read.

The Hunger Games

I would recommend my book to a friend because overall it was a good book. The book was interesting and I wanted to read more. If I had to pick a book that is most similar to it I would choose “The Lord of the Flies.” These two books are similar in many ways. There are many reoccurring themes in both of them. They are also both about an adventure. My experience did change throughout the book. In the beginning I was a little bored but as the book progressed it was thrilling. I had a good time reading the book. If I could choose what I would read next, I would choose a book that is similar to “The Hunger Games.” I had a good time reading the book and I enjoyed the plot.

Is the War Truly Over?

Even after the Civil War came to an end, tragedy still struck the nation as the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln led to the greatest manhunt in American History. James L. Swanson, in his epic tale Manhunt, tells the story of the hunt for John Wilkes Booth as he escapes the capital moments after avenging the South’s defeat. Swanson analyzes an important moment in American History and presents it as an adventure genre as well as a nonfiction novel. I certainly enjoyed this book mainly because I was always so interested in discovering each detail and description that happened during this time. I would definitely recommend this novel to any avid reader, especially one who enjoys either nonfiction or American History.

The idea for either one or a group of people looking for a killer can also be seen in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Both stories show how one who seeks justice hunts down a monster. Victor Frankenstein devotes his life to locating the monster which is exactly what Union Calvary and officials did for the location of Mr. Booth.

From beginning to end, I was always hooked into the book. After hearing about this from a book talk, I was immediately attracted to read about this point after the Civil War. It was a book I could not put down. If I were to choose another book to read, I would certainly choose another nonfiction/adventure story, particularly one about American History.