Morgan's Blog

To  a lot of people masterpieces are artworks, but when I hear the words Mini Masterpieces I think of a great book by Agatha Christie.  The Mini Masterpieces: The Detectives  is a group of short stories including all of Agatha Christie’s detectives ( Parker Pyne, Harley Quin, Hercule Poirot, and Miss Marple).  The stories range from about 10-15 pages and are all about some sort of crime. Whether it is a murder, or just a stolen ring it is just as full in suspense, clues, and excitement. Each detective has its own style. For example, Hercule Poirot has to think, or let his little gray cells do the work, and Parker Pyne read human emotion, and attracts his crime from his business of trying to make people happy.

My rating of this novel would be a definite ten out of ten! I love being able to go from one detective to the next, to the different cases quickly, but also having the story making you think as it normally does.  Whenever I read Christie’s novel, I usually stick to Hercule Poirot stories, or Miss Marple stories because I know that they would be great. But, after only reading a few stories, I got hooked on the other detectives too, Parker Pyne and Harley Quinn.  It was fun to expand my horizons, and especially on the first few stories when I didn’t know at all what their stories were like.

In my personal opinion I believe that everyone would like these stories.  They contain the perfect amount of mystery to keep the reader reading and guessing. Because of that, adults and teens alike would get hooked on this book. Plus it isn’t gory that some of the new teen thrillers that gross you out, so you don’t want read anymore.  So if your looking for a good read that gets you intrigued and excited pick up Agatha Christie!

Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!. Six shots were fired one Sunday afternoon, on the Del Norte ferry.  4 out of 6 people died. This is the case that Lindsay, the main detective, in the James Patterson’s book  The 6th Target faces.  A serial killer case, with no leads what so ever, until the killer turns himself in at Lindsay front porch because he is scared that he might do it again.  The case soon goes to trial where one of Lindsay’s close friend is the prosector, and the main question is whether the killer is staging his defense, and trying to get away from the death penalty or the defandent is actually insane because of a incident in his past. Not only does Linsday have to balance this case, but she also having to deal with almost losing her best friend on the ferry that fateful day, and her long distance relationship is falling into a wreck.  As the stress piles up on Lindsay’s plate, like a oversize mound of potatoes, the case starts to fall through, and the defense is getting a lead.  If this keeps going, killer will go free for the deaths of 4 people, and can be a immense danger to those around him, and will probably kill again.

For my preferences I would give this book a 9 out of 10. The writing style and plot made the novel extremely exciting and suspenseful, leaving the reader wondering what will happen next.  One of the other things that I loved about the book was the ending for while I was reading it my heart start to pump a little faster.  In my opinion the only part of the book that wasn’t to my expectations was the trial. I loved how James Patterson made the trial seem realistic, but it could of added a little flair. If I was reading a novel about lawyers, it would be a great trial and part of that novel. But, since the rest of the book was so fanstastic, I felt like the trial didn’t live up to compare to the rest of the book.

As a teenager who loves suspense, crime, and real life fiction this is the novel that combines all of those.  I wouldn’t go any younger than a teenager to read this book because some parts might be a little inappropriate or scary in their eyes. But for a reader in high school, 7th and 8th grade this is the perfect, simple read for you! With the suspense, crime, and real life fiction all packed into a around 300 pages this novel is amazing.

During this 9 weeks I’ve got to more pages than I’ve ever read before in one 9 weeks: 3,000 pages!! For those big crazy readers, I know that it’s a small amount; but for me its amazing. Below is a list of books that I’ve read, and loved:

Mr. Monk in Trouble-322 pages                          Murdered! My Sweet- 208 pages

Pretty Little  Liars #6-336 pages                        Nobody’s There-208 pages

Pretty Little Liars #7-288 pages                         Diary of Anne Frank- 325 pages

Pretty Little Liars #8-272 pages                         Two Minute Mysteries-288 pages

The Story of Edgar Swatelle-566 pages            Don’t Scream-165 pages

The Art of Palm Reading-28 pages(so far!)

Please comment if you have any recommendations, or thoughts about my book selection! Thanks!

In Nobody’s There, by Joan Lowry Nixon many characters have changed throughout the novel. But, one change that I feel is the greatest was Mrs. Merkel. Mrs. Merkel was the senior citizen that Abby got assigned to in the Friend to Friend program.  In the beginning, Mrs. Merkel was a strange,crabby, old lady that like just to be left alone, and not to be pestered. She made herself clear by stating”Get off my porch or I’ll shoot” when Abby first came to the house. But, by the end of the book she had clearly changed internally. In the hospital room, Mrs. Merkel was nice, not rude to Abby as she usually is. An example of this is that she let Abby read books to her, and she like it even though she pretended not too,   She also seemed to have more passion in what she did. While in the hospital, Mrs. Merkel took up two hobbies: reading, and writing. Though these changes were minor, they cause a great change in Mrs. Merkel herself. I believe that these changes were sparked by having someone care for her. Before Abby came, I believe that Mrs.Merkel basically kept to herself, and didn’t have a true friend because she didn’t get out much. Since she was alone often, she hardened up like a rock. But, when she was exposed to Abby’s kindness, she softened.

I believe that the author’s purpose was one to teach the reader that friendship, and great people come in many shapes and sizes, and not to judge people by first impression, in an entertaining way. I think that the intended audience would be 7th and 8th grade boys and girls. Nobody’s There is an pretty easy read, and would be too easy read for anyone above that age level. This novel is a mystery combined with adventure, so it isn’t to girly or boyish. This makes it easy for everyone to enjoy!

     The Story of Edgar Swatelle was a great book, combining realistic fiction with lessons of friendship, loyalty, and life. If I were David Wroblewski, and created a new chapter, it would be hard to start it,and end it well. The last ending of the book, got the reader wanting more, but also ending that book very well with a sense of mystery. But, if one more chapter was added it would be partly a sequl, for it would start an entirely different story: the story about the dogs. Having this predicament I would write about the grief of the mother, and what would happen afterwords. It would go something like this:

Mother

I fully awoke with the help of Glen, but nothing was left to greet me, not a welcoming sight to see. A hazy smoke filled the air, as if it now owned the house and the land. Piles of ashes stood where the barn has been before. The dogs, or most of them, had left. Edgar would be upset about this. Those dogs were his life. Edgar, he’s gone. I had him for only a day, until he left again.  I could feel the tears running down my face, my screams echoing through the smoke, and Glen trying to comfort me, talking hurriedly to someone. But, none of this mattered now. Nothing was left; I had nothing. Darkness engulfed me. The same darkness I had felt, when I had lose my baby before. But, now their was no hope to pull me out again, no warm hand, and comforting words, to rescue me. There was just me and darkness both internally dead. 

The author’s purpose of writing this book, is to show life in a new way. To teach the readers about friendship, and life lessons. I believe that this attended audiences are adults, for at some parts of the books I’ve found boring, or confusing. But, for adults it would be must more clear and influential.

Every 9 weeks in my English class we have a reading assignment and goal. This challenge usually had the students read about 1,500-2,000 pages, and take a reading counts test over one of our books. For this nine weeks I decided to read Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. And guess what?! I got a great score on my test!

The story, of Anne Frank and her family,  was fascinating, showing the troubles and hardships Jews, and Non-Jews had during Adolf Hitler’s rule. It was also a great experience, to see what hiding was like for Jewish families. I’ve read some other Holocaust books, but none were quite like this novel. One of parts of Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl that I throughly enjoyed was getting the inside scope of the feelings of Anne, and her family members throughout the story. It was amazing that one piece of news destroyed or made their day. Overall I would rate this book an 9 out of 10. Boys and girls alike, who are  around middle school, and up should read this book. For once in awhile when we forget to count are blessings, a novel like this is a good wake-up call.

     For every person, their opinion of the book is different in some way. Some books people love, others people hate. Two Minute Mysteries for me, was a book that I was on the fence about, sometimes liked it and sometimes didn’t. The title of this book, basically describes the novel. It is made up of short mysteries all solved by the genius dectective, Dr. Haledjian. With all the different plots and story lines, it was definitely a  fast-paced book. Though this book was over four-hundred pages, it didn’t take me long at all to read. Another positive of the novel, is it isn’t all murder; there are just regular crimes too.  One negative of the book is the solutions. Sometimes they are quite amazing, hidding a small but important clue in the story, and if the reader catches it, it would solve the whole story. But, in other stories the reader has to have backround information about the story. For example, in one story, a passenger of a popular train supposedly gets hurt on the train, and to solve the mystery the reader has to know about how Pullam’s train set-ups their beds. Overall this book is great, even with its ups and downs. I would rate it a seven out of 10.

I’ve had always been a little  fan of the show, Monk, so I decided to try out one of the books, that fall under that series as well. Mr. Monk in Trouble is a pretty good book, but the ending wasn’t what I thought it would be. Mr. Monk arrives in Trouble, California, which is an old mining town, to investigate a murder for Captain Stotlemyers. But, the trip soon goes down hill, for the town is not up to Mr. Monk’s “standards”. Throughout the book Mr. Monk gets a few clues here and there, and I was excepting a big finial at the end of the book, but instead I got about a 10 word closing, no exciting capture, and not even a suprise about who did it. By the middle of the book, I guess who the murder was just by his/her actions. Even after I figured it out, I decided to keep on reading, for I doubt that I was actually right. But, as the conculsion and final pages came around, there was no sudden twist, or suprise. Nothing, except what I predicted would happen. So it turned out to be quite a boring ending, in my sense. I would rate it a 8 out of 10.

      Wicked by Sara Shepard has just about the same premise as the last 5 or 6 books had in this series. Usually I wouldn’t like books like these at all, except for the author, Sara Shepard,puts so much suspense and mystery into the pages, that I couldn’t help but keep on reading these books. Because these books are so complex, with many tiny plots, and different characters, minor characters play a pretty big role. One of the most important side characters in my opinion are the friends and family of the four girls-some bad, some good. Once Spencer had found her “birth-mother” Olivia in New York City, she wanted to rush into changes, like moving to New York to be with her “mother”. Though her “mother” advised against it, Spencer found a place in New York, and bought it with her collage money that her other parents saved up for her. But when she went to find her apartment, their was no apartment that existed for that address, and her birth mother wasn’t to be found either. To make matters even worse when Spencer went back to check her bank account, there was no money it at all. Though in Spencer’s case it wasn’t that good, Hannah’s case was more positive. For Hannah it was Mike that made  Hannah feel special by taking her shopping, and out to dinner. Though this was a small act of kindness, it boosted Hannah’s self esteem so maybe she would have as much trouble eating as she usually does. Sometimes in a person’s life,book or real, it is just a tiny touch of kindness, or hatred that can make all the difference.

     After reading this book, I believe that Sara Shepard wanted this book to be more than just a chick flick type of book. But, instead a book that shows girls that being perfect, thin, and popular in high school isn’t all its cut out to be. To show girls, like me that they are just perfect the way they are. Therefore I think that this book’s target audience are girls in junior high, or just starting high school based on its reading level, and ,as I said above, the author’s purpose. Not only would a girl find this book a more than good read, she would probably get a message out of it too if she read between the lines. Overall I would give this book and 7 out of 10.

Sara Stevenson novel The Latte Rebellion can’t be summed up into one review, for it would take years to write a review that covers its aspects of justice, racial criticism, power, etc., and its theme about staying true to what you believe in rightfully. Racial words have been targeted at Asha and her friend Carey, for a few years in their school. Things like towel-head, and references to J-Lo, just because they are part Indian, and Mexican. And one summer they decided to put a stop to it. Their idea is to hit two birds with one stone, publicize the issue of racial criticism, and raise money to take an post-graduation trip by selling t-shirts with the Latte Rebellion, their group for people of mixed races, logo. But, suddenly it seems to prosper and suddenly both of them are in something way over their head. As Asha throws every part of her into it, Carey slowly backs out. As Carey gets less and less connected with the Latte Rebellion, her and Asha’s best friendship started to wear out as well. But with these mixing of conflicts, it gives the book an interesting aura as well.

Stevenson writing was beautiful, but in her own way. Instead of using the best adjectives around, so it flows like poetry, but instead a beauty full of passion, and courage. Throughout this book, I’ve learned so much about the racial issues that are going on in the US today. But, mixed with the facts, comes the passion of so many about the subject. In the novel, the Latte Rebellion hosts rallies that over 80 people in each town attend. Then comes the courage,even though Asha’s school banned the Latte Rebellion, and stated that anyone involved would be suspended, people still wore their shirts and wear as proud as ever. Her writing is the voice of the people, and the area of people that need a voice.

As in many novels, there are still strengths and weaknesses of the book. Since this novel is so complex, I won’t name all of the pros and cons, but maybe just 1 or 2. One strong strength in the book is the topic. I didn’t know a lot about this before I read the novel. But, it presented that novel in a way that wasn’t like one of those boring educational movies-blah, blah, blah-but more like an interesting song. As a weaknesses the book jumps ahead too much, for as I reader I was still very confused. I don’t want to give away what it jumps ahead, but just be prepared.

Though through its pros and cons, and beauty this book was fabulous. The racial criticism of the book made it interesting, but it got balanced out with the friendship problem of Asha and Carey so it wasn’t to boring and confusing. With all of the problems going on Asha still figured out who she was on the inside by the end of the book. Also, I don’t want to give away too much about the ending, but I have to say it is very satisfying and touching. Male or female, adult or teen, I believe that everyone would get a little surprising bit of joy and learning out of it.