Morgan's Blog

      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.

Caroline B. Cooney’s Losing Christina collection is a group of novels full of mystery and suspense.  Christina has finally finished school on the Bunring Fog, the island where she lives. Because of the small population of the island, the children go to seventh grade and up on the mainland, which is a few miles away. For the school year, children stay with someone on the mainland, and go home on holidays and for the summer. Christina has watched her older friends- Anya, Micheal, and Benj all go to school, and now it was her turn. She was going, to be staying with the kindest family, the principal, her parents said, and she got new supplies, clothes, etc. It was supposed to be the highlight of Christina life, but it turned out to be the worst year ever. After a few days at the mainland, Christina realized, that the kind principal and his wife, the Shervingtions, are evil, and making children go insane was their hobby, and their next target was Anya. As Anya slowly started to fall from the top of her senior class, to the bottom, Christina tried to tell the others, but everyone said she was lying, and that the Shervingtons were great people. She knew the truth, but can she stop them. The losing Christina Collection includes, 3 books in one-Fog, Ice, and Fire. In each book the Shervingtons pick a different victim, to torture mentally. Though the plot does sound crazy, it is the craziness that makes the book so wonderful. This collection teaches the importance of courage in what every one does; something even I need to work on.

This review doesn’t give the book full justice. Because, of the odd, and crazy idea behind the plot- making people go insane, no review can explain the book well enough. But, the writer, Lois Lowery does of magnificent job of making the book come to life in the readers mind. For me, I could experience Christina’s agony, and frustration as I read the book. This book is great for a library, for it falls under all sorts of genres, a bit of sci-fi, mystery, fiction so there is something for everyone in this book. But, this book isn’t for small kids, like elementary. The reading level is easy enough, but the mind twisting part of the plot, might be to scary, or adult for them. I was a fifth, or sixth grader when I first read this book, I was fine with it. For readers my age, it is great. Though it is quite an easy read, the plot makes up for it. With the intensity, and drama of the plot I would recommend this book to anyone.

Lois Lowery’s words, in The Losing Christina Collection, were beautiful. Her adjectives to describe the aroma, and the state of mind of the some of the characters were supreme. They flowed, gluing the whole book together. Her writing left of sense of mystery, and wonder, at least imprinted on me. Without those, I feel like I would dislike the book strongly. I don’t go for odd plots that often, and when I read the back cover, I was intrigued, but wondering if it could seem real, make a picture in my mind. And let me tell you, this book exceeded my expectations completely.

As the reader of this review can tell, the book has a different plot, as I said in the last paragraph, but that is what makes it so awesome. With the mix of the different plot, and the realistic parts, like the teasing, the book is turned into to story of wonder, making it easy to picture it in one’s mind, but really to grab a hold of it and picture it with reality, as if it is just out of one’s reach. Many writers couldn’t of  pulled this type of book off, but Caroline B. Cooney could, and she did with her great word-choice and writing style. In my opinion, it was felt like a breath of fresh air to read something not exactly my style, and for others it would benefit them to step out of their comfort zone, to read The Losing Christina collection, by Caroline B. Cooney.

Though I rated the pretty little liars series is a past review badly, I just had to keep on reading them.  Sara Shepard’s Flawless is a realistic-fiction/ novel that teaches teenage girls that a terrible choice always comes back to haunt you. All the girls were getting sick of A’s notes, and they wanted them to stop. So each of them wanted to catch Ali. But, as they try to stop her the notes get worse. For Emily, A threatens to tell everyone about her “problem”. For Aria, A threatens to tell her mother about Bryon and Meredith, and that Aria knew. For Spencer, she was going to tell Melissa about her and Wren. And as for Hanna, she/he was going to tell her father about everything. The girls come to agreement about only one person who could be A, and that person is Toby. But, as soon they target him, he writes a suicide note, and kills himself. But, even after he dies, they still are receiving notes from A. Who could A be now?

My overall response to the book was that it was an exciting, fast-paced novel. This book wasn’t anything like I ever read, except the first one in the series of course, every time that the girls got a new note, or did something to try to find A, it made my heart race. I wanted to just keep, reading, and reading forever. Because, of this exciting plot the book was definitely interesting. I think I read it in a day and a half. But, because they girls don’t have the deepest of secrets, or misery going on in their lives, I wouldn’t say moving at all. Pretty Little Liars, is a great, fun series, but not the most inspirational either.

Though this book is in the same series as my last review, and both are about the same primise, I decide to give it a more positive rating this time, so people could see both sides of the story. Because, I answered a dislike question about the writing style in the my last post about the series(see past posts), I felt I needed to give the positives about the book too. One of the best parts of the writing style is how the author, catches and hooks the readers, especially for reading the second book. After one finishes the book, and flips past the about the author, and everything else like that, there is a tiny section about what happens next. The What Happens Next, isn’t a blurb from the first chapter in the next book, but instead it is a note to the reader from A. A vaguely tells the reader about how she will torture,not in a physical way, during the next book. Since A writes a little mysteriously, and only gives a smidgen of the story in this section, it made me want to run the library to get the sequencing novel in the series. Another positive about Shepard’s writing style, is how the books are from not the girls point of view, but not A’s either. The view point is similar to someone watching a movie, about them. In this “movie”, the reader is taken back in time, during some parts, to the clique in seventh grade, the year Ali was murdered. But, in other times it is present day, or when A talks to the reader, she talking in present tense. With all the different tenses, it makes the book a lot more intriguing.

Before anyone rushes out to buy this book, for this book gets readers hooked on the series, here is a little side note.  Though many of the girls in the main clique have troubles on the inside, some (Hanna) seems perfect from the outside, which I’m not proud to say decreased my self esteem some days. But even with that side note, I would shout to the world to read this novel. As I wrote in the first review, the plot is just fabulous, and in Flawless it gets even better, by adding danger to the equation.  For me the characters in the book seem a little to typical popular crowd, or sports manic so it makes it hard for me to picture myself in the novel. I think that is one thing that is so appealing about this book that it stretches my imagination. But, to contrast with this aspect, is the perfect society that seems like it was taken from a fairy tale. Getting to see the trouble in a perfect world, makes the reader’s life so much better. Because of these reasons I feel that girls who are about 7th grade and up should read this book, if they are mature enough to handle the context.

Sara Shepard’s Pretty little Liars: Book 1 is a great plot but not so great details.  Though even with the inappropriate parts, I still found that the book told of an important lesson: Secrets, secrets are no fun, secrets are for everyone. Though this is a basic rhyme it is the center of many bulling issues today.

They were the best of friends, the popular crowd: Ali( the leader), Hanna, Spencer, Aria, an d Emily. But, as always nothing is perfect. Each girl had secrets only one another person in their clique knew. At their end of summer sleepover, Spencer and Ali got into a simple fight, just about the blinds. But, it spiraled into something much more. That night Ali left early, and never came back, Three years later, and the friends split up, Ali’s body was found. After the funeral, they started to receive texts, from A. A knew their secrets, and was threatening to make their lives miserable. But, if Ali was dead, who was A.

The writing style of this novel was hard for me to distinguish whether I liked it or not. One thing that I severely dislike about the book’s writing style/ content was the inappropriate secrets that the writer made some of the girls had. This was just unnecessary. For me, the plot is amazing, but I sometimes have second thoughts about reading the book, because of the content. If someone were to read this book, I would say 7^th grade and up. I also disliked, was that it was sometimes confusing to tell what girl the writer was talking about, because she used she a lot in some of the chapters.

Sara Shepard is a fine writer, but like every book there are strengths and weaknesses in the reader’s opinion. Some strengths of the book is the the exciting plot, especially after you figure out that Ali is dead. With the secrets, and notes from A, it makes the book a definite page turner. But, as I said before the inappropriate parts make me dislike the book. Also, there is too much drama sometimes for me; the kind of teenage drama that is all about people’s crushes.

Recommending this book with all of my heart is tough. I’m not going to lie it took me awhile to decide whether I would keep on reading the series, and even recommend it to a fellow reader.  After some thinking, and many rewrites I decided to lay the facts out of front of you- the pros and the cons.  As for the pros, I have listed these several times above, is the great plot. The dead friend sending mysterious texts to all of her old best friends, the threats, and the clues one gathers as they read this book. Though the main theme is secrets, secrets are no fun, secrets are for everyone, there is another small one about not judging people about how they look, or act.  During the girls’ seventh grade year, they were the bullies. But, after Ali is gone they start to realize how they ruined others lives, by feeling what the others would of felt because of A. As for the cons a major one is the INAPPROPRIATENESS of the novel. Ukk! I also believe that the characters are bad role models, for many times they do alcohol or are the devils in the school by gossiping behind each other back, make fun of others, and so on. Though I think this book is mediocre, I feel that the reader should be prepared about the content of the book before they start reading it.

       Lois Duncan’s Don’t Look Behind You mystery novel is a wonderful book that teaches kids the importance of obeying the rules, and learning to take what is thrown at you.  17 year old April life changes in a second. The day that she leaves is just like any other day, she goes to school with her boyfriend, plans to meet after tennis practice, etc. But when her Grandmother arrives to take her home everything is thrown out of order. They are swept away by the witness protection program, because her father has been working secretly on a FBI case, and had many threats on his life,by a notorious killer: Mike Vamp. April and her family’s next few weeks consist of traveling to many little motels, all across Virginia, where they live to keep them in safety. Soon April excepts that this isn’t a short term situation as she once thought. This might be the rest of their life. After they get reunited with their father, it doesn’t get any better. They move to a small,poor town in Florida, and aren’t allowed to make contact with anyone. April, being a teenager, gets sick of living in the small town, and not even be able to tell anyone where she is, or who she is. So April makes a radical decision, that she would drive back to her home town, and live with her Grandmother, who stayed behind. But, this decision is putting April’s families life on the line.

     For me Duncan’s writing style sealed the deal on this great book. Her writing style details, but not all at once. Just the perfect speed to keep the reader interesting. Though it was realistic, I found that it was nice to have a tiny twist in the book too, for it made it not something that could happen to you when you are at school. Also, I believed that the book had some facts behind it, like the weather in Florida, or about the FBI, which let the reader imagine a picture in their minds easier.

     Even with the great writing concealed in the pages of  this book, the book was good, not great. Though I loved it while I was reading it, I don’t think I could tell anyone a lot about it a few weeks after I read it. Don’t get me wrong, the book is interesting, but not very moving in the least. It includes a great plot, realistic characters, and a little ‘ this could never happen to me’ in their too. A great read for a snow day, to cozy up with, but from an meaning educational stand point, I would give it a 2 out of 5.

This book has some flaws, but no book is perfect right? I would reccommend this book to someone older, just for the alarming, spine-chilling parts. The plot is one full of twist, turns, mystery, and excitement. When I read this book I had no idea what would happen next, which left me craving for more. One of things that helps the plot grow to its ulimate excitment level, and makes the book even more thrilling is the realistic characters. The teenager girl, April, which I can relate her to many people I know. The caring family, and frineds lets the readers feel like this could happen to them. Though many books have the benefits that I mentioned above, some are long and boring books that no one likes to read. Don’t Look Behind You is not one of those books.  A mere 200 pages, which flew by for me because of the excitment, and suspense laid on to every page. So if you want a book to cuddle up and read with, or just one to read every so often, Don’t Look Behind You by Lois Duncan is the book for you!

Though this title makes it seems like the book is sci-fi, I want to tell readers that it’s not. Hang 1,000 trees with ribbons, by Ann Rinaldi  is a historical fiction book, about a young slave girl named Phillis Wheatly. Phillis Wheatly is a young girl when she gets captured by a slave trader and taken away on a ship. The events that follow Phillis’ capture is to terrifying to be told, and they stick with Phillis, like a ghost, for they rest of her life. But, once the slave ship lands in Boston, Phillis luck turns. She is bought by a family called the Wheatlys. From there on, they treat Phillis like their own daughter. Life isn’t perfect though, the Wheatly’s daughter hurts her, and other slaves sneer. But, luck is still with Phillis. Nathenial, the Wheatly’s son, starts to teach her to read and write. Phillis catches on quickly and starts using poetry to pour out her sorrows. When the Wheatly’s discover the poetry, they want Phillis to get public. But, the more Phillis follows the Wheatly’s plan of publication, the more she loses some of herself along the journey. Throughout the book, a life lesson is portrayed- that  it is always possible to reach for the sky, and make it.

The author’s point of view is one that I agreed with. Many times authors side with the younger character giving them help, or not alot of flaws. Though in this book Ann Rinaldi gave all the characters plenty of flaws, especially running away from things that upset her, like how she didn’t eat because her mother was not with her, and left the party in that was held in her honor.  I also like how she should the good families of the south, not the usual mean old slave traders. The Wheatlys took in Phillis  as there own and helped her become something great with their reading and writing classes that they gave her.

This review is the main plot of the book, but the book goes into a more deep and beatiful way of describing the life of Phillis Wheatly. Since it is from the point of view of the book, is from Phillis, the author takes the reader on such a journey that the reader feels as though they have know Phillis forever, and are walking right along side her during the book.This review isn’t good for information, and the book only has a little. Hang 1,000 trees with ribbons does make a great read for just one person, but I wouldn’t call it a read aloud book because to some people the no action part might lull them to sleep.But, don’t get me wrong its a great book, just not one that might appeal to everyone in the class( boys)

This is a read that I would recommend to almost everyone though it is a candy book.  Having the little information here and there makes the book seem more realistic, like the reader are right there and keeps the reader’s attention. But, the book isn’t all facts. Ann Rinaldi shows Phillis’ emotions in a way that can’t be described. The only thing that I can say is that it makes the readers feel like they have know Phillis their whole life, and instead of it happening to her, it is happening to them. The last reason that I would recommend this book is that it can be a book for all ages, not to adult but not like Judy B. Jones either. Even though it doesn’t have alot of adventure, but it makes up for it in content. This book is beautifully written, and I believe everyone should read it!

     One time during our family vacations in New York, we rented this house, on a beautiful lake. The lake was clear, and warm. So my cousins and I went swimming in it all the time. All around the lake, were these tiny island, not more than 100ft long, and long and skinny. They were everywhere, but since the lake was huge it wasn’t too crowded with all the islands. We all liked to kayak, or canoe over to islands, to see if we could see shiny rocks on it. But, we couldn’t go on it 1) because of our parents, and 2) because sometimes the boats would get stuck in shallow water, if it had a mucky bottom.During that vacation, and now when I looked back on it, I thought that they were islands. But, I realized now that they were offshore deposits. Offshore deposits are when the the waves, push the water into an long shore current, which is when waves move sand in a zigzag motion along the beach. This can sometimes create a sandbar. A sandbar is when there is almost a area of sand, and rocks, in the water without being connected to the shore. What I saw might, not of been exactly a sand bar, but it was pretty close.

     Sometimes, when history goes so far back that there is no way to record it, visually. So, people have to imagine it. Today in science class, we watched this amazing video about Mt. Vesuvius erupting. It wasn’t one of those educational videos that no one pays attention to either. But, even though it wasn’t a boring educational video, doesn’t mean I didn’t learn things as well. In many of the scenes, the video showed pyroclastic material, in a pyroclastic flow. Pryoclastic material is the ash, rock that comes from an explosive eruption. During class, we discussed that sometimes when, the volcano is erupting explosively the pyroclastic material comes down the volcano, as fast as 200 miles per hour. This flow is also scorching hot, so it burns everything in its path. This was the main cause of death of citizens of pompei. Another piece of useful information that I learned from class,and the movie was the cause of the volcano, on the climate. Volcanoes can cause darkness, a decrease in temperature, and sends poisonous air into the enviroment. This relates to the movie because, in it talked about the sky going black, like when you suddenly turn off a lamp in a room, and many people who were not affected by the pyroclastic flow, were killed because of the poison in the air, that clogged their lungs. Seeing this movie, made the suffering of the people who went through this event, and the reality of it come to life.