Your assignment: In a comment on this post, please write a response that's at least 4 sentences. In this response, share:
- The title and author of the book you're currently reading for independent reading.
- How/why you chose the book you did.
- A really quick overview of the book so far.
- Your opinion so far--what do you think about it? Does it remind you of any other books you've read?
I'll start here:
At the end of last year, I started reading a book called The Secret Side of Empty by Maria Andreau. I saw this book displayed in a bookstore--it was a bit of a "judging the book by its cover" situation, but in a good way. I checked reviews online and they looked good, so I went for it. I forgot it at school at the end of the year, and I live really far away, so I read other books over the summer and am now happy for the chance to start this one over. It's about a girl named MT who's starting her senior year in high school. Her family immigrated to the US from Argentina when MT was a baby, So far (I'm only a few pages in!), the narrative voice is really compelling, as is the dynamic that's established between MT and her friends. MT seems like a really interesting character, but I'm not sure yet if she's a totally likable one. I'm looking forward to seeing where this story goes!
At the end of last year in English, I read "Eleanor & Park" by Rainbow Rowell, it was recommended to me from Ms. Gearty. I had a feeling I was going to like it because on the book cover, there is a boy and girl sharing headphones and listening to music together. Me loving music, I was actually really excited to read it. The book is about a boy(Park) and a girl(Eleanor) who meet on the same bus and start bonding over music tapes. Eleanor has some family problems going on at home, so she has to wear the same clothes a lot without washing them. She was made fun of by almost everyone in her high school, except Park. Throughout the book, Eleanor and Park get closer, and eventually have a relationship together. Park helps her through her problems at home and changes her for the better. I honestly really loved this book, it was really well written. I would recommend it to anyone who likes teen love/drama books.
ReplyDeleteCorey Roach
ReplyDeleteH English 11
Block C
I am currently reading The Underdogs by Mike Lupica. I chose this book after a little time exploring in the library, it stood out to me because I tend to like Mike Lupica’s books. The book so far is basically about a boy in a small town that has gone into poverty because their main factory has gone out of business trying to make a football team. The town does not have the money to support the team so unless they can come up with $10,000 they are out of luck. Thankfully they do find a sponsor, but the still need a few more kids and a coach to start actually playing. My opinion on the book so far is that is alright, I think the book would be much better if it wasn’t so predictable, and repetitive, with the same style as his other books. I'm hoping this book really picks up and takes an unexpected turn to keep me intrigued!
I am currently reading a book called Middle Ground by Katie Kacvinsky. This is the second book to our summer reading book called awaken. I loved the book awaken so when I found out there was a second book i really wanted to read it. Awaken is about a girl that goes against her father's online school called Digital School, throughout the book she meets a boy and they go against her father together and the second book is a continuation of trying to get digital school down. So far this book is just as good as the first one and I cant wait to read more!
ReplyDeleteKayla Dalrymple
ReplyDeleteEnglish 11
Block F
I am currently reading Out Of Reach by Carrie Arcos. The title of the book immediately popped out to me when I was scanning Ms. McMasters' bookshelf. The book, so far, is about this girl named Rachel who is looking for her brother, Micah, who ran away from home. He has a sever drug addiction, and she tries to look past that by telling herself that he will be okay. I'm currently on chapter six, and Rachel and Tyler are in a town filled with junkies, looking for Micah. Tyler is in a band with Micah (which is what got Micah into meth). I am really loving this book so far because it makes me want to read more and more. I am anxious for Rachel to find Micah, which leads me to read more.
Jason Swain- I am currently reading the book Burned by Ellen Hopkins. Hopkins is one of the only authors that I legitimately enjoy, and this book is looking to be more of the same. It is about a girl named Pattyn, she is a high school girl who has been raised in a Mormon household with many siblings. Her being the oldest, it is usually her responsibility to help with the younger ones. The book focuses on the struggles of this girl, with the responsibility of her siblings and her questions about the Mormon church. She also struggles with her adolescence and wonders if god can see her thoughts, and if he knows they can be impure. Does this make her a bad person? The book will follow her path and deep hidden problems within her family will be revealed. I am not so far into this book but I already enjoy it, and I'm sure I will enjoy it more as it goes on
ReplyDeleteJustin Doyle
ReplyDeleteI am reading "Knights of the Hill Country" by Tim Tharp. I choose this book because Miss McMaster recommended it to the class. I also enjoy football and sports which this book is about. It focuses in on the on the field/off the field life of a star linebacker on a undefeated high school football team. I really enjoy and cant wait to read more.
The Novel I am currently involved with is Ready Player One By Ernest Cline, Its genre is a Dystopian science fiction. I was immediately drawn in when Ms.Mcmaster had gave the class a brief description of RPO. The novel takes place in the year 2044, where life is so stricken and ruined by poverty. The only place people look forward to in this world is being in the digital realm of OASIS. Originally built as a virtual online world for gamers quickly became a place with schools and art and the creator’s obsession of the 1980s. When the creator Halliday passes away he decides to give his fortune to who ever can find three keys hes hidden in OASIS. Suddenly the race is on for the money but the only clue halliday left behind before he died was a riddle. As a whole the book is generally a great read with lots of action and fun moments in my opinion. The main character does remind me of myself in a way that i too enjoy classic video games.
DeleteAdryon Miranda- I am reading Mexican Whiteboy by Matt De La Pena. Its about a boy named Danny who goes on "vacation" to his cousins house just north of the Mexico border in California. Danny is going to his cousins house for what his mother and sister believe is a vacation but he his really going down to go search for his dad who left him his sister and mother when he was younger. With Danny being half white and half Mexican in a Mexican neighborhood, he must overcome the challenges and face new things that he doesn't always see in his white neighborhood. Even though I am not too far in the book, I really enjoy reading it. I feel that the farther I read into the book, the more I will enjoy reading it.
ReplyDeleteI am currently reading When She Woke by Hillary Jordan. I actually found this book at a book store on a table with a bunch a books and it caught my attention, I usually like Romantic books and this is far from it but i'd figure i'd give it a shot. It's about this girl named Hannah who ends up hooking up with this guy who ends up getting her pregnant which is pretty crappy seeing how he is currently seeing someone. She ends up finding getting an abortion, and ending up in jail because getting abortions at this point in time is illegal. So she's in jail and her mom just doesn't understand why she didn't keep the baby. So her mom is a little upset and is trying to figure out who this man is and Hannah hasn't said anything. It's a little crazy and dramatic and I'm not sure if I want to finish it but if you like books with a twist this is deffinatly the book for you. It makes you want to keep reading because you don't really understand what's happening because there's so much happenening at once but im so curious to find out who this man is and see what happens to Hannah!
ReplyDeleteJennefer Pereira
ReplyDeleteEnglish 12
The book I'm reading is called "Awaken" by Katie Kacvinsky. Many people probably have heard of it from reading summer reading. This book was a recommendation from a classmate that have read it and said that it was a very interesting book in which any girl of our age would love to read. The book is about the future and how technoly will take place in our life in a way we never imagined. People are going to actually live off of it. Madeline which is the main character is the daughter of the creator of the system. The system that I'm talking about is the online classes that is obligation of every teenager. There won't be any more public or private school do to the violence it was causing. So her dad decided to created a system so kids wouldn't be on the outside world against all those violence. I would recommend this book to everyone ! It is a very romantic book as we'll. This book reminded me of the book of Jenna Fox in which she is not a human and has all this technology around her. Both books are very interesting and amazing, I would recommend to anyone.
Erik Karlson
ReplyDeleteThroughout last year I read the "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George RR Martin series better known as Game of Thrones. With these books, Martin puts an incredible amount of detail in so it makes you feel as in your are with the characters. What I really liked about this story is that its not the typical heroic fantasy novel with the knight in shinning armor. It has various view points so no one character is the "good guy". I would recommend these books to anyone who has a complex analytic mind that enjoys plot twists, in depth foreshadowing, and amazing symbolism. Martin has been compared to J RR Tolkien, the author of "The Lord of The Rings" so for this years independent ready I have decided to jump into Middle Earth and go on a quest with Frodo.
Jessica Shaughnessy
ReplyDeleteEnglish 12
The book I am reading is the first book from a series called, "The Mortal Instruments", and is called, "The City Of Bones", by Cassandra Claire. I decided to read this book because I read the prequel series called, "The Infernal Devices", and I really loved it. The "City of Bones", is a book about a teenage girl named Claire who is raised by a single mother in New York. As Claire is getting older she is seeing strange things that she cant explain. Before she Figures out what is going on her apartment gets raided and her mother gets kidnapped. Claire tries to find her mother with her mundane childhood friend Simon and her new shadow hunter friend Jace. As they track down Claires mother she finds out that everything she knew as being true about the world was a lie. I recommend this book to those who like adventure books in a girls point of view.
I'm currently reading Beethovan by Jeremy Siepmann. I didn't get this book recommended to me. I was in the library and chose it myself. So far Siepmann has talked about Beethovans childhood. By the age of eleven Beethovan was know around Vienna and seen as one of the best. Beethovan played for Mozart at his house and Mozart said "one day he will give the world something to talk about". So far I enjoy the book and I'm excited to read more
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ReplyDeleteI am currently reading the book winger by Andrew Smith. I was recommended this book by ms. McMaster and am through the first 4 chapters. The book is about a 14 year old in junior year who is on the school rugby team and has hard times fitting into the team. I don't mind the book but it can't be a little slow at times but it usually picks up the next chapter
ReplyDeleteMichaela Leishman - English 11
ReplyDeleteI am currently reading One Hundred and Four Horses by Mandy Retzlaff. I was browsing in Barnes and Noble when I found it; it seemed interesting and a book I would like, so I got it. So far, Mandy and her family have been forced to move out of about four homes in Zimbabwe because war vets and government officials take over their land, killing anyone they find. The Retzlaffs had a few horses of their own before they started moving around, but as they move from farm to farm on the run from war vets, they collect/adopt horses abandoned by their owners who fled the country. Right now, the Retzlaffs are on Avalon farm and have about 70 horses. I love this book; its tragic, but exciting.
Connor Burke - English 11
ReplyDeleteI am currently reading Legend by Marie Lu. I found the second book that goes to this series in the library and i asked the librarians if they had another copy but they didn't. Then Mrs. McMaster recommended it to me during class. So far the book is about this girl who lives in a dystopian society where they have to take a test that is like the SAT's to see where they are placed in society. If they get a good score they will complete high school and they will go to a prestigious college, if they get an average score they will complete high school but they choose which college to go to but it can't be a prestigious one that is recommended to the people who got really good scores, and if they fail the test they become poor and become a slave. So far the book is really good, they but you in the swing of things really quickly which I enjoy.
Tiffany Pereira
ReplyDeleteBlock G
I am currently reading the book Orleans by Sherri L. Smith. I picked this book to read because I had heard good things about it and it seemed interesting and different. It takes place a couple years into the future in New Orleans. There's been many hurricanes and after that an outbreak of a new disease called Delta Fever. Many of the states in the south were quarantined, and a border was built to separate it from the rest of the United States. It focuses on a girl named Fen living in Orleans and how life is on that side of the fence and how the fever affects everyone. The other character is a scientist named Dan and he's trying to illegally cross the fence and go to the outer states to find a cure. I think that the book is really interesting and its different than anything that I've read before.
The author of the book I am reading, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," is Ken Kesey. I came across the book when my first choice wasn't available, and needed a book, when one of my old teachers recommended it to me. So far, it's about an insane asylum where the head nurse finds a sense of power when controlling the patients inside. When a newcomer joins, his only objective is to prove to the other doctors that the nurse is in fact the insane person, not him, and usurp control of the facility through brain games and manipulation. So far, I am enjoying the book, and have never read one quite so eerie; the patients are insane, and as such, things such as crucifixions, assault, fights, and mechanical augmentation exist to show the reader the insane asylum, is in fact, insane. I have never read anything like it, though "Animal Farm" by George Orwell also features a new leader who tries to gain control of a group of people by putting blame on a previous leader.
ReplyDeleteI am reading the book home of the braves. I can never find books that I like but, you helped me find a book about something I love to do soccer. This book is about this captain of the soccer team and his team is not very good. So when this new kid came to there school they thought it would all change because this kid plays for the youth Brazil national team. He did not want to play because he did not like how they played soccer. So far this good is great it is not a hard book to read and I am having lots of fun with it. This book does not remind me of any books that I have ever read.
ReplyDeleteI am reading The old man and the sea by Ernest Hemingway. So far I really like it, even though it's not really a book that I would pick up my self, a good friend of mine said that I should read it; so here I am. At first I really didn't think that I was going to like it because it's a book about an old man who hasn't caught a fish in like 80 days and then one day he goes out and he is seeing all the signs that there are big fish around. The old man is convinced that he is going to get one that day, he doesn't end up catching the fish but one does end up taking the bait and where I am in the book is he has this really big fish on his line and he is trying to get it in his little boat. I am very surprised with myself that I actually really like it, it's not the kind of book I would normally read. This books reminds me of when I learned how to fly fish and how I could never catch anything and how annoying it was. I am curious to see if the little old man can actually fetch this big fish.
ReplyDeleteI am reading Where She Went by Gail Forman. This book is a sequel to If I stay. I chose this book because I really enjoyed reading If I Stay in eighth grade, so I was really interested in reading Where She Went, when it first came out. The book so far is about a guy who fell in love with a girl in high school and they were together for a really long time until she got into a very devastating car accident that led her to lose her parents and little brother and she was left was extreme brain damage. She was in a comma for about 4 days after the car accident and that's where If I Stay pretty much ended. So the beginning of Where She Went is in the boys perspective and talks about his new life without Mia, and his band getting much bigger and a new girlfriend that he has been with for about three years. I haven't got too far into the book so it so far has only talked about his life now and not introducing his ex girlfriend from If I Stay. I can't get enough of the book and I think it is an amazing book so far and strongly recommend this to many.
ReplyDeleteBrenda Chaves
ReplyDeleteHonors English
Grade 11
I am currenly reading Carrie by Stephen King. My Dad had a book in his truck that he was allowed to take at his jobsite and he told he that I could have it. I noticed that the cover was girl with blood dripping down her face and at the top it said that it was made into a movie also. I realized that I have heard of the movie. I have never really read a book about horror so I decided to start reading it. How it started was about this girl named Carrie and she is known to be weird and creppy like. She is 17 and gets her first period and is completely horrified. The girls in that bathroom were bulling her. The gym teacher helped her out and was shocked that Carrie had no idea was menstruation was. The story carries on about evil signs and about a memory. Its a stange book but i'm interested to keep on reading it!
Kelsey Rodrigues
ReplyDeleteEnglish G
I am currently reading Every Day by David Levithan and this is Ms. McMaster's book. She talked about it one day in class and it seemed interesting so I decided to give it a try. It's about a teenager who wakes up in a different body every day. The author doesn't specify the teenager gender. The teenager meets a girl named Rhiannon and falls in love with her because he/she was in her boyfriend Justin body. Everyday is different for this teenager because the bodies that he posses are totally different. The teenager gets to see the way other people live in think. So far, this is an awesome and interesting book. I can't wait until I finish it. I strongly recommend this book to anyone.
I am currently reading the book Burned by Ellen Hopkins. This book is about a young teenage girl who is discovering who she wants to be. She struggles with trying to find what her religion is, how much her family really means to her and how she wants to live her life. In this book Paytton lashes out against her father and her religion. She goes again her Mormon rules and she goes against what her father believes in. When Paytton's father can not handle her stressful doings, he sends her away to live with her Aunt J for the summer Aunt J and Paytton form a very strong bond like they are mother and daughter. Over the summer Paytton finds her first love. As she puts her trust in his arms, she also struggles with her Mormon religion. I chose this book because Ellen Hopkins is my favorite author and I have read a lot of her books. I would definitely recommend this book and all her other books to whoever asked me. She is a fantastic written and her work is very easy to relate to.
ReplyDeleteI am currently reading the book The Devil's Highway by LuÃs Alberto Urrea. This book is about a particular area which is on the Mexican/American border line. The area is vastly open to anyone who wants to cross into the land of the free, but the only problem is the area is hotter than hell. Anyone who trespasses into the vast heat will soon easily beg to themselves for a drop of water or a little bit of shade or even just to be caught by the Border Patrol so that way they can get out of there safely. From the initial starting point to travel into the area, there's not a single tree for the next ten miles. In this book holds about twenty seven brave people attempting to go cross over the border and hope to share their lives in glorious freedom. This book is really interesting and the title caught me right off the bat because I was curious to see what it's about and so far I really like this book. I sense a lot of foreshadowing in this book and I hope to guess what will happen next because there is a lot of important events that is held in this book. I recommend this book to anyone who likes non-fiction because this book is based on a true story and for anyone who likes crazy expeditions/adventures that are life threatening in the "heat" of the moment. This book is fantastic and I enjoy the author's writing style a lot and his writing explains a ton with the simplicity of what he's describing. Definitely get this book it's great and it really increases your anticipation for what is going to happen next.
ReplyDeleteI am currently reading Flowers In The Attic by V.C Andrews. I had heard about this book before and I saw the movie so I decided to read it. It is about a family that seem perfect and everyone adores but after the father dies in a horrible car accident the kids find out the truth about their family. They find out their family is not rich but poor. They also find out about wealthy grandparents they never knew they had. The kids get packed up and head to their grandparents house in Virginia. It is not until they arrive at the house that they learn that the Grandfather can not even find out that they exist. They have to hide in a little room that is next to the attic until their mother can win over the grandfather. While they are stuck living indefinitely in the attic awful things about the family's past start to unfold. So far this is what I have read and I am excited to read more.
ReplyDeleteFor independent reading I am reading An Absolutely True Diary of a part time Indian written by Sherman Alexie. I am reading this story because I failed to complete it over the summer as it was assigned for summer reading. So far this book is very good. I've head great things about it but its better than I had anticipated. My favorite thing in the story is the main characters perspective on the outside world. He had been reduced to a small, reservation life that he wouldn't be able to gain anything from. I think the author does a great job explaining the characters feelings and emotions once he gets to his new school. This is a great book so far and I very much look forward to finishing it
ReplyDeleteIn the end of last year I was reading " The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson, so the reason I pick this book was because all my was talking about it, that it was so good and Saying that I should read it. "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" is a story of how far parents will go to save their only child, and of how far a child will go to become her own person. Jenna Fox is adored by her family, but their adoration goes too far when they scientifically modify her after an accident to save her life, to the point she is barely human. Jenna struggles to discover what is it that defines a human, and therefore, what it is that defines herself as her journey for personal freedom unfolds.
ReplyDeleteI am reading "If You're Reading This.." By Trent Reedy it is my third independent reading book this year I am reading this book because the title intrigued me and I wanted to read a book that was interesting and more about things I'm interested in like football. The main character Michael is a sophomore and starts to receive letters from his dad, who as a matter of fact died back when he was 8 while serving an extended term in Iraq he had started to write letters to his son in the event of his death they would be sent to his son when he was sixteen. As each letter comes a new challenge appears some have already been conquered like doing well in school but the letters turn in to video diaries... and thats as far as I have gotten...
ReplyDeleteFor my Independent reading book I am reading Thinner by Stephen King. I chose this book because I really like the author Stephen King and the horror books he writes. When I read the back of the book I though the story was interesting so I chose it. This is a new Independent reading book that I chose so I haven't started it. But the book is about a man who has an encounter with an old gypsy woman and she curses him so he slowly starts loosing weight until he is nothing but bones. He cant gain weight no matter how much he eats. I think this books is so bizarre and have never really heard of a book like this so it caught my attention.
ReplyDeleteFor my independent reading book I am reading Warriors Don't Cry by Pattillo Beals. I chose the book because I like to learn about the tough times that African Americans had to go through when segregation was big. This book is showing how the African Americans began to get out of segregation. So far a girl in this book has almost gotten raped. It was a white male who tried to rape her. Also a law has passed that has allowed African Americans to begin to go into "white" schools. She was one of the first African American student to be able to go into a "white" school. I really do like this book and what it is about. It is very interesting and really touches on an important part in history.
ReplyDeleteA book that I want to read is Shark Tank Jump Start You Business: How to Launch and Grow a Business from Concept to Cash by Michael Parrish DuDell. I heard about this book while I was watching Shark Tank on TV. I want to read this book because I enjoy business and I want to be entrepreneur. Business books really interest me because I can relate and connect to these books which makes me want to keep reading. I use to always hate reading until last year in my business management class when we had to read Start Something That Matters by Blake Mycoskie. For English class last year we had to do independent reading so I started to read books that related to business and I figured out that I enjoy reading these books.
ReplyDeleteThe independent reading book I'm currently reading is Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand. The novel tells the story of a delinquent who lived on the streets without any discipline and how he grew up to be one of the top competitors in the 1930's Berlin Olympic games and ended up joining the Air Force in World War II. I wanted to read this book because I was interested in the topic about World War II and flight. I enjoy reading war stories. The book is really good so far and I will continue to read Unbroken. I cannot really tie in any other book I've read with Unbroken, it's too unique.
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