Final Post- Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult

Keeping Faith is a suspenseful story about a little girl named Faith who suffers through the traumatic divorce of her parents. Through this experience Faith finds God, or what some might think is just an imaginary friend, and she develops stigmata. A month after the divorce, Faith's father comes back for full custody, and claims that Mariah White, Faith's mother, is hurting Faith. Faith is caught in the middle, wanting to be with and loved by both of her parents.
In the end Faith ended up right where I wanted her. The main theme of this book is faith and how you most hold on to it to get what you want and need. Overall I enjoyed this this book, because it was interesting to see where Faith ended up, and how things that happen all the time, like divorce, affect a child's life. I also liked the book because it forced me to pick a side, and made my mind wonder about the things that happened. I also had to ask myself, was Faith seeing god? Does Mariah White deserve custody of Faith? And is Mariah White insane for believing her daughter is seeing god? In the end I came to the conclusion that Mariah White is a strong character who will stick up and protect her daughter even if there is a restraining order keeping her from Faith.

Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover -Final Post

In this book, Ali Carter is trying to explain that you can't look at things with a blind eye. When you look at things, you have to examine them to find the truth, because if you look at things with a blind eye, you might see a lie. One of the big ideas in this book is trust. Once you lose trust from someone, it is hard to gain it back no matter how hard you try. Ali Carter is also trying to say, never accept a lie or the untruth, and that it is okay not to know everything.

As a whole, I found joy in this book. I liked seeing how the message played itself out, and how the characters never left their mistakes uncorrected. I would rate this book a seven because overall it is fun and easy to read.

First Quarter Reflection on Book Blogging

While reading over all of my blogs, I noticed that in most of them I like to express the problems that the main character is facing or accomplishment made by a character. I also saw that a few of my blogs explained how a character learned from their mistakes and tried to correct them. Although I already knew I enjoy reading books, writing blogs made me remember why I picked out those books. By reading my blogs I noticed that I have interests in books that have an amazing ending, or books where a character does not let you down. When I write my blogs, I usually focus on the internal and external conflicts a character faces, and how that conflict affects a character. Book blogging provides a great opportunity to reflect on a book that I am reading. If I was not blogging, I probably would not get that chance to reflect on a book, or clarify everything that happens in a main part.

For the second quarter I want to finish at least five books. For each book, I plan spending no more than two weeks and I will try to read at least 20 pages every night. As a blogger, I want to try and expand the topics I write about. One thing I want to improve is my reading pace, and I plan to do this by setting aside more time to read. The blogs that are really clear and detailed, I think are the ones about the book I enjoyed the most. Some of my blogs interest me more than others. I am excited about doing more blogs in the second quarter, and I can't wait to pick out some new books.

Don't Judge a Girl By Her Cover by Ally Carter

Before the summer came to an end Cammie wanted to go see her roommate Macey, the Senator's daughter. While they are hanging out, they encounter two deadly kidnappers, who were trying to take Macey. Since Macey and Cammie go to an elite spy school, they were able to fight the kidnappers off and run away. Unfortunately the kidnappers left a horrible mark on the girls' lives. Macey was usually full of pride, and always looked her best, but after the attempted kidnapping she was left with one broken arm, numerous bruises, and one disturbing swollen arm. After this Macey becomes a self conscience, isolated person, that needs to find her identity. Unfortunately her parents are to busy to even notice her issues, and just tell her to cover everything up. Cammie is the only one who notices and understands how Macey is left with invisible scars. Cammie does not know how to help her friend mentally, but knows that she has to keep her safe.

Final Post of The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

The ending of The Notebook was one of the most remarkable endings a book can possibly wish for. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks shows that struggling and trying your best does come with rewards, that can be considered miracles. As Noah Calhoun tries to remind his wife, Allie Nelson, of the love they shared for 63 years he is continuously let down. All of the doctors tell him that she will never remember anythings, including what her and Noah shared.
Noah accepts these hurtful comments in disbelief. There is one thing that's pushes him to tell her the story of their love and relationship, and that is hope. Unlike everyone else Noah has hope that Allie would remember him.
I enjoyed this book greatly, and rate it a nine for it is an outstanding story that proves goods things come to people who are patient. This is one of the most fantastic love stories I ever read. I loved seeing how the tragedy of Allie's alzheimers turned into triumph with Noah's hope and determination.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld pg. 192-425 final entry

As the book came to an end I started to realize how the main character, Tally changed over time. She went from being an insecure, immature ugly, to a confident, young woman who would risk anything for the people she loves. Previously in the book Tally wanted to go to the Smoke and turn it in to the authorities, just so she can get her own wishes. Now Tally is doing something that just might put herself in danger, but save many others. Tally found the courage to do something for someone else.
Scott Westerfeld is trying to prove that there is more to growing up, than just undergoing and operation, it is about finding who you truly are while making life-changing decisions. In the end Tally finds herself and realizes that she is more than just an ugly, but a human being that deserves to have her own mind, which is taken away when becoming a pretty.
I enjoyed the book mostly towards the end because at the end everything started to make sense, and I understood why Tally made certain choices. Overall I would rate the book a seven.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld pg. 101-195

To get the operation that turns her into a pretty Tally must find where Shay is and report it to the doctor. Tally has to embark on a long, lonely journey to a place called The Smoke. Tally faces dreadful fires, horrible weather, and other dreadful obstacles. Why is she willing to go through all this, putting her life at risk just to become a pretty?
Eventually Tally finds Shay and the other runaways and sees The Smoke. The thought of living there brings her fear, as she wonders how people survive in a place like that. Tally can't stand the fact that everyone in The Smoke is out on their own, and that everything is so isolated. She can't wait so escape and call the people and turn a pretty.
I don't understand why Tally would betray one of her best friends, just because she wants a better life for herself? The proves that Tally is selfish and never takes into mind how others are affected by her actions.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld pg. 60-101

Shay pushes Tally to go on one of her biggest adventures ever. Although she enjoys taking risks and going on big adventures, she is a tad frightened to go to the isolated Rusty Ruins. I the end Tally enjoys this trip, but is tired and wants to go home. Before they left Shay mentions a man named David who lives by the Rusty Ruins. Instead of getting the operation Shay wants to live with David and some of her other friends. Tally is bedazzled by this and refuses to go along. It turns out that Tally decided to get the operation. Before doing this, of course she had to take one last adventure with Shay, who she will depart from very shortly. As Tally went to get the operation she finds out that there is a problem and she can't get her operation yet.

The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld pg. 1-60

So far the Uglies is an exciting book about a girl named Tally who just can't wait to become a pretty so she can reunite with her friend Peris in Pretty Town. While waiting to turn sixteen and undergo her operation to become a pretty Tally finds a new friend named Shay. Shay sees becoming a pretty as a degrading and pointless process to fit in the supposedly pretty lifestyle. Shay is adventurous and a big risk taker, but she is afraid that once she becomes a pretty she won't have time to do the things she loves and she won't have the drive to go on big adventures.
Tally is starting to get the sense that Shay will never undergo the operation. This worries her because Tally is enjoying the time she is spending with Shay as has not felt that way about anyone since Peris left to become a pretty. Tally has been challenging herself more and has been taking more fun, dangerous risks since she met Shay, and Tally does not want that risky fun to stop. Would Tally become a pretty even if Shay doesn't? If she does, that would mean she would have to experience the pain of losing a good friend twice. That would seriously put a damper on her life, wondering if she made the wrong decision and she would have had a better life staying an ugly.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

And Then There Were None is a suspenseful book that would attract readers who enjoy mystery. I enjoyed this book as a whole because when it got to the plot I felt like I could not put it down. The worst part of the book was the beginning because it filled me with boredom. I was quite freaked out by the ending, especially because I did not expect him/her as the murderer. My curiosity is what kept me reading as I was determined to find out who the uncanny killer was.The big idea of the book was that something will always come back to haunt you. There are ten people, each of them have voluntarily or involuntarily committed a murder or murders. One by one each of them are being murdered and the murderer is one of them. Only the dead are above suspicion.

That was Then, This is Now by S.E. Hinton

As a rating from 1-10 I would give this book a seven. I like how the plot carried out the idea of growing apart throughout the book. I liked the ending the least because it showed that you can lose your true self and never get it back. Why do you have to lose yourself forever when you lost someone you love?

Mark and Bryon have been best friends, practically brothers since childhood. Mark and Bryon grew apart so fast and ended up losing each other due to how they matured. Mark didn't know, or care to know right from wrong and matured by getting into more and more trouble. On the other hand as Bryon grew up he started looking into things deeper and trying to find meaning in things.

Overall I enjoyed reading this book because I was able to see how things can change between two people within a blink of an eye.