Splintering

                This six weeks I read Splintering by Eireann Corrigan, copyrighted in 2004, the book is a work of fiction about what happens to a family after a traumatic break in happens. The story begins with a flashback from the youngest sister describing how her and her mother had to barricade the door with bookshelves while on the phone with 911 while her sister tries to shatter the window in hopes that someone will notice and help them. The rest of the story, with exception of other flashbacks which helps you understand what happened to the rest of the family during the attack, talks about the aftermath of what happens to the family through the words of Jeremey, the middle child, and Paulie, the youngest. I think the overall theme of the book is that no matter what happens your family will always be there for you.
               
                The book is told in free verse poem told from first person point of view by brother and sister Jeremy and Paulie.  The intended audience for this story is  for teens who enjoy reading realistic fiction.  The genre of the book is realistic fiction and the author keeps the book really realistic  having the characters deal with normal real teen problems and dealing with sex, drugs, and alcohol. The author also makes the book realistic with having the family dealing with the hardships of what happens with a dysfunctional lifestyle. after a traumatic accident. The author keeps you interested in the book by having the switching point of views because the two characters don't have the same expireances so you understand what both of them go through instead of in a one person narrative book you only get to read for that person. Her  style is very effective for her intended audience because the reader stays interested, especially if the reader enjoys poetry. 

                 Every time I read this book it gives me chills because of how good it is, the book always makes me thankful for my amazing family and how lucky I am. I don't think this book really changes any of my views but I learned that if someone high of PCP ever breaks into my house that I should immediately call 911 and lock myself in a room that they can't get into. 

                I think this book is fantastic and I would suggest it to anyone who enjoys reading about realistic situations, but I wouldn't suggest it to anyone who has a problem with profanity, drug use, and sex because then I don't think they would enjoy the book as much. 

TAYLOR BRICE
12/19/2013

                     Mocking Jay is the final book in the Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins. The genre of this would have to be Sci-Fi with all the futuristic weapons and governments. The copyright date is 2010 and this is another post apocalyptic book where the government has separated America into what used to be 12 districts but to obtain the power the government, better known as the Capital, must have two people from every district fight to the death in an arena. When Katniss is drawn to go to the annual Hunger Games she starts to realize that being drawn is her chance to over throw the government. In this part of the trilogy is when the whole plan of overthrowing comes together as Katniss leads all the districts to fight back.

                   This story is told by first point of view by the protagonist, Katniss Everdeen as it shows her making further steps to make a movement for everyone to overthrow the Capital. The intended audience is teenagers because it has sappy love triangles and violence and death which maybe to adult for some kids. This book is in the Sci-Fi genre as it has futuristic weapons and vehicles in a post apocalyptic time line. This book is good for me because I am all over Sci-Fi/Fantasy books like mice on cheese. I love futuristic warfare or aliens and all that nerdy stuff. The author honestly didn't keep me very interested at all, this story starts to get bland about half way through the book. I wish love wasnt such a major factor in books i thought were action packed...But I do understand how most teenage girls would love this book and I think Suzanne did a great job reaching the intended audience.

                  Mocking Jay had no major effect on me. Like I said previously this story has lost its pizzazz, nothing too exciting anymore, it is very predictable and sappy and I didn't care for anything like that. The only thing this changed was how i truly realized Suzanne Collins is not as great of an author as she is idolized to being. The memory this brought to me was in second grade when I wrote better books than this. And yes I do know I am completely downing this book but I honestly do not think this is a good book. 

                 This book was not a good read for me. I think Suzanne could have at least written some more advanced literature in this but she is clearly incapable of doing this. I do not recommend this for advanced readers or teenage boys, let alone some teenage girls. I sincerely hope Suzanne can redeem herself with another book if she chooses to write anymore books.

Zach Friedlander

12/18/13

RATING:***3/5

All The Pretty Horses

All The Pretty Horses was written by Cormac McCarthy copyright 1992.  This book is a romantic novel about a man who falls deeply in love with a farmer’s daughter.  The book beings with 16-year-old John Grady Cole attending his grandfather’s funeral.  He soon starts his journey to Mexico searching for a new life.  Throughout his journeys, John Grady searches for a new life and his independence takes over as he becomes a hero.

The author uses second person to draw the reader into John Grady’s life.  On his way to a new life in Mexico, John and his best friend and companion, Lacey Rawlins encounter a 13-year-old boy named Jimmy Blevins.  When they arrive at a Ranch John instantly falls in love with the owner’s daughter, Alejandra.  The intended audience of this book is for young adult readers.  This realistic fiction book is not based on a true story.  The author keeps the reader interested by adding suspense and excitement.  The author’s style use old fashioned literature to create a feel and setting of the west and Mexico. 

This book affected me by showing me a love story between mixed cultures.  It does not change any ideas I held before but it does fit in with my own personal world view.  I think that there is nothing bad about different cultures coming together.  All the Pretty Horses didn’t remind me of another book; it is unique to its style but shares a common theme across many books. 

I liked this book and it had a meaningful story behind it.  Parts of the book were written in Spanish helping with the realistic idea of the setting.  I recommend this book for readers who enjoy action and romance as well as the west.

Lila Kirkendall

12/18/2013

RATING: **** 4/5

The Two Towers

I read the Two Towers this six weeks it is a fantasy fiction novel. It was written by J. R. R. Tolkien and was published in 1954, it is the second book of three. The book takes place in a fantasy world known as Middle Earth. In this story you follow two different groups of people there is Frodo and Sam who were on there quest to destroy the One Ring. The other group is Aragon, Legolos, and Gimly and there journey to save there two friends Pippin and Mary who had been captured by Orcs and the Battle of Helms Deep. I think that the them of the Two Towers is the power of friendship. In the adventure all of the characters are reliant on there friends to watch their backs and to come to their aid.

The story is told from a third person point of view. I believe this because throughout the story they don't often use "you" or "I" they were only used in dialog. I  think that the audience of this book is anyone from ages fifteen and up because it has some slightly difficult vocabulary and a complex story line that may be hard for younger audiences to follow. The book kept me interested from the beginning to the end but it did get slow at some points. So if you have a short attention span i do not recommend that you read this novel but if you are determined to enjoy this book you should skip one or two pages of it gets slow.

This Novel is most certainly a fantasy novel because there are elves, orc, dwarves, and other creatures present. The entire book in general is great from the huge battles to the breath taking views that Tolkien writes of are mesmerizing. Although to read any work of Tolkien that relates to Middle Earth you will be required to have a vast imagination and a will to believe in magic. 

Tyler Coover
Mr. Lankford
Rating
  *****    5/5

The Hunger Games

 The Hunger Games

The book I chose was Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a action/adventure book, and was publish in 2008. It is about a country that has 12 districts and they have the hunger games for their entertainment. They choose 2 kids from each district to compete. In the Hunger Games they chose Katniss and Peeta. I think the theme is stand up for yourself. 

This book is told in 3rd person who is focused on Katnisses point of view. When Katniss and Peeta are chosen, they compete in the Hunger Games trying not to get killed. They face many challenges, but finally win. The intended audience is for young adult readers. The genre is action and adventure, because it is action packed and always keeping me on my toes. This book really kept me interested a lot. I was very into the book all the way through it. The author style was very well written. i think others would be very interested in the book. 

It kept me reading all the time. I knew it was a good book, but I really wanted to read it. It was a very good book. I think that the world may come to live like this one day. So this fits in with my world view. It didn't really bring up any memories.

The book was terrific!! I enjoyed this book a lot. It was very well written. I recommend this book a lot. I thought the book was very detailed and descriptive. It would be a good book for you if you like adventures book. 

Ryan Ramsay
12/18/13
Rating: ***** 5/5

Catching Fire

For this six weeks I read Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins.  It was first copyrighted in 2009.  This book is fiction and is about Katniss Everdeen having to go back into the hunger games.  Katniss won the 74th Hunger Games and this year she will have to go back into the arena to fight in the 75th Hunger Games.  She has to go back into the arena because every 25 years there is a twist on the reaping.  The overall theme of this book is bravery because Katniss has to be brave to get out alive and save her partner Peeta.


The story is told by Katniss in first person.  When Katniss is in the arena her only goal is to keep Peeta, her partner from district 12, alive.  When they are in the arena they become allies with Finnick and Mags.  Mags and Peeta are weak when posinous gas comes and Finnick can't carry both of them so Mags kills herself so Finnick can help Peeta.  The intended audience is kids our ages.  This book is fiction because none of this ever happened and it is not based off a true story.  The author kept me interested because she always kept adding more suspense and it made me want to keep reading.  The author's style is sad but exciting at the same time.  This is somewhat affective to the book because even though there are sad parts you want to keep reading because you know something exciting is going to happen.


This book affected me because it was talking about Katniss' district and how everyone was starving and didn't have any food or anything and this showed me that I need to be grateful for what I have.  It didn't change ideas I already had.  It fits in with my views on the world because I know not everyone has as much as I do.  When I was reading this book I did not think of any other book.  This book was really unique and that is why I liked it.


I really liked how the author always kept unexpected things coming and how the ending was very unpredictable.  I would recommend this book to people who like action or fighting because this book has that.  Also people that like love stories would like this too, because Katniss has a love life in it.


Rachel Nabers
12/18/13
Rating:*****4/5

Callum Harralson- Hunger Games

     This is a book called Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a Action- Adventure novel,  which was first published in 2008. This book is about a country that has a competition that has tributes fight to the death in a game. The general plot of this book is a girl, Katniss, is reaped into the "Hunger Games" and she wins along with a fellow tribute. The theme of this book is to stand up for what is right.

     This story is told through third person, but you are able to here the thoughts of Katniss, as she is the main character. I think the intended audience for this book is teenagers who haven't read or heard of Battle Royale, as it is a copy of it. The genre of this book would have to be action. It starts out slow but eventually when you get to "The Games" it picks up and there is a lot of fighting. At first the author, Suzanne Collins, did not keep my interested, but later into the book I was very interested with the action happening in the competition. The authors style is probably the same style as a 7th grade writer, as there are few uses of good vocabulary. 

     This book affected me by making me agree with Vankford, as this book is a copy of the less popular Battle Royale. After reading, I thought that if it hadn't been a copy of something else, it would be a great read, but it did not live up to these simple standards. This book definitely brings back memories of Battle Royale.

     I will have to negatively criticize this book, as it copies something else, but I would still recommend this book. It is very interesting and action- packed, but still not original.

Callum Harralson

12/18/13

Rating: *** 3/5