The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (Post 2)

I'm so upset I haven't been able to finish this novel yet. Yet since it's just a page or two here or there then I can focus on what Mr. Hemingway is saying. In the beginning I didn't really think this a novel a very deep descriptive book. But as I reached the middle it has started to become more laid back and more into imagery and figurative language. Such as the sky over the sea and the fish below the sea.
"He looked at the sky and saw the white cumulus built like friendly piles of ice cream and high above were the thin feathers of the cirrus against the high September sky." (Hemingway, 61) In this small quote there is many forms of figurative language used. Like when the clouds were described as piles of ice cream, in the form of a simile. As well as when the cirrus clouds were described as thin feathers in the form of a metaphor. Yet there is even more, it states "friendly ice cream" which is personification, when the ice cream has the ability to be friendly, which isn't possible.

As later in the book the author describes the fish that the Old Man is after. "He was bright in the sun and his head and back were dark purple and in the sun the stripes on his sides showed wide and a light lavender. His sword was as long as a baseball bat and tapered like a rapier and he rose his full length from the water and then re-entered it, smoothly, like a diver and the old man saw the great scythe-blade of his tail go under and the line commenced to race out." (Hemingway, 62-63) This image of this great fish in my head makes it look so grand and amazing.  The way the sun slides off him causes us to think of a gift from god. His nose large as a baseball bat, bringing in size, and as sharp as a rapier, adding a sense of danger. Yet elegant like a diver, with such contrast this fish seems to be a prefect fish. Also with a contributing color of purple, which represents royalty, wealthy, magic, a mystery. Since the description of the fish causes me to think of this the color fits the fish perfectly.  Purple also represents imagination and high ideals, which are the thoughts of the fishers with his hopes for a high-score fish and how he would imagine one as such, which it is more than he imagined.



A page that has an overview, and reviews, it also explains the deep meaning of this book and more.
About page for Novel 

An animated story that is close to and inspired by the book The Old Man and the Sea 

One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones (Post 4)

First of all, I have a question; Can you have a such thing as a forshllusion? A foreshadow and an allusion put together. For in One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies, the entire story is written in the form of poems and emails, of which run in chronological order holding of what the character thinks, reacts to, says, and does. So we really get into the Ruby's mind when we do this. One of her poems/entries earlier in the novel refers to a reoccurring dream Ruby keeps havening though she doesn’t know what it means.

"I Had My Recurring Dream Last Night

The same dream I’ve been having
ever since I can remember.
It’s the one where i am about 2 years old
and I’m at the franklin park zoo,
holding hands with this real tall man. I’m not exactly sure who he is.
But I’m holding this man’s hands,
and it feels nice and warm and dry.

We're standing in front of the monkey cage,
watching all these funny red monkeys
eating bananas and swinging from branches
like tiny, furry acrobats,
and I’m feeling like i could
just stand here watching these monkeys,
holding this man’s nice hand, warm, dry hand.
Forever.

And at this point in the dream,

the smallest monkey always opens it's mouth

and lets out a howl,

a howl louder than any howl could possibly be

a howl that slices through me like a chain saw.

And all the other monkeys start howling too,

and they howl and howl and howl,

until I feel like I'll explode with the sound.

And I try to run away,

but my legs are paralyzed.

So I just stand there,

letting the howls rip through me.

And that's when the tall man reaches down,

scoops me up in his arms,

and whispers, "I'll keep you safe." 

He whisks me away from the ear splitting noise,

to a quiet place.

And that's when I always put one of my chubby

two-year-old hands on each of his cheeks

and press my forhead against his.

It feels nice and warm and dry.

Just like his hand.

And them I wake up." (Sones, 97) 

This a longer poem that doesn't exactly go into detail on anything except for the actions and sounds she experiences in her dream. How the howls of the monkeys are so loud they are ear splitting and they slice like a chain saw. How warm the man's hand is, how it is as warm and soft as his face. She goes into detail about this man, so I predicted that this man was her father, for his actions seemed fatherly to her. She also describes the monkeys as playful and acrobatic, but in the end they howl with such force its unbecoming. This poem is alluded to by other poems in the book and is a forshadow to events that happen later in the book. So in my opinion this poem is a forshllusion.

Such as further in the story when she goes to a dream interpretation class, and this reoccurring dream is the one she chooses to interpret for class using the style that she takes the place of an object in her dream and thinks of the emotions she would have happen, which is Gesalt Therapy. 

"I am the banana

and the monkey is eating me.

The monkey is devouring me,

bite by bite.

I am disappearing 

into the stomach of the monkey." (Sones, 99) 

During this dream therapy she realizes she is disappearing in own problems, and can't do a thing about it. Her life is turning upside down as she trys to fix it, but nothing helps. But yet again later the first poem is referenced. 

"That I'm one of those tiny acrobat monkeys,

from my recurring dreams.

And I'm howling just as loud. 

But even so, I can hear the mans voice,

the man with the nice, warm, dry hand,

saying, "I'll keep you safe." 

I can hear him,

but I can't see him..." (Sones, 215) 

Here in her dream she is a monkey that howls and howls when she sees her best friend and her boyfriend together in her dream. It sends dred through her because in truth are together and they never told her. Yet she still hears the man's voice in her head, haunting her, along with his warm hands. This is stirring the man again and the mystery of who he is. And we find out. 

"As suddenly as it began.

And that's when I notice

that Whip's hands

feel nice and warm and dry." (Sones, 248)

Here the mind blow connection is made, when Ruby realizes her father's, who is Whip, hand is just like the one from here dream. My prediction what right the man in Ruby's dream is her father. But how did this dream come to be, if they never met before... or did they? If so why didn't Ruby remember? 

"When I was a baby, my aunt Duffy arranged

a series of secret rendezvous for him and me.

And it turns out that one of those rendezvous 

took place when I was two years old.

In front of the monkey cage at Franklin Park Zoo!

Aunt Duffy figured it wouldn't do me any harm,

because I'd be too young to be able

to remember that I'd even met my father." (Sones, 252) 

Here we finally find out that Ruby did visit her father when she was young, but too young to remember all the details, so her memory faded into a reoccurring dream. And that she did go to this zoo to see the monkeys, and the monkeys actually howled and her father protected her. So that one forshllusion poem in the beginning told us about the past the present and the future, with a lost memory. That was a real twist and it was very excited. 

All of the listed rewards and applications for the novel

Rewards for One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies 

The Authors Wikipedia page  with biography, photo, and additional info. 

Sonya Sones Wikipedia Page

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (Post 1)

SI wanted to have a change of pace and read a more laid back book. One that causes you to think, like The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (Reveiw earlier blog posts). So my mother actually introduced me to this novel. At first I was skeptical, since it is different then what I usually read, but my love of reading drove me into reading it. So far I am pretty impressed with this novel, it causes me to think and it has some pretty good characterization of the Old Man which is the main character.

"They were strange shoulders, still powerful although very old, and the neck was still strong too and the creases did not show so much when the old man was asleep and his head fallen forward. His shirt had been patched so many times that it was like the sail and the patches were faded to many different shades my the sun. The old man's head was very old though and with his eyes closed there was no lift in his face." (Hemingway, 18-19) The physical description of this book really brings out our imagination of what he looks like. Although there is a picture of him on the cover our minds wander. The description to me makes the Old Man sound like my grandfather, old yet strong. Which seems odd in many ways yet the way he lives as a poor fisherman wakes him seem noble with the description of his anatomy, seeming to me like a wise old king, like the one in The Alchemist. When his faded cloths make him seem humble and easy living, only taking what he needs and never more.

"But after forty days without fish the boy's parents had told him that the old man was now definitely salao, which is the worst form of unlucky... It made the boy sad to see the old man come in each day with his skiff empty and he always went down to help him carry either the coiled lines or the gaff..." (Hemingway, 1) Others characters, like the boy, care about the Old Man for after the man's hard day fishing and coming back with nothing the boy help carry his stuff. Also other people later in the story help him be giving him food and lending him necessities. Other characters think he may be really unlucky and not care for him, for they believe it is his own fault, like the boy's parents. Yet the boy still cares and that shows true character in him, and the Old Man. "Where did you wash? the boy thought. The village water supply was two streets down the road. I must have water here for him, the boy thought, and soap and a good towel. Why am I so thoughtless? I must get him another shirt and a jacket for the winter and some sort of shoes and another blanket.' (Hemingway, 20) You see here the boy really does care for this man and wants to get him so many things and help in any and as much ways as he can. By getting him water to wash up, and new cloths for the winter for the Old Man to wear along with new shoes. As well as a new blanket, for the old man only owns one. 

"'I thanked him already,' the boy said. 'You don't need to thanks him.'
'I'll give him the belly meat of a big fish,' the old man said. 'Has he done this for us more than once?'
'I think so."
'I must give him something more than the belly meat then. He is very thoughtful for us.'" (Hemingway, 20) The boy went to the store to get some food for them to eat together for dinner. After the Old Man hears of this he feels bad for "taking" the stores food even when it was given to them. So he says he will pay him back the only way he can which is with the best meat of the fish, the belly. And since the store has done it more than once, he plans on giving him something better than the belly of a fish and he doesn't say what it is. The Old Man is grateful for the help.

A site that breaks down the novel into many life lessons it teaches.
Life Lessons for The Old Man and the Sea 

A article about the novel over all and book base all from the NY times.
NY times book look over 

One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones (Post 3)

As I was reading two different poems within this book, I realized they were similar and in the very beginning and near the end of the novel. The author wants us to connect to and think back to the first poem when we read the second one. When in the first poem she seems ok at this point in time,make lost her mother and has to live with her father but, she still has her beat friend and her boyfriend. When in the second one she basically believes she has lost everything and is lower than low. Both these poems sum up Ruby's conflict that has happened over the course of the text.

"American Airlines Flight 161 

I'm not that depressed,

Considering that this 

gigantic silver bullet with wings

is blasting me away from my entire life,

Away from Lizzir Brody,

my best friend in the world,

away from Ray Johnson,

my first real boyfriend...

Depressed?

Who? Me?" (Sones, 1) 

"But I'm Not That Depressed

Considering that

my best friend since preschool

stole the love of my life

even though she knew

It would tear me to shreds...

Depressed?

Who? Me?

Yes.

Hideously.

Not to mention way pissed off.

Wouldn't you be? " (Sones, 224) 

With this set up also with the same lines used in the end it brings us to think of the conflict that Ruby went through earlier, and realize how it transferred to her current conflicts. Also in the first poem she asked "Depressed?/ Who? Me?" But she never answered the cliff hanger question, she let us decide if she was or not. While in the second poem she states it out loud, straight forward, so we get the message, "Depressed?/ Who? Me?/ Yes./ Hideously./ Not to mention way pissed off." Here she  states, yes I am depressed but I'm also mad, meaning she has multiple emotions tangling up in her. The end of the second poem ends with a question "Wouldn't you be?" Putting emphasis on the "you" is making the audience feel the sorrow and pull us into her shoes and feel her pain. While I was reading this I did feel her pain and sorrow and hate. I wanted to throw the book across the room and just collapse and cry, yet I didn't. I continued to read to find out what happened next. 

Review page for the book with reviews, about the author, back of the book, publisher comments and more.

Powell's Book review 

One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones (Post 2)

So many allusions in one book, some just stated and other you need to know the background information. One of the such allusions reaches to so trying many people would know of. This allusion refers to the a certain, blonde haired, perfect smile, plastic skinned toy, Barbie. Barbie is what some people think of as perfection, being spoiled, and fabulous. While Ruby is walking to her school for the first she notes some people as Barbie and Ken, seeming perfect and idle. This connection makes sense because in L.A. people seem to be perfect in every single way, just as Barbie is.

"A Barbie-Doll-sprung-to-life

is jogging toward me

screaming hideous things into a cell phone.

And here comes ken on rollerblades,

The gold ring in his navel

sparkling with sunlight." (Sones, 129) 

Here ruby is explaining that these people she is seeing on the sidewalk on the way to school, in a description of perfection. The jogger girl that Ruby sees is to her "a real life Barbie", as I imagine this I always see the stereotypical blonde, pink tight shorts or yoga pants with matching tank and jacket. Along with designer running shoes and maybe some large hoop earrings. Her hair pulled back in a tight pony  tail, and over the top makeup. And since the "Barbie's" actions are yelling horrible things into her phone could tell us she is spoiled and bratty or just bitter. 

Also for an extra touch the author brings up Ken who is Barbie's boyfriend. In this context the author couldn't be refering to this rollerblader as the jogger's boyfriend, but as a person who is also as perfect looking as a doll. Here in my mind i see the nicely evenly tanned skin, naturally sorta wavy blondish brown hair. With a gold chain around his neck and stylish shorts and t-shirt, completing the outfit. Ruby brings up the appearance of a gold ring pierced in his nose, giving off the sense of a "cool guy" or a punk, depending on your thoughts. 

 The Google Books page for the novel with back of the book, reveiws, and related books.
Google Books page

 

One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones (Post 1)

This book is quite different from any other book I've read recently. Its not cause of the plot or the characters. Bu its the style and perspective, this book is written in the form of poems in a chronological order format, like a diary with a mix of email formats and letters that she has seen or written. This novel shows a new way of writing and though its not the suspenseful chapter by chapter view it is fun and interesting to read a book in this format. Also it's a way to cheat to get more reading times, most times I say something like, "Let me finish my chapter!" Or, "Let me finish this page." But with this novel I can finish on whatever page I want to since there are no cut off chapters. Just if you want to sneak in more reading, also if you only have a few minutes here and there to read you could read a stanza of a poem or if you come to one, a shorter poem. It's not like reading a large page of text or a chapter and loosing your place. Though I would advise this as a "Girls Eyes Only Novel" just for a suggestion, for some content. Yet some of these poems really intrigue the reader and you can feel the main character's and what they are thinking.

"Peach Fuzz

When the flight attendant
leans in to ask me
if I'd like something to drink
and the sun splashes across her face.

I notice
all these tiny little
blond hairs on her cheeks,
and tears rush into my eyes.

My mother had them too.
I used to tease her about them.
Called it her peach fuzz.
It used to make her laugh.

If I could reach out
and stroke those little hairs
on the flight attendant's face
without totally freaking her out,

I'd close my eyes
and I'd do it right now.
I'd touch my mother's cheek
one more time." (Sones, 5)

After reading this book it reads to me like a diary, and I just got a journal as a present. I believe that we all tried to keep a dairy/journal at one point, but failed miserably. If you are still going to try, maybe the solution is to write in a poem form which may help. This novel seemed to show well with the set up, why won't it work for us?



The GoodReads page for the book with back of book, ratings, and reviews.
GoodReads for One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies 

Teen books sight that holds discussion questions, common topics, about the author, suggested books and more.
Cumberland Library page for One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies 

In the Forests of the Night by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes (Post 2)

If books are drugs, I'm totally addicted to this one. In the Forests of the Night is very engaging in the main charter and switches between past and present so we have a feeling for what she has been through and was she is doing today. Since Risika is a vampire the span of her life since a few days before her death is untold of so far in the novel, covering her in mystery but she died in 1701, so we can assume she has been "undead" for a while. Risika is an interesting character that changes over the course of the text with her, thoughts, actions, and outlook. Even though one of the biggest changes is obvious, that she became a vampire, I wish to go more in depth on smaller changes she has had.

Earlier in the novel she was strong and cunning and didn’t even think about the actions of which she did. "The next day would be my last day in the world- my last day to speak with my papa, my sister, or my brother, and my last day to thank the sun for giving light to my days... And, like all humanity, never once would I thank the sun or the air for its existence. Light, air, and my brother's love- I took them all for granted, and someone took them all away." (Atwater-Rhodes, 26) After she took a black rose from a stranger which cut her and when her blood fell upon the flower, she made a pack with a dark force. Meaning the next day she would die and rise again undead. She just thought of all the things she never thought of and thanked before, most things we never think of such as; the air we breathe, the sun that gives us light, our families and their love. All this truly shows she does care about the world and her family and what pain she will experience when she rises again.

Earlier Risika's undead mother went about a whole speech about hunting and how she must do it to survive (Post 1), but yet she still refused to hunt, for she thought it was wrong. “Hunt. The word sent dread through me. It reminded me of wolves and cougars, animals who stalked their prey in the forest. Blood soaking into the ground. So much blood... Now I wanted that blood. I could see the scarlet death in my mind. Surely the blood is warm and sweet and- What was happening to me? These thoughts were not mine, were they?... I knew what Ather meant when she said hunt, but i would not kill to ease my own pain. I was not an animal." (Atwater-Rhodes, 57-58) Here even though Risika is in a great deal of pain she will not hunt other animals and people to get the blood and the nutrients she needs as a vampires, she fights against instincts she has, yet later she accepts the killing for her food is right and just because we do the same to animals which we eat. We raise them take care of them then kill and eat them. That is how she now views the hunt. "This human's blood was thick and hot, boiling with pure life and energy. It wet my parched mouth and brought down my fever, and I drank it like a healing ambrosia." (Atwater-Rhodes, 71) Not just a little while after she decided it was wrong to drink the blood of another and kill, she did just that, she enjoyed in and loved drinking it for it caused much of her pain the flee. She continues to hunt now after that first kill in her past, she doesn’t even consider them people anymore, she thinks of them as toys, of which can be disposed of whenever she wishes so.

Over the text, even though I am only half way through the novel, Risika has changed so much. It excites me to think she may change even more later in the story to rise to more power and heights in the vampire world, or risk herself for mankind when she thinks of the fight she had in the past. I will have to keep reading to find out!




The Amazon page for this novel with back of book, order for if you wish to buy it, book suggestions and more.
In the Forests of the Night Amazon page

A teen reveiw page for this book, with a short summary and some thoughts intertwined into the short reveiw.
Teen reveiw for  In the Forests of the Night

The title of this book matches up with a line in a famous peom, if you read the book the allusions will make sense.
The Tyger by William Blake

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Yet another title that overwhelm people, just cause it was written by a well known play wright in the 1500's but its like the same thing as reading a novel by a well known author of today. If you looked up some of the history of this time period and some of the different types of words they use, the story and lines used would make sense. I am enjoying this reading as well as I hope most people should enjoy reading. This story rings with truth and answers to our everyday life, and it enjoyable to read.

"O, she doth teach the torches burn bright!
It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
As a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear-
Beauty to reach for use, for earth too dear!
So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows
As yonder lady o'er her fellow shows.
The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand
And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.
Did my heart love till now? For swear it, sight!
For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night." (Shakespeare, Act 1)
In these lines of Romeo's speech, we see how he reacts to seeing Juliet for the first time. He compares her to multiple things of beauty, and uses multiple literary devices to do so. Such as how she teaches the torches to burn bright, Romeo is saying that she is like a bright fire, radiating heat and beauty. She is said to be a rich jewel, something valuable, in an Ethiop's ear, which is a rich or royal African lady. He also says that she is too beautiful to be on earth for she must be a goddess in his eyes. He compares her to a beautiful pure white dove among black dingy crows. Saying that she shows more upon the crowd and catches more eyes than others. And even though he loved a lady before this, to the point of heart break, he suddenly decides that he has seen true love or true beauty till he saw Juliet.

This shows to us that Romeo is wishy-washy on who he loves. And it also shows he is very dramatic on stating his thought as how he goes over the top in describing a lady he has just seen, never talked to or met before. Shakespeare shows dramatic characters that add to the over all outlook of the story. He can be taken as over dramatic and funny or too dramatic and emotional. For the emotion is passed onto us in our readings, Shakespeare understands the human mind and heart and through his words he expresses to us the feelings of the characters. Making Romeo and Juliet a very engaging book as we move and feel with the characters over the plot of the story.



The GoodReads page for Romeo and Juliet with back of book, reviews and ratings.
GoodReads page for Romeo and Juliet 

An entire over view in simplified version of the entire tale
Tale over view for Romeo and Juliet  

The new movie trailer for Romeo and Juliet the movie 2013

In the Forests of the Night by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes (Post 1)

Books have always been a way for authors to communicate their thoughts to us through words on a page. In this novel there is showing of family feuds and the natural process of the world, with this tied with the realm of the supernatural much can be understood and linked with ours and other novels. I find is surprising that such a book book was written by a 13 year old and was published when she was 15. She helps me with my inspiration with my own writing that it may reach the markets one day.

"Aubrey is the only vampire I know who prefers using a knife to using his mind, teeth, or hands. I touch the scar I bear on my left shoulder, the scar given to me only a few days after I died, created by the same blade that took my brothers life. The scar that I swore, on the day it was dealt, to avenge, along with my brothers death." (Atwater-Rhodes, 78-79) Aubrey is actually the main characters undead brother, so here we are dealing with. Family feud between siblings, which most of us who have siblings can understand. Though I believe our feuds are not other our siblings killing someone but other small things like TV channels or who gets the last cookie. Like in such showings sibling rivalry exists, such as in Supernatural season 2 episode "Simon Says". In which what happens is there are two siblings, a good and bad twin per say, of which are in a rivalry. The bad twin kills their birth mother, their doctor, as well as his brother's girlfriend. The good twin is mad that the bad twin is killing these people and they come into a confliction, each trying to convince the other to join their side. In the end the good brother can't stand his brother and kills him with a shot to the head. May be in my novel the main character will kill her brother cause of the anger within her.

Also mentioned within the novels page is the worlds natural order which is, "the stronger will rule over the weak". We see examples of this everyday, small corporations going out of business cause of bigger companies, bullies harassing weaker kids at school, every big weeds choking out small flowers in a garden. "'The world is evil, Risika. Wolves hunt the stragglers in a group of deer. Vultures devour the fallen. Hyenas destroy the weak. Humans kill that which they fear. Survive and be strong, or die, cornered by your prey, trembling because the night is dark.'" (Atwater-Rhodes, 75) Risika's, the main character's, undead mother is telling her daughter about the order of the hunt. If she doesn't rise above her prey, she will be killed by her prey, meaning the humans will hunt her down and kill her. Through this speech we can tell her mother is unforgiving, a brute, and harsh. With these characteristics she is strong and she looks down on Risika as a weakling, who she will prey on. Perhaps Risika will rise up in power against her mother and take her down.

I believe that later in my novel Risika will rise into power over her own family and others and take them down. She may even be the vampire over lord of Aubrey's land, after she kill him.



The GoodReads page for In the Forests of the Night with back of the book, reviews ans ratings.
GoodReads for In the Forests of the Night 

The wiki page for In the Forests of Night with info on book, author, and series.
Wiki page for In the Forests of Night

Relativity by Cristin Bishara (Post 5)

I have reached the end of the road... or should I say the last page of a book. It makes me cry a little... this novel, Relativity, is one of the first book I have been truly attached to. The ending was worth the wait, for the time being I feel like I am without purpose until i find another book close to as good as this one. This book was so good, that I believe that it should get a final post, on this blog. And a quick message to the author if she ever stumbles upon this. Please keep on writing, you have a talent that is amazing and spectacular... i want you to continue writing, for my sake and all the other big readers out here.

Well, since i got that off of my chest i think its about time that i get down to business, fair warning though if you are interested of reading this book or are going to read it don't read on, I don't want to spoil it for you. This novel has a unique theme that develops over the text of the story;

People should be grateful for what they own and who they are, even with the difficulties and problems, for the perfect world they want can't be achieved.

For Ruby wants to find the perfect world, where her mom never died, and her dad isn't a workaholic. She never wanted to move to Ennis, Ohio, or wanted dad to meet willow and marry her, making Kandy Ruby's step sister. And she wants her family to be happy again, with George as her to be boyfriend, and maybe Patrick tagging along as her brother. Though we all know perfect isn't "Real" per say. She goes and jumps dimensions in search of this perfect world she made in her head. And even through 10 dimensions, she couldn't find it. "I think of my alternate Ruby and her Oz collection. There's no place like home. "I just need to see if this world willl work for me," I say. "Please!" My skin is still slippery from the rainstorm in Universe Seven, and I easily wiggle out of Mom's grasp.
"There's no such things as perfect. Ruby."
"Wouldn't you want it? What I want?" My hands are tight fists, fingernails digging into my palms. "You would! Anyone would!"
"Let's go. Back to where you belong, and where I belong."
... "Maybe someone actually needs me here," I say. "Someone might be happy to see me. I'd be wanted."" (Bishara, 232) Here we can definitely see Ruby strives for her "perfect" world, instead of her own home. There she feels unwanted cause her father works too much and her mom or George isn't there to support her. But she can't get there, to the world she wants. For it doesn't exist.

Yet she adjusts to her own world and makes it better for herself by adjusting and finding new ways to get over the problems she faces. One of her main problems was her step-sister Kandy, she was abusive towards Ruby and Ruby feared her, but Ruby was able to adjust and in some ways so did Kandy. "Ever since I came back home through the tree, Kandy has been civil. Not friendly, but at least I don't feel like she's ready to disembowel me with scissors. Yesterday, after I'd showered and was heading to my room in my towel, I caught her staring at my bare, skeletal leg with a look of pity, or maybe disgust, or guilt." (Bishara, 268) Though Ruby isn't exactly grateful for Kandy, she is making her way there by getting used to her. Who knows maybe in the words that continue in our heads after the story ends, Kandy and Ruby do become good sisters. She also receives a post card from George who she is going to visit and here Dad starts to care for Ruby more. Though Ruby still misses her Mom which is not alive in her own dimension, Ruby has lived on with her Mom tucked into the back of her head.



Amazons page for Relativity if you are interested in buying a copy.
Amazon page for Relativity 

A book review and back cover, with other people who liked it and additional information.
Readers in Wonderland page for Relativity 

Altered by Jennifer Rush

Mind blown, that is how this book affected my mind, I was awe struck. As usual I was just roaming the shelves of a library looking for anything that caught my eye, and this book did. Altered is a novel about boys who were raised in a lab and the scientist's daughter finds them, and wants to help them in any way she can.

I may be only half way through the book yet, it am still on the edge of seat, trying not to fall off. This novel is so much like another series I love and would die for. Maximum Ride Series with the enhanced human being to the running in high suspense and action. With questions that the main character tries to answer in finding her true self, when with every road block then come over, the world seems darker. These boys and the daughter create their band together.

"For most of the last four years, I wasn't allowed in the lab. But that didn't stop me from sneaking down there.and while I no longer needed to wake at midnight to visit the boys, my internal clock was still fully tuned  the schedule." (Rush, 1) I'm not gonna spoil the book, you have to go read it yourself to find out what happens next. All I can say is that it keeps getting better and better. Cause who are the boys? Why are they in a lab? Why does she have to sneak in? I know the answers, do you?

The GoodReads page for Altered, holds back of the book and other people ratings and reviews.
GoodReads page for Altered 

The Amazons page for Altered.
Altered's Amazon page 

A review made for the author herself, on a book review website.
Letter/review to author 

Here is a Fan-Made book trailer, I believe it is pretty believable and real.

Relativity by Cristin Bishara (Post 4)

A page here and a chapter there, staying up til the late hours crossing the words on the page with my eyes. This novel truly draws you in and locks you in place, its a novel that's so addicting and you can't stop reading it. Which for me is quite sad that I haven't finished it yet, though it on my priority list for the next couple weeks or so. In the middle of the book the conflict is starting to show through along with the underlying theme. "Yeah, I have abhor Mom's absence. I hate the emptiness. After being with her for a couple hours. I can see how vacant and silent my life has been for the past 11 years." (Bishara, 143) Throught the chapter Ruby keeps thinking and rethinking every move she makes. "I mean, I 'dbe anidiot to jump in and out of the tree until I reach Universe One, when my own personal utopia could be waiting for me." (Bishara, 144) Since she has found her mom she is unsure wether to continue in her goal to find her own home universe. "...until I get back home. Back to Willow and Kandy, and their decrepit house. Back no smelly Ennis High, Home of the Bear. Back to dad... On the other side: Take my time in each universe, looking for the ideal. Mom and dad could be in love in Universe Five or Seven or Ten. And it's not like I'm ditching dad. Not at all. Because dad will be there. He'll just be a better version of dad one who isn't glued to a computer screen 24/7. We'll do things together." (Bishara, 146) Ruby is trying to convince herself that it is ok if she never goes back to Universe One. If she finds the perfect place and stays there, were her mom is alive and with her dad, which her dad isn't working as much and spends time with his family. She is justifying maybe never going back. 

During this chapter Ruby experiences a person vs. self while she thinks about finding her perfect uptiopia she always dreamed of, yet could never had, and thanks to the tree is now is. I believe the theme of this part of text is that For when people realize their desires and can reach them, they will jump in without thinking it through and the mass affect it could cause. For Ruby she is thinking she won't actully be leaving her dad, she would just be with a better version of her dad, and with her mom which is now dead. When in truth it's not her place to be anyways, she belongs in the universe that her dad is a workaholic and her mom is dead. It's quite sad but that is just how it is, and she can't change that, and if she trys there is no telling what would happen. 

The Girls by Ammy Goldman Koss

I've been reading a lot of larger novels recently for I am reading three at this time. So I wanted to start a smaller novel, though I picked a random novel off my shelf it has already surpassed what I thought the writing is capable of. The Girls, is a short 121 pg. novel which I have fallen deep into its grasps, for this novel is so realistic, it might as well be based upon a true story. This novel is written of a dramatic aspect of a friendship breaking up. The novel runs in chronological order and the chapters are of each characters perspective at a time. So we get a close of view of each character in 1st person.

When in Renee's perspective, who is the shy-quiet one of the group who is scared to speak up, we learn her feelings and thought of the other girls. "It was almost as if Candace were the queen, condemning Maya to death, and Darcy was the once who carried out the order. The executioner- an executioner who loved her work...Was Brianna one of those people who in the old days went to the executions to cheer and have a big party?... Maybe I didn’t cheer, but I didn’t do anything to stop it either. And there was Maya, all alone, up on the gallows." (Koss, 43-44) When we could characterize the girls ourselves, Renée does so for us by stating in her view point what she believes each person would be and also creates a story like setting of which we can view how each character reacts with the others. Candace is the ring leader of the group, giving all the commands and punishment which all must follow, just like a queen. When we have her dog, her servant for life, Darcy would do anything to get Candace's attention and to be in the good spotlight of her praise, even cut Maya out of the group. Then Renée put her and Brianna as the followers, as when Brianna celebrates all of Candace's and Darcy's accomplishments, and goes all the way. When Renée thinks of herself as the one that finds things bad happening but won’t stick up for the one being punished cruelly for no reason. And Maya the victim of the queen, who has done nothing wrong and is excluded, as far as we know she has done nothing wrong at least.

Renée goes on to explain how they must be praised by Candace to stay in this group like; a queen can banish subjects from her land. “Everyone laughed, especially Darcy. We always, always laughed, no matter what. I didn’t know how everyone else felt about Candace’s games, but I thought they were tests, like walking on hot coals or something, to prove how tough we were.” (Koss, 28) These girls are like puppets on Candace’s stings, meant for her entertainment. 

I believe that since Renée has noticed her flaws she will try to speak up for Maya but fail because she will be either over powered or too scared to finish. Maybe this thought will spread to the other girls and they will realize what happened or Renee will leave to comfort Maya. I will just have to keep reading to find out.


A quick view of The Girls on a libary perspective, with a person to person connection and back of the book summary.
Libary Page for The Girls

The GoodReads page for The Girls
GoodReads

Relativity by Cristin Bishara (Post 3)

This book as I was ready, made my heart crack, it poured emotions onto me and drenched me. For this book brought up something sad and natural in a human lifetime. Within a few sentence Mrs. Bishara almost made me cry, true talent of writing. "A few years ago- and only once- Dad had mentioned that there was a baby before me. But something went wrong during childbirth; he didn't get enough oxygen. Now, in my mind, I see a blue baby, tiny but with Patrick's face, his legs pulled to his chest. Stillborn." (Bishara, 128) Patrick is Ruby's older brother in the second and fourth dimension. Though in her real dimension he died... And never ready existed. In the way Bishara writes and describes this image in Ruby's head, the reader can clearly see it. This image in my head makes think of my sister Megan, who died as a newborn (For full text to self connection refer to "Relativity by Cristin Bishara Blog Post 1"). 

This view of the death of so thing so tiny and innocent that never was able to live a life it was set to have, brings tears to my eyes. In a human view point life is meant to be treasured and cherished. As a mother sees her child dead in her arms its like your life has no light, color, emotions or sounds. As even though Ruby is not a mother to Patrick she is his sister, and she feels connection towards him, and longs to be with him and closer. "Suddenly, Patrick isn't a stranger anymore. He's my brother I should have had all along. He would have taught me to throw a ball, make paper airsplanes, swim underwater. We would've fought over the TV remote and the phone and over who got the bigger bedroom. I reach out and squeezes his hand. He squeezes back." (Bishara, 128) Through this we see into Ruby's mind and we can see her reflecting on some normal, common life experiences, that most people may encounter. If not in their own lives but others. 

Since Ruby is drawing upon these thought and reach out for her brother to be closer with him, in this dimension rather han in her own, she may have thoughts of staying in this dimension with her own brother. To experience these emotions and scenes in her parallel life, the good and bad.

Relativity by Cristin Bishara (Post 2)

The author of Relativity goes into much detail to explain the exact movements of our main character, Ruby, and to give us the exact things that she she's. Of which is rendering an image in our head of what this place may look like. "And the tree! It's enormous, majestic. It cats its shade thick and wide, blocking the sun, and the cool air is a kiss of relief after sweating through the cornfield. I walk carefully, stepping over roots that erupt through the earth at intervals, like knuckles, fingers gripping the ground. To think this tree started as an acorn- a seed you could hold in the palm of your hand. How long ago? It shot roots into the soil, spread branches into the sky, feeding on carbon dioxide and rainwater. It thickened and stretched, cells multiplying, pulling itself up, straightening its spine like an evolving primate." (Bishara, 19) Through these words that Ruby uses to describe the tree, it sounds like she is speaking of a person, with a life growing up, fingers and knuckles in the dirt. Since she sees it as a person she doesn’t want to disturb it, as she carefully walks over its roots. She is in awe struck about how this tree came to be so big from a small acorn. I see the tree to be looking something like this-

From the text, I can infer that maybe this tree has some magic abilities; there is something different about this tree. It is described in such a way that I can’t see this as a normal tree. Perhaps, maybe it is a normal tree that ruby will stay around to relax from the stress of her new home and family. But I can’t see that happening, something big is going to happen with this tree. Mrs. Bishara is aiming focus on this tree for a reason and I hope later in the book I will find out why.

A letter from a reader to Mrs. Bishara about her novel.

Relativity reader letter

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

This book, was one of the of the 150 or so books I wanted to read but never got around to. I decided to put my other novel on rest and read this, which was worth it. It was (and still is) an amazing piece of literature, with the multiple conflicts, problem solving, and it's like it is a new world that relates to our own. I sit there when I'm not reading it thinking about it, and trying to "solve" the problems that Thomas, the main character, has to deal with. And it causes me to have a different view of world around me and a different outlook on how I could solve my own problems. "A fast-paced narrative... Dasnher's suspenseful adventure will keep readers guessing until the very end." -Publishers Weekly. I for one, highly agree with this quote/review about The Maze Runner it really did keep me guessing to the very end. I give this book a 4.5 star rating, its only half a star rating lower than 5 stars cause at points I thought there could be more imagery, but I believe Mr. Dashner is a more action-type author, with more dialogue, character development and exclusive actions and scenes. "The alarm finally stopped after blaring for a full two minutes. A crowd was gathered in the middle of the courtyard around the steel doors through which Thomas was startled to realize he’d arrived just yesterday. Yesterday? he thought. Was that really just yesterday?" (Dashner, Chaper 8) The actions and words used in this quote has an overwhelming sense of anxiety and tenseness in the air. This scene in the novel is a mildly actionus scene yet we get so much from it we can tell the action will increase up until the climax. So it's kinda unfair for me to judge his writing in this light and give him a 4.5 start rating, since he is not a "flowery" writer, with over descriptive scenes and settings. Though he adds enough for me to see this place in my head. The suspence and cliff hangers in the novel will rack your brain when ever you turn the page or set the book down. "He began his new life standin up, surronded by cold darkness and stale, dusty air. Metal ground against metal; a lurching shudder shook the floor beneath him. He fell down at the sudden movement and shuffled backward on his hands and feet, drops of sweat beading on his forehead despite the cool air." (Dashner, Chapter 1)

I would recommend this book to pretty much everyone, though if you want me to be more specific on who would get more enjoyment out of the book, I will. Those who enjoy to "explore and visit" a different and dangerous world with tons of action and problems. An underlining mystery that will somehow help the characters reach their goal. Interesting solutions with different thoughts on issues. And characters you will get to know and fall in live with. If you agree to most of the above statements, I truly believe that this is a book for you. Plus even better news, this book is apart of a series, of which this is the first novel, so you can continue he the enjoyment of reading these action filled and suspenseful novels. Also soon it is to come to the big screen, I hope to catch it and I hope it follows the book closely.

The Good Reads page for The Maze Runner, which has ratings and reviews of others and a back of the book over view. 

Good Reads The Maze Runner 

Q and A with the author James Dashner about The Maze Runner

 

 

Here is the "Offical" trailer for The Maze Runner, the movie.

The Alchemest by Paulo Coelho (2nd Post)

Santiago, quiet and considerate, is the main character of this novel, in my opinion he is very unique. He is traveling through the Middle East, to the pyramids of Egypt in search of his treasure. In the beginning I see Santiago as a carefree sprit who’s only care in the world is to travel, and he uses his sheep for that purpose. Yet, when he meets the king, who tells him to go find his treasure he sees in his dreams, he is filled with the hope he could do such a thing. But then he worries about his flock cause they can't the barren dessert that holds of little water or grazing spots, he sells his sheep to a good shepherd he knows well knowing his sheep with be happy and safe with him. "If I become a monster today, and decided to kill them [the sheep], one by one, they would become aware only after most of the flock had been slaughtered, thought the boy. They trust me, and they've forgotten how to rely on their instincts, because I lead them to nourishment." (Coelho, 7) This shows me that he is compassionate, which will help him later on.

After traveling he finds himself in an Arabic town, where he needs to find someone to take him across the dessert. Yet he doesn’t speak Arabic or know their customs, making this stop in his journey hard for him. "How strange Africa is, thought the boy. He was sitting in a bar very much like the other bars he seen along the narrow streets of Tangier. Some men were smoking from a giant that they passed from one to the other. In just few hours he had seen men walk hand in hand, women with their faces covered, and priests that climbed to the tops of towers and chanted... The boy felt ill and terribly alone. The infidels had a look of evil about them." (Coelho, 34) So in this strange land, as he described it, he went to learn the customs and the speech. So he could communicate and feel welcomed by others. After he felt he was ready to move on he left. The way he taught himself to live here in this town shows the trait that he is independent in his learning.

He leaves and continues on his journey to his treasure but has run out of coin. He comes across a old man in a glass shop, Santiago offers to clean the glass for a meal that night. He ends up staying just over a year working for the old man, cleaning the glass every day and help customers. He saves up money to go continue his traveling, but he lies to the man saying he is going get a new flock and continue with his life he had before. Yet man sees thru him, and the boy feels ashamed for lying. Yet his time cleaning the glass taught him a new lesson. "The old man continued, "You have been a real blessing to me. Today I understand something I didn't see before: every blessing ignored becomes a curse. I don't want anything else in my life. But you are forcing me to look at wealth and at horizons I have never known. Now that I have seen them, and now that I see how immense my possibilities are, I'm going to feel worse than I did before you arrived. Because I know the things I should be able to accomplish, and I don't want to do."" (Coelho, 58) He learned that he has an effect on other people, and he feels bad for the man and apologizes yet the man just laughs, for the boy is foolish to think that it's a bad thing to have horizons and goals to meet. Santiago has an effect on other people he hasn’t realized until now.

Soon he joins a caravan that will take him across the dessert. He accompanies an Englishman, during the long journey across the sands on camel back. He enjoys learning from the world around him and the people on the moving caravan. Yet the Englishman disagrees and says books are better, they both have different ways of learning that they both accept. "When people saw that star shining in the morning sky, they knew they were on the right course toward water, palm trees, shelter, and other people. It was only the Englishman who was unaware of all this; he was, for the most part, immersed in reading his books. The boy, too, had his book, and he had tried to read it during the first few days of the journey. But he found it much more interesting to observe the caravan and listen to wind." (Coelho, 74) He continues to learn and process on his own to understand the world around him, accepting that different people live and learn in different ways. He will most likely use this information to help him in the future.

 

 

Here is the GoodReads page for The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. So you can read the summary, reveiws, and ratings.

The Alchemist GoodReads page

 

 

 

 

 

Relativity by Cristin Bisharan (1st Post)

Relativity is one of the first sci-fi/fantasy novels I have read in a while. So far I am only one third thru it but I love it none the less. This book makes me think about the text, pushing me deeper into things I wouldn't have thought of or looked up if not for this book.  "You can't go see mom! This isn't right. You don't belong here, Ruby. You need to go home. Mom is dead. I don't have a brother. If I'm somewhere with a dead persona and a nonexistent person, I don't want to be in that somewhere. I need to get out of this limbo land." (Bishara, 55) From this quote I predicted that Ruby is going to start to miss her mom and she will want to revisit the other world to see her dead mother. Then she will love her undead-otherworldly-mom and want to stay there with her. But yet she has not revisited the other world, I must read on to find out. I am pretty sure she will go back, my question is when and who will she tell about the tree?

Once she started jumping universes something occurred to me, thought it's an extent, it reminded me of Thw Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborn. The brother and sister Jack and Anne traveled to different time periods in a tree house, while Ruby travels to another parallel universe inside of a tree. Both groups of people travel to a place they shouldn't actually be in, have an adventure, then return home inside their tree/treehouse. "Really, only one thing makes sense. Only one course of action feels like the right choice: Head back to the tree, and get the hell out of here." (Bishara, 55) With this quote she is on edge to get back to her universe using the tree, while in The Magic Tree House: The Knight at Dawn- Book 2 ""We can't stay here," said Jack. "We have to go home and make a plan first." He picked up the book about Pennsylvania. He opened it to the page with the red silk bookmark." (Osborn, 13). Both Ruby and Jack want to go home from these other places they visited, with the tree.

In many ways this book reminds me of the real world, though its in the fantasy genre. Ruby is mad that her mother died and his her father is going to marry Willow, and making Willow's daughter, Kandy, her step sister. Many people, I would believe, would be angry at their parent for moving on after the other died. We would all wish for a miracle to happen and our dead relative to return to us, like Ruby does. "That I'm wondering how different my life would be at this very moment if mom had survived that car crash 11 years ago, when I was four. She got hit hard, but her dependable Volvo weathered the impact. She had her seatbelt on. It wasn't an airbag malfunction or anything else that might make sense. No. It was an airborne windshield wiper- propelled with arrow accuracy and speed- that skewered her esophagus. If it hadn't been for that windshield wiper, I wouldn't have a stepmother or a stepsister. I wouldn't have moved to Ohio. I wouldn't be standing in this room right now. Action and reaction." (Bishara, 13) She blames her mom dying for the condition she is in. 

I also feel that dread of a relative dying in a car crash, for my older sister Megan died in such a way, except she was only a baby at the time. Just like the quote i used in the previous paragraph, Ruby is curious of how her life would b if her mother survived the car crash. As I am curious about how my life would be now and was if she as still alive today with me. Would I have moved to Mason? Would I be living in apartment? Would my younger sister Bria ever have existed? Would i be here? Those questions I can't answer, cause I can't change the past, or bring Megan back. 

Shows the back cover of the book for you to read, and see if you become interested as well.

Relativity Back Cover

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (1st Post)

In the novel Paulo Coelho writes, "Looking around, he sought his sheep, and then realized that he was in a new world. But instead of being saddened, he was happy. He no longer had to seek out food and water for the sheep; he could go in search of his treasure, instead. He had not a cent in his pocket, but he had faith. He had decided, the night before, that he would be as much an adventurer as the ones he had admired in books." (Coelho, 42) The boy, Santiago, had to sell of his sheep to travel to the great pyramids in search of his treasure, yet the sheep were like his family, and needed lots of care. He couldn't bring them with him, it would be a dangerous journey and the sheep would slow him down. Yet he was happy his sheep would get care from the shepherd he sold them too. With the coin he got from selling his sheep he was robbed by a theif and was left alone in the middle of a closed market place that night, crying himself to sleep.

Though for when he wakes in this market place, it seems cheery and filed with morning sun. All the fear and sadness is gone. He has faith he will find his treasure, a boost of confidence from somthing unseen. Though since he is so happy now I'm guessing further in the book he will come across a big problem or conflict that will test is confidence and he will wish to return to his old life as a shepherd with his sheep. He will give up his dream of becoming a great adventurer and finding his treasure. But he will have to carry on past that point to get to his treasure in the end.

 

A small article about some parts and over all view of the novel The Alchemist  by Pauko Coelho
The Alchemist Article

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

In The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern suggests that when people have a deep and passionate longing for something, whether self gain or for someone else's they will try with everything in them to achieve it by all means necessary. Without this longing to drive people along in their life, their lives will become dull and meaningless. Celia and Marco help to develop this theme throughout the book. In the beginning Celia Brown the daughter of a great magician would obey her father without complaint. Then she longed for freedom to live her own life without her father ruling her. "After months of it she was exhausted from the travel and the strain and the fact that her father barely lets her eat, as he claims looking like a waif makes her seem more convincing, closer to the other side." (Morgenstern, 48) Celia does not fight her father on the fact, she just goes with what he says. Later she keeps going forward with her life even though her father still follows her around and tells her what to do. She longs to be free from him and make her own decisions. "Celia turns back to Marco's flat, pressing her hand against the door. "Stop behaving as though you love that boy," Hector says. "You are above such mundane things."" (Morgenstern, 397) Celia's father, Hector, does not want his daughter to be in love with Marco, even though Celia longs to be with him. They quarrel for a while until Celia just walks away,  following her own path. When her father was controlling her her life was meaningless going from day to day to follow his commands, when she followed her own longings she found a life she wanted.

Marco also had a father, that commanded him when he was young. "The man in the gray suit visits him in his rooms every day, most often accompanied by a new pile of books, spending exactly one hour lecturing about things the boys I'm sure he will ever truly understand. Only one does the boy inquire as to when he'll actually be able to do something, The kinds of things that the man in the gray suit demonstrates very rarely himself during a strictly scheduled lesson.... He was not deemed ready for some time." (Morgenstern, 30) Marco's father does not let him expand on his magic ability, and as a young boy Marco really wanted to. But was a good boy and listen going from day today without a true longing to drive him. When he aged and matured he moved out and refused to see his father. And he falls in love with Celia though his father does not approve. Yet he still longs for her. Both of these characters had a longing for something else and for each other. These actions with each other and against their own parents as well as the competition moved the story line along, making it more exciting. Longing was a theme and they both possessed it, and followed it. 

A summary and small explanation of the real world allusions in the book, The Night Circus. Written by New York Times author Stacey D'erasmo.

Night Circus Article