Summer reading post 4

       I chose this book for my summer reading project because I had read other books by John Green and they were very good. His books always get me thinking about things he writes even after I put the book down. His books never seem to amaze me. I love his writing style because it is so unique. This book drew my attention with the book summary because it was bright and hopeful and then suddenly it took a turn to the darker side, without explanation. It was very intriguing. I could relate closely to Pudge at different points of the story, to be honest he was a very relate-able character so it was not that hard to find resemblance between his thought process and mine.  I can also relate how the main character would sometimes be prone to over think what someone said or what someone did. This book is very well known already in the young adults age area. The author, John Green is actually a very well known by young adults. This book would be read by young girls. Based on all of the attention that the book 'The Fault In Our Stars' , another book by John Green, got I wasn't surprised by all the press that this book got. I think this book would be a big hit with any age group.

Summer reading post 3

    "We walked across the dorm circle to the gym. I sported baggy jeans, a sweatshirt with no shirt underneath, and a bad case of bedhead. All the teachers were in the dorm circle knocking on doors, but I didn't see Dr. Hyde. I imagined him lying dead in his house, wondered who had found him, how they even knew he was missing before he failed to show up for class. "I don't see Dr. Hyde," I told the Colonel. "Poor bastard." The gym was half full by the time we arrived. A podium had been set up in the middle of the basketball court, close to the bleachers. I sat in the second row, with the Colonel directly in front of me. My thoughts were split between sadness for Dr. Hyde and excitement about Alaska, remembering the up-close sight of her mouth whispering, "To be continued?" And it did not occur to me—not even when Dr. Hyde shuffled into the gym, taking tiny, slow steps toward the Colonel and me. I tapped the Colonel on the shoulder and said, "Hyde's here," and the Colonel said, "Oh shit," and I said, "What?" and he said, "Where's Alaska?" and I said, "No," and he said, "Pudge, is she here or not?" and then we both stood up and scanned the faces in the gym. The Eagle walked up to the podium and said, "Is everyone here?" "No," I said to him. "Alaska isn't here." The Eagle looked down. "Is everyone else here?" "Alaska isn't here!" "Okay, Miles. Thank you." "We can't start without Alaska. " (page 70)

    Pudge and the colonel are found by the headmaster of the school and he tells them to go to the gym for an announcement. Alaska doesn't seem to be there.

summer reading post 2

     In the book I have chosen, 'Looking for Alaska' by John Green, the characters have inner conflicts that make it a bit harder to distinguish what they actually desire. The main character, Pudge, thinks a lot about 'the great perhaps' and doesn't go a day without thinking about it. In his mind one thing is clear to me, he wants Alaska. Alaska the girl who has so many rambling issues in her head, is perfect in Pudge's eyes. Alaska is hard to figure out. She has so many thoughts at once it's hard to follow her. Alaska wants to please everyone and to be herself without any regrets, she wants peace and chaos, she wants to explore and to stay in the same place. Alaska wants everything and nothing at all. From what I can tell the structure of the book is broken into two parts, before and after. Before is when Pudge finds friends, feels like he belongs, all of the generally nice things. After is when everything seems to fall apart. So put from the book, "After. Nothing is ever the same." That is from the back of the book where they try to simplify the entire book into a few sentences, and I think that was very well put. The theme I see starting to show is that as soon as something good happens, something bad comes after it.

summer reading post 1

          I have chosen the book 'Looking for Alaska' by John Green. So far this book has been very thought provoking which is a good sign, for me at least, when reading a good novel.  The main character for this book is Miles Halter, also known as 'Pudge' not because he has a few extra pounds, but because he is so skinny. The book begins with him telling his parents that he would like to go to a boarding school, and not for the usual obvious reasons to get away from something, but to get into something. Pudge's life was boring and uneventful. He wanted to change that so he had his parents enroll him in a boarding school so that he could hopefully start the adventure also known as life. He was in search of 'the great perhaps'. Culver Creek boarding school was where it would all begin. Pudge makes friends like Chip also known as 'The colonel' and Alaska. At first sight Pudge is mesmerized by Alaska. I have a feeling that later on in the story she will be the main event in Pudge's head. And what I really want to know is, does he find the great perhaps? This book reminds me of 'Paper towns' also by John Green because of the way the book starts. It begins centered on one boy who feels his life is boring and then, BOOM, this mysterious girl takes him on a whirlwind adventure that he couldn't forget if he wanted too. I feel like the ending won't be the ending that we want, just like how 'paper towns' ended.

Put a Dime in the Jukebox

First things first, I would like to give a virtual high-five to anyone who got the song reference in the title. I am back to reading Rock Chicks by Alison Stieven-Taylor and I am still in love with this book. When you read this book you feel very empowered. It doesn't matter if you're a girl or a guy, it makes you feel like you are stronger than you think. A lot of these iconic women of rock 'n roll came from the same place as everybody else and carried their weight to the top. If that doesn't make you feel invincible, I have no idea what would.

 

I recently finished a chapter of the book which was about Stevie Nicks. Fleetwood Mac's best known band member is Stevie Nicks. Fleetwood Mac is very well known. You have most definitely heard of her. She is so original, and her voice is hauntingly beautiful. I was trying to think of someone she reminds me of, but that's the thing, she doesn't remind me of anybody but her. She is unlike any other, and she  worked her way to the top. "Ninety per cent of the people who went to Fleetwood Mac concerts wanted to see Stevie." (pg 124) She has this magnetism that couldn't be bought. She is an idol of mine because she did her own thing, and didn't care what other people thought of her.

 (Stevie Nicks on stage)

I have been reading 'A work in progress' by Connor Franta. This book is also by a youtuber, just like the last one but these books are very different. This book is more about the life lessons he wants to share with us and have us learn from. He states "As you get older, sometimes your goals will take you away from your closest friends." (pg 52) I love this book so far because he brings a new perspective on a small town kid rising to fame while still remembering where he came from. I remember meeting him at his book signing and it was like a dream. I never thought that I would ever get to meet him, let alone hug him and talk to him. He was just like he was since the beginning of his wild adventure to internet stardom. He was so thankful for everyone supporting him and that really reflects in his book. He is a wonderful writer and I really sugest picking up his book and reading it, even if you aren't completely aware of what he does because he puts his heart and soul into this book and you can really tell. 

I have been reading 'I hate my selfie' by Shane Dawson. This book is very different from the books that I usually read. I usually like to read fiction or realistic fiction but this book is about the writers life. It is sort of a an autobiography. And usually I wouldn't feel any interest in that except for the fact that the writer is someone that I have been watching for years. And I realize without any incite to what the writer is involved in that what I said would be a pretty creepy thing to say. But Shane Dawson is a youtuber. Yes it is a real profession and yes that is his full time job. And it may seem ridiculous  that some one could make a decent living by just making video of them self but it is a completely tangible idea for people with more knowledge about the youtube community.  It is like being a celebrity but still being able to go outside without some crazed fan trying to steal your shoes. I believe that in this day and age it is very possible to make a profession out of anything. If you think about it there are professional eaters, poker players. video game players, even people just famous for being pretty. I think that anything is really possible.

(I would like to put a quote in this but there are no quotes in this book that are school appropriate. So I would rather not)