Molly Fyde and the Parsona Rescue

***ALERT!! DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE READ MOLLY FYDE AND THE PARSONA RESCUE. THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS***

Hey, it’s me again. I recently read Molly Fyde and the Parsona rescue.

Molly Fyde and the Parsona Rescue- A story that keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. It is about an orphan child named Molly that sets out on the adventure of a lifetime to recover her dad’s ship, Parsona, found on the planet of Palan. Born on the planet of Lok she was put into the Navy’s Academy under the care of Lucin, a close family friend, after the death of her parents. She is kicked out of the academy for a bad grade on a simulator test and goes to a real school. Then, right before spring break, she receives word that her father’s ship is discovered, halfway across the galaxy and is launched headfirst into the adventure of a lifetime.

I loved the fast paced plot of this book. At the end of every chapter there is a cliffhanger that jump-starts the action at the beginning of the next chapter. I didn’t like how much death there was. Like when the two glemots blew up their planet and killed millions, which was a huge case of genocide.

I would recommend this book to anyone that likes science fiction and lots of action. Even those that don’t like science fiction might like this. I don’t really like sci-fi and I loved this book. Also they need to be able to keep reading even through the very confusing parts of a book because in the beginning when they are in the Academy’s simulator and you don’t even know that it is a test until later, unless you misread that part, then you’re clueless.

This book reminds me of The Mazerunner because they are both about orphaned kids that are trained for something that will become useful in the future. Also, they both have a plot where the main characters can never have a normal life ever again.

-Serena

Molly Fyde

Do not read unless you have read Molly Fyde the Parsona Rescue

Molly Fyde was a very good book, but a little weird at first. Molly Fyde is on a mission to find her dad’s lost spaceship. Molly goes to a Navy school but she gets kicked out for something she didn't do. A friend gives her advice that they found her fathers ship, in the Parsona in space. She and her friend, Cole, go to take the ship, only to be stopped by a branch of the Navy that turned against them, a war on a planet that no one has been to for years, bartering for illegal goods to keep them safe, and not knowing who to trust. This is one of my favorite books but takes a little while before you get into the story. I would recommend the book to any one who loves and adventure. This book is awesome.

Maze Runner

So I finished Maze Runner a while ago, but I forgot to post my review.

This book is about the world a group of select kids are wipped of their memory and put in to a maze. In the middle of the maze is the glade a safe haven where at first everything seems perfect. When Thomas arrives right on schedule (they get a new boy every 30 days) this is what he thinks as well. Only when a girl Terresa shows up only a day after Thomas that they relize they have less time to solve the puzzle of the maze then they thought. After two years they think it will be virtually impossible until Thomas gets an idea.

I really really really really really really really really really really really really really really reall really really really really really realyl really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really reall really really really REALLY enjoyed this book. If you liked the Hunger Games you'll like Maze Runner. Even if you didn't like the Hunger Games, Maze Runner is way better!!!!! I mean WAY better!!!

~Dana

Review for Ship Breaker. (: (forgot to publish a while ago).

I forgot to upload this a while back, this is my review for "Ship Breaker" :)

Ship Breaker is a novel we’ve been reading during English class. It’s basically about a guy named Nailer, who works on light crew, doesn’t know how to read, and isn’t exactly sure how old he is. His life isn’t the best, but back then not many people’s were. He knew a guy named Lucky Strike, who always found all the oil, and was one of the richest people in Bright Sands Beach. It must have been a little aggravating, since Lucky Strike would just find oil and get rich, while Nailer and others are working extremely hard for very little quota. Nailer and his other workers believed in the Fates, so they prayed a lot to them, and believed when someone got lucky, it was the Fates trying to tell them something.
His father, Richard Lopez, was not so nice. Actually, he was considered extremely violent and cruel. He was a big druggie; he would hit Nailer, and never really treated him like a true son. There were times when he wasn’t as drunk, and they would have good moments, but those didn’t come often. To make Richard happy, Nailer would usually have to buy his dad something that would either make him drunk, or make him rich. This book made me feel sorry for Nailer, in a lot of times. Reading it, makes most of us feel like we’ve got it easy. We don’t have to work in oil tankers and ducts, to make a small amount of quota (their money). His friends weren’t always the best example either even though he did most of the same things; they would drink by the bonfire, and cuss a lot when it’s wasn’t necessary. Yet, back then, cussing a lot wasn’t like cussing a lot now of days. It probably wasn’t even considered bad, it was like the usual for them. That’s one reason the age recommendation matters while reading this book, you most likely shouldn’t be under middle school range, which is about lower than 11-12. The reason for that would be that they might be immature about it. If they would just laugh every time a word came around, they wouldn’t try to understand why it was there. In a lot of cases, if helps the content, to show the mood in the book. This book would be recommended for either gender, guys or girls would like it! One of my favorite parts in the book is where he meets a girl named Nita. Well, it’s not a casual meet like you might assume. She is basically a rich swank, at least what they called her. They found her ship which was crashed and it was fulled with lots of silver in it. Pima wanted to kill her, and cut off her fingers for her rings.. Nailer starts to like Nita, which is really cute, and without giving a lot away, the best way to put it as they go on lots of adventures together. My biggest dislike in the book was the ending. I don’t think it ended well, not in a bad way, I just don’t believe Paolo Bachagalopi ended it like he could of. He had this strong beginning, super middle, and then the end was just kind of there. I think he could have ended it better and most people agree, but, if another part of Ship Breaker came out, I would most defiantly get it! Paolo Bachagalopi is a brilliant writer; I love his style of writing, the way he gives the message out, while trying to keep it secret. I’m not a huge reader fan, but I really enjoyed most of Ship Breaker, and I think our class did too! It would be very difficult to compare this book to any others. I think it’s too unique to do that, I haven’t seen a writer style like him before. If I did have to pick a comparison, I would say Titanic & Narnia. Those might sound a little strange to be compared, but they both make sense, once you read, I think you’ll find out and see the comparisons too! I would rate this book highly, and hope this could be a required read for middle schoolers, and up.

~ Bailey! (;

My First Review, for the "Hate List". ((:

I’m not a huge reader, I’m sure most people know that. Usually, the problem is trying to find a book that really interests me. Surprisingly, I loved the recent book I read, Hate List. If you look at the back of the book, you would probably put it down. It seems a little scary, but it’s actually not. It’s basically about a girl, named Valerie Leftman, and her boyfriend, Nick Levil. Her boyfriend likes death, and soon enough it shows. Valerie started a book, called the Hate List. She would write down things she hated, people she hated, anything to do with hate. Nick takes that book, and tries to kill everyone off that list. Since, I can’t tell you the whole book, you’ll have to read it! I’m pretty sure it’s based off out the columbine shooting. It didn’t sound like something I would like at all, and turned out to be one of my favorites. This book really brings you into the story with them. There is bad language, bullying, threats, in this book. So, I don’t recommend it for any grade lower than 7th. At first, to be honest, I was scared to even turn the page, because I didn’t know what was next, except from reading the back. Then, it turned to be, I couldn’t wait to turn the page, which was weird for me. This book is very, very good, and I think it should be recommended for middle schoolers. It’s almost really inspiring, because of the school shooting, and how many people had to go through that, and get over it. I really advise you read it! If you do, you’ll see why everyone who loved it, loved it so much. I’m excited for the next one by that author to be published!

~ Bailey :)

Trouble Review

I just finished Trouble by Gary Schmidt and very much enjoyed it. It was a pretty quick read, but I loved the plot. A 14-year-old boy’s brother is hit by a car and killed. The driver of this truck happens to be a Cambodian, and not accepted into the snooty society of Massachusetts. When the boy and the Cambodian are thrown together, Trouble is sure to follow. The plot of this book moves are a good pace, it seems to me. It doesn’t spend too much time dwelling in one part (although I thought I was going to have a heart attack before they finished the crew regatta!) and it didn’t go too quickly either. In the ending, it seemed like everything was resolved really quickly, and I would have like a little more time spent developing the ending. I would recommend this book to any middle-schooler or early high-schooler. It’s pretty easy to comprehend, but the themes are a little dark. Overall, Trouble is a classic “journey” story.

Ship Breaker

***ALERT!! Do not read unless you Have Read THE MAZERUNNER. SPOILERS ARE IN THE FOLLOWING REVIEW. ***

Hey, it’s me again. I read Ship Breaker.

Ship Breaker is a wonderful book full of suspense, love, “swanks,” loyalty, sacrifice, and revenge. It is set in the weird world of Bright Sands Beach where the people pray to the fates and do everything to stay alive, even turn on their own blood. This book is about a boy named Nailer that works in a ship-breaking yard to pay for his father and him. He lives in a small hut, avoids his almost always drunk and/or high father, and crawls through small ducts on wrecked oil tankers of the past “accelerated age” for pay. He lives on Bright Sands Beach, where his best friend, Pima, is also his immediate boss. He works for Bapi, the owner of the crew and is a rich “swank,” as the workers call him.

One thing in the book that I liked was the suspense. Every good book needs a little suspense. One example of suspense is when Nailer has to pick whether or not he wants to dive for the thing he thinks is a door in the oil room. At the end of the chapter all it says is, “He dove.” One thing that I didn't like was the fact that people in their teens were saying horrible words. Plus this book, I assume, was written for young adults. So it shouldn't say a lot of bad words, but it does, like h*** and other worse words.

I would recommend this book to anyone in 7^th grade or higher that likes a good book, but can ignore bad words. I would do this because kids younger than that would probably get this book just to giggle about the bad words and point them out to their friends.

Ship Breaker reminds me of Bread and Roses, Too. They are alike in a lot of ways. In Bread and Roses, Too the main boy character, Jake, has a father who gets drunk and abuses him. Also both of these books are set in a period where times are tough and people are poor, but some very lucky people live like kings.

-Serena

C.H.E.R.U.B. Review

The book C.H.E.R.U.B. does have an interesting plot, starting out with the main characters “Mum” dyeing, then being separated from his sister. After which he joins a secret organization that gives the book its name. This leads me to one of the things that I like and dislike about C.H.E.R.U.B. The first thing I like is that the plot is fast-paced and never really slows down. Always showing you new things and giving you new characters. Although the pace is fast, it is actually a little too fast, it never really exploits something’s to it’s full potential, for example he gets over his mother dyeing, his sister being taken away, in almost three days.

Also the book is not very descriptive, lowering the reading level a notch or two.

If I were to recommend this to someone I would recommend this book to younger males, maybe of the ages twelve and under, because the reading level is lower. Also I would recommend it to that age group because the main character is around eleven to twelve. Also it would be bad of me not to mention how this book compares to the Alex Rider Series and I would say that it is much better than C.H.E.R.U.B.

So this book is not bad, but it is not that good either.

Molly Fyde and the Land of Light

An amazing sequel to Molly Fyde and the Parsona Rescue. Molly and Cole continue their journey, following her ‘mother’s’ guidance. First, they stop on planet Drenard to drop off a Drenard that they saved. Communicating with special headbands, they find that the only way to leave Drenard is to become a Drenard. The only way to do that is to complete the Rite of Wadi Thooo. Edison had already gone, but not come back, when Walter, Cole, and Molly go out and try to capture a Wadi Thooo. Although, Molly’s soft-heartedness might get them stuck on the planet.

At the same time, the Drenard they saved, Anlyn, is to become ruler of Drenard. Tough political decisions aren’t a problem for her, but getting the public to agree the best way to handle threats is really the best way.

If they make it off the planet alive, will they be able to fulfill Molly’s mother’s wishes? Or will it be too much for Molly to handle?

Molly Fyde and the Land of Light is suspenseful and can transport you into Molly’s world. If you liked the first Molly Fyde, this is a must-read.

The Little Stranger

I recently finished The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters. I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! It’s kind of got a thriller overtone, and I was a little frightened at times, but it was just a great balance. It’s the story of a family doctor in England who makes a trip out to Hundreds Hall, the house of an old family in town. The doctor becomes entangled in the strange happenings at the Hall and within the family. I really liked Sarah Waters’ writing style. It’s written as if the doctor is telling it, which makes it sound sort of British, which makes the reading interesting. When the book gets scary, it stays scary long enough to get you scared, but not long enough to make you put down the book. It was a great balance of a love story, a horror story, and just general fiction. I would recommend this to anyone that is going on a vacation or a long car ride and looking for something to read, as long as you are a bit on the older side. The language is okay for the most part, the issue lies with a very few of the scenes: they involve some pretty adult situations. I would say probably don’t read this book if you aren’t at least a mature 14. A good comparison to this book is The Fall of the House of Usher.

Molly Fyde and the Parsona Rescue

A captivating story about Molly Fyde on a mission to find her dad’s lost spaceship, this is one of the best books I’ve ever read. It is a page-turner. Molly Fyde and the Parsona Recue is an enthralling adventure that nobody should miss. Molly, a girl in this future, had just gotten kicked out of the Navy for something she didn’t do. A friend gives her the news that they have found her father’s ship, the Parsona, in space. She and her friend, Cole, go to take the ship, only to be stopped by a branch of the Navy that turned against them, a war on a planet that no one has been to for years, bartering for illegal goods to keep them safe, and not knowing who to trust. With Cole, a Palan, a Glemot, and a Drenard, Molly enters a new journey: to find her mother. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure stories and imaginative worlds. I also compared this book to Artemis Fowl. Molly reminds me of Holly, dealing with a similar issue in their training. I loved both series.

True Believer by Nicholas Sparks

We all know the timeless classics that Nicholas Sparks writes. The epic love stories will make you laugh or cry. The Lucky One falls in that category.

The main character is Jeremy Marsh, a 40 year old who is engaged to the beautiful Lexie Darnell. When they were dating, Lexie got pregnant and Jeremy proposed. In the small town of Boone Creek little is secret, and the citizens of the town believe that Jeremy proposed because Lexie was pregnant. Later, the pregnancy takes a horrible turn that leaves Jeremy and Lexie fighting tears. True Believer is a must read.
I enjoyed the book because of the story that was told in it. Also the Nicholas Sparks romance was quite up to par. The only thing I didn't like about the book is the ending. It could have gone a totally different direction and would be just as good. I would recommend this book to all drama lovers, because True Believer is packed full, but i would recommend for the reader to be 12+ due to some more adult topics. I would compare this book to Message in a Bottle by Nicolas Sparks because of the drama that is in it.

Code Talkers Book Review

The book Code Talkers was a good book. It is about the navyjo marines of WWII. Navyjo is a indian tribe and language. Navyjo people were wanted for the marines to talk there language so if enemy transmission picked up a radio signal the enemy would not know what they were saying. I was in between on this book i liked it and did not like it. The reasons why I liked it because it had many details about some of the most famous battles in WWII such as Iwo Jima. But the reason i did not like it because there was not a lot a battle just details. I would recommend this book to kids from 10-15 in age who are starting to learn about WWII in school. The reason because it has many facts about the war in it. Out of all books I've read it really didn't really remind me of any book I have read. But overall it was a good book.

Hate List

Don't Read this if you have not read the book the Hate List!!!!!!!!! (: This book in my opinion was very, very good. It is mainly about a high school shooting.There are a couple scenes in the book that have to do with drinking. There are a couple of scenes that some people are held at gun point. It also has some graphic scenes too. It has a lot of bad language in it and I recommend this book for 7th grade to adult age group. This book at the end had like a moral to it. The moral to this book would be think befor you act and be careful with who you hang out with. Valerie hung out with Nick, Nick influenced Valerie to drink and do things that she isn't supposed to. I don't really like the fact that a lot of people in this generation can relate to this book. This book was well written and is also fast pace Just a side note this book has a lot of bullying issues. If you are someone that gets influenced very easily I do not recommend this book to you. This book is a very good book! If you read it I hope that you like it as much as I did. (: ~Kaitlin (:

The Foretelling

Hey, it’s me again. I recently read the Foretelling.

The Foretelling- The foretelling is about a girl named Rain, whose mother is Alina, queen of the tribe of women as tough as Amazon women. They fight other tribes of men, women, and both to protect everyone. They believe that everything, including the bears, their people, horses, and even the bees are their sisters. Rain is trained in weaponry and receives a mare at the age of thirteen. Rain’s life is pretty average, until the prophecy. The Black Horse. She realizes that there is much more to her life than she can see. She now knows that her life will never be the same again.

Now on to what I did and didn’t like in the book I finished reading, The Foretelling. I liked the suspense in the book, like when Rain was told the prophecy. Some of the things that they talked about were not really appropriate for middle school, but other than that I liked everything else.

I would make sure that the person who picks up this book likes to read and is open to a lot of weird topics in a book. I would say that you should be in middle school before you read this because of some of the content is not for people in elementary school.

I would compare this book to the Hunger Games because there is a lot of killing by people to protect themselves, just like the hunger games. One thing that is different than the Hunger Games is that the people are born into this life forever, in the Hunger Games you are picked and you die or get lucky, win, and go home.

-Serena

Feather's

I just finished the book called Feathers. My opionion was it was very good comparing I am not that big of a reader. The book was mainly about how a boy named Frannie goes to school and when his teacher is talking all about hope. When a new kid comes to school named Jesus Boy because he is white and looks like Jesus. When nobody is his friend and is very mean to him. Especially Trevor he is the class bully but when Jesus Boy stands up to him sees how mean he is and just silent. While on the other hand his family. On how his brother is deaf and they are having allot of family problems. it reminds family's feather's is the thing with hope.It reminds of the locomotion series. I absolutely loved this book and encourage anyone who has a loving heart to read because for a little book, this sure is a powerful one.

The Mazerunner

***ALERT!! Do not read unless you Have Read MAZERUNNER. SPOILERS ARE IN THE FOLLOWING REVIEW. ***

Hey, it’s me again. I recently read The Mazerunner.

The Mazerunner- Thomas wakes up in a box, remembering nothing about his life. All he knows is his first name. He soon arrives in a place, that the inhabitants call “The Glade.” The moment Thomas arrived he feels like he’s been there before, but he doesn’t remember coming here. The glade is surrounded by a gigantic maze, and each day when the doors open the runners go to their section and run the maze hoping to find the way out. Each night, right before sunset, the runners must get out of the maze before the doors to the maze close, or be stuck in there until the doors open the next day. Then the next day another box arrives with another person, even though there is not supposed to be another person until the next month. Then, when the box opens, there is the first girl ever to arrive in the glade. She brings along a dark prophecy. Everything is going to change.

One thing that I liked was the action. I love books with action and I can’t stand books with no action. Like when Minho, Alby, and Thomas are locked in the maze. It is full of action at that part. One thing that I didn’t like was the ending. It is Teresa and Thomas talking to each other and then it is the end. I don’t know how anyone can call that an ending. I can’t stand it when someone ends a book like that.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes action, suspense, a good book that’s better than the Hunger Games, and can handle a little confusion. I would say that the reader should probably be in middle school because anyone below that could get even more confused than anyone above that age.

This book reminds me of The Hunger Games because of some of the things that happen in the book. Like the maze is like the arena for the Hunger Games to take place in. In the Mazerunner many people died, and the creators had some tricks up their sleeves, like the grievers, just like the creators of the Hunger Games. Also, in both books the people that go to the maze and arena are chosen, not by the person themselves, but by the creators.

-Serena

Ship Breaker Review

I just finished reading Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi and found myself really enjoying it. Ship Breaker is a post-apocalyptic novel centering on Nailer, a poor worker who disassembles ships for scrap metal, who finds a rich girl shipwrecked after a violent hurricane hits the area.
I really liked how this book progressed, for the most part. The only thing I wish was that the ending have been a little longer, it felt like it stopped abruptly to me, I wanted more! Aside from Nailer, I didn’t quite feel like I got to know the characters very well. What was known of the characters, I loved, whether it was love to hate to, love to figure out, or just plain love. The plot stays on target, and doesn’t ramble about pointless aspects.
I would recommend this novel to mainly younger teens. There are a few rough spots in terms of languages and some mild violence, but other than that, it’s fine. If you liked The City of Ember, then you may like Ship Breaker, but keep in mind Ship Breaker is written for an older audience. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fast-paced, interesting, thought-provoking novel.

Ship Breaker Review

The book Ship Breaker does have a decent premise story wise, the main character Nailer works on Ship-Breaking yards in a post apocalyptic Louisiana. After a series of unfortunate and fortunate events Nailer comes across a damaged futuristic Clipper Ship, owned by the Patel family, with the only survivor Nita Patel. As usual many events follow that will change the life’s of all the characters.

While for me this idea is sound, it has a few problems in the way the author does this story. For instance the book, at least for me, has some pacing problems. The book starts out slow, and the story does not go anywhere for the first 100 or so pages out of a 323 page book. Something like this would be no problem if the book was longer, but it’s not. It also seems a little too short and not following out some ideas to the fullest extent. Leaving many questions unanswered, some topics talked about then just abandoned never to be heard of again. Talking about abandoned things I must talk about the ending. The reason I say abandoned is because it seams like the author had some sort of time constraint and rushed straight through it, leaving me very disappointed and unsatisfied. Along with a unsatisfying end there is an unsatisfying love story that to me is just plain awful in its execution, and in the rushed ending totally abandons this relationship.

I would recommend this book to someone who wants a short read, is okay with a book tat cuts corners and at points rushes itself so much that the story doesn’t even have time to catch up. Also they have to be able to read plenty of language, be able to deal with graphic scenery. Along with a love story that doesn’t work at all. The book does remind of a movie I saw once called Book Of Eli, which is not a good thing because it took place in a post apocalyptic world with most of the same problems minus one or two.

Half Way Home

DON'T READ UNTIL YOU'VE READ THE BOOK, THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN A FEW SMALL SPOILERS AND A MAJOR SPOILERS!!!!!!

This book so, so, so, so weird, but in a good way. It show the struggles of being different. Along with a unique part of human nature; that if something proves unprofitable and/or not completly pleasurable, we'll destroy it no matter the cost.

This book is centered around a young boy who was geneticly grown in a vat along with 499 others. They were supposed to age in the vats untill they were thirty. But something happened and the 59 of the 500 that lived out in to the world as 15 year olds.

This book is very Pro Life vs. Pro Choice. All of the kids who didn't live were aborted. The book shows that when you abort the majority and leave the minority the world becomes a terriable place. The other main contrivesal part is that the main character is geneticly engineered to be different then the rest.

This book is only for readers who are open to diffrent ideas, contrivesal topics, and a slight challenge.

~Dana

P.S. Teko the Hedgehog is like a mini Vinnie!!!!!

Review of Ship Breaker

DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!!




Ship Breaker is a post apocalyptic book. It is about a young teen that has to work as a ship breaker. It is inappropriate language in some parts but anyway is pretty good.

I didn't like the ending of it because; it doesn't fit the book at all. The book is very action pact. I like the fact that most of the characters in the book are around our age (12-15). I also didn't like the fact that it cussed a lot.

This book I recommend for a 7th- adult age group. This book has a lot of inappropriate language. It also is very graphic in some places. For example, if someone has a cut the author describes the cut in great detail. If the cut has blood spewing out of it the author will tell you about it. If like for example if someone gets caught in gears of a boat it is kind of disturbing to read the way he describes the pain the person is in.

You can't really compare this book to any others. It is like its own story. I haven't read a book quite like this one. It seems so life like. I think that some people can relate to what Richard Lopez does.( abuse children). It was really scary in some places but not terrifying.

Well there is my review! Hope you like it =)!!!

~Kaitlin

Review of Ship Breaker By:Pablo Bacilupi

In class we read the book Ship Breaker. In this book, the main character, Nailer, was in a ship breaking crew on Bright Sands Beach. he found a shipwrecked clipper ship and a young beautiful girl. He hides himself and his new friend on an island until his dreams are interrupted by his nasty brutal father. He goes on a journey to find this girl "people" and to seek safety from his father beyond Bright Sands Beach. I was satisfied with the book, and a tiny bit disappointed. The plot of this book was good, but personally I wish I had understood it better. In the process of reading this, I didn't understand snippets of the book. Overall, I enjoyed it and would maybe recommend it but only to someone who I think can handle it. I was talking to my mom about this book and she asked if I would recommend this to my little sister. My sister Sarah, (who is 11) had gone through the Hunger Games, but I am not certain that she and her peers are ready for this type of literature. I would not recommend this to anyone but a middle school aged student or above. Children who are younger than maybe 12 years old are not ready for content and language like this. There was a generous amount of foul language throughout the text. That was the only downfall of the story. The only thing is once you get through the first 5 chapters you get used to the language in it. I would compare this book to Bread and Roses Too. In that book Rosa and Jake, two people from very different worlds meet and become friends. Jakes dad was a druggie and cussed and coincidently so is Nailer's dad Richard Lopez. In Ship Breaker Nita is a swank from Britain and Nailer was a kid that climbed through ducts scavenging copper wire. Again, two very different people from very different worlds meet. Ship Breaker is a story when you read it, you get to know the characters and start to feel what they feel. Pablo B. did a terrific job of creating a good environment with details that are so visual, you can imagine them in your head. This book was very enjoyable to read, but I would only recommend it to a certain age group. In the future, I would consider reading this again. Personally, I will probably recommend this to friends of mine because it is a very well written book.

SHIP BREAKER

Ship Breaker is about the life and struggles of a young ship breaker Nailer Lopez. Nailer has a terrible life. He find a ship that could allow him to lead a better life, but he has to choose - save the lone survivor or take all the riches from the boat.

I like this book because it has a different take on the world. It shows how different a life can be for a teenager then my life is. I don't like it because the ending doesn't feel like it ends the book in a good way. I think it needs an epilogue so we know what happened to the characters. I think it feels like he just stopped writing in the middle of the story, unless he's planing to write a sequel then it was a good place to stop.

I'd recommend this book to middle school maybe event 9th and 10th grade students. It has a little bit of language but it fits the setting. This book is also for people who don't care if it has violence in it.

This book is not like anything I've ever read before, and I read a lot. It might be similar to Half Way Home in the way they portray humans as greedy.

Overall this book was kinda, sort of, maybe good. It wasn’t may favorite at all, but it wasn’t the worst.

~Dana

How i pick a book by Abbie Wright

I pick a book by looking at the cover, reading the back, and reading the first two pages. I evaluate the first three to four chapters by knowing the setting and knowing the main characters. I will probably quit the book if I feel that I don't know the setting or the main character(s). In a book, I look for good sentences that describe the settings or events. Also, I look for humor or some factor of mystery. I almost never give up on a book. If I do, it is because I cant get the "feel" of it. For example, I can't read The Hobbit, no matter how hard I try. I can't get the feel of it.

How I Chose a Book

The way I evaluate whether or not I will read a book is actually very simple. The first thing that I will do is if I am trying to pick a book off a shelf I will pick up each book until I find a cover that catches my attention or interests me. Then I will check who the author of the book is and if I’ve read any other books by them and if I did not like the book or books by them I will put the book away. However if I do not know whom the author is I will read the back of the book and decide whether or not I want to read it. If I already like this author I will usually just go ahead and read instead of reading the back of the book. Then I decide whether or not I like the book or not based on the first ¼ or ½ of the book. 

Review of Maze Runner

The Maze Runner is a very visual book – the images of the Maze, the Glade, the Homestead are all well-drawn. The Grievers are disgusting and horrifying. This book would make a fantastic film. I absolutely can’t wait to read the second – and third – books in the trilogy. This is one of those books when you are about 100 pages from the end, you are trying to catch and understand the details, but are reading it as fast as possible.The Maze Runner reminded me of why I love to read. It pulled me into this sick, messed up world and wouldn't let me leave. I was trapped with the characters, suffering with them. I could relate to the characters, mourn with them, become afraid with them, and even feel nauseous with them. The only words I could get after finishing it were "Whoa" and "I can't wait to read the next one!" This book has left me speechless and impatient to read the next one. When I was reading it, it drastically reminded me of the Hunger Games. With the characters being trapped in an "arena" or in this situation, maze, and being if you will "observed". In this book the author makes you feel like you are actually living in the maze, and feeling what the characters are feeling. I was satisfied when I finished the book, but the ending was kind of abrupt. It left you thinking, "Hey..wait..did I miss some pages?!?....that can't be the end!" I loved how at the end of a chapter, it built up a climax towards the end of the chapter, and then you wanted to keep reading. If I could, I would read this book 24/7 and never stop, that's how exciting it is. For example of the cliff hangers, "Thomas moved up behind him to get a better look at the note in her hand. He stared at the mangled body of the mysterious girl. He felt like he knew her. Somewhere. He peeked at the note in Alby's hand. Scrawled in black across the crumpled piece of paper that said..SHE'S THE LAST ONE. EVER." It makes you want to continue. Sometimes when you have a book with cliff hanger endings, the next chapter is from a different persons point of view. Personally, that makes me want to skip the chapter and see what happened next.

Sadly in this book, I found myself cheating. When the story was very fast, I would just look where the page ended and I knew the chapter ended and was like JUST GET ON WITH IT!! Because I wanted to know that bad. Later, when I realized I was doing that, when it was close to the end of the book, I would take my hand and cover up the end of the chapter and take the words line by line. It almost killed me, but it didn't spoil the ending. To wrap it up, Maze Runner is one of my favorite books of all time. I really enjoyed reading it, and would recommend it to any friend that loves a good book.

MCA's Literature Blog: Evaluating and chosing books

MCA's Literature Blog: Evaluating and chosing books: "When I’m choosing a book I look to see if the cover looks at all appealing. After that then I read the back of the book to see..."


This is a cool way to pick a book

The Lost Hero by: Rick Riordan

The book The Lost Hero was a very good book. It showed a totally different side of the Percy Jackson series. The plot is very much like the Percy Jackson books, though. An oracle gives a ominous prophecy and then three heroes go on the given quest. The heroes are Leo, Piper, and Jason.

My favorite character was Piper, because she changed throughout the story. She never stopped making the story interesting. Her views of certain things where intriguing, and lead me into a whole series of questions for her. The characters that I thought were worthless to the story were all of the extra wind gods. I believe that they didn’t add much to the story and were a part of the book that wasn’t necessary.

This book was good because of all the underlying stories. Some of them centered on were that family matters or the idea of never giving up. The underlying story that family matters is the relationship with Thalia and Jason. Even though Jason has no real recollection of her he feels emotionally pulled toward to her. Also, even though Zeus abandoned him Hera took him as one of her own.

The underlying story of never give up is because that quest the three of them went on looked bad because none of them had any experience in fighting or any survival training. Yet, they went because they were determined to finish the quest.

If you enjoyed the previous Percy Jackson books or The Hunger Games then I would definitely recommend this book to you, because it has a little romance, action, drama, and of course Olympians. I really enjoyed this book, and hope you do too.

Books: how to choose

There are several ways I pick a book. The first way is: I read the title and look at the cover. I then read the back of the book to see if it might be interesting to me. If it is, then I will try reading it. Another way is I will read a book by an author of a book that I previously enjoyed. I often read series books, too. I also like to read books that people suggest for me.
I evaluate the first few chapters by seeing if the book holds any potential interest. If the book pulls you in and makes you want to keep reader to find out what happens, if the story is something you can relate to, or if the book is just something new and interesting, something you’ve never read before, then I’ll probably keep reading.
I look for characters I can relate to and passages that make you think.
If I cannot understand a book even if I read passages over and over, I’ll likely give up. If a book also lacks interesting characters, plot, scenes, etc. of any kind, it will be a least a struggle to read. The only other reason I might stop reading a book is if it gets really scary. I’m not a fan of super-scary books.

How to pick a book

Hey this is my first blog with MCA Contemporary Literature.

1.) When I want to look for a book I look for a cool cover. Some of the time when a book has a cool cover it is a good book. I also look and see if it has gotten any awards. Lastly I look at the reviews from any magazines, authors, and maybe a TV show.

2.) I evaluate the first few chapters by looking and seeing if I can relate to anything like the characters. I look at the characters and see if they are my age or maybe a little older. I also look at the pace of the book. I like a fast pace book. Something that grabs my attention right off the bat.

3.) I give up on a book that I can't relate to or it takes place in a late time period (1800's-1950). Or I am just forced to read it and I still find it boring. I normally don't like books that are lovey-dovey and all romantic. I give up on a book that doesn't intrigue me from the start like it starts with like a quote or it has a lot of quote-like sayings.



Well that is it! (: I hope you enjoyed.

~KAITLIN

How I judge a book .... (:

How do I pick a book? Even if judging a book by its cover isn’t the best way to choose a book, it is what I seem to do. If the cover is dark, and just looks like something I wouldn’t be interested, chances are, I wouldn’t read it. On the other hand, if the book is very colorful looking, pretty titles, or just something that will catch my attention, I will probably read it. Another way I pick a book is by using what they summarize on the back. When you pick up a book, most people turn it over, to read the summary on the book. It usually gives you an idea of what you’ll be reading, which is helpful. If the back of the book, or the title doesn’t look good enough to read, then it’s probably not the best book for you. Since everyone is different, different books would be for different people. You might have hated a book that your friend loved. Long story short; don’t judge a book by its actual cover, unless nothing about the book interest you at all.

How do I evaluate the first 3-4 chapters? What do you look for? What makes you give up on a book? The way I usually evaluate the first 3-4 chapters of a book, is if has already dragged you in. A good book really should catch your attention, and make you not want to put it down. Even though, I’m not the biggest reader, when it comes to a really book good, I like too. If it already hasn’t made you at all interested, you kind of figure it won’t at all. Like I said, I look for a book to make me want to read more. Ones that drag you in, like you’re almost there with them in the book. So, if I’m not already interested by the first couple chapters, that is usually when I think to give up. I don’t like giving up books, but if you don’t get interested in it, you’re basically wasting your time on it. Since you can’t judge a book by its cover, which most people seem to do. You have to give it a chance, and if you can’t even enjoy it by the first few chapters, then giving up might be the best option.

Half Way Home by Hugh Howey

Recently, I read Half Way Home by Hugh Howey. I have read two other books by Hugh Howey, but this one by far is the best. This book is extremely well-written, has an amazing plot and strong lead chracters. Parts of the book were confusing, like at the end before Porter explains their plan. This is one book that really makes you think about all different things. It is also a book that you can't just half-read. If you try that, you will end up lost and confused (just a fair warning for those planning on reading it). All in all, this was truly an amazing book.
~Ashleigh

Picking Out Books

Whoever said you don’t judge a book by its cover was sadly mistaken. When you go to pick out a book, the first thing you look at is its cover. When I go to pick out I book, I’ll flip it over and check out the summary on the back. If that sounds good, I’ll read the first page or two and decide from there. The cover, however, does have more to do with it than people might think…
When I read a book, the first couple of chapters really decide whether I’ll finish the book or not. If the first few chapters are well-written, interesting, and excite my interest, then I’ll keep reading. If the plot is about something actually interesting and doesn’t move too slow or too fast, then it’ll probably be a good book. The hook is really important, because without it, you are never really drawn into the story.
In my reading career, I have seldom given up on a book. In fact, I can only recall giving up on about 3 books. When I give up on a book, I find the reason I did is that the plot was terribly boring or the writing was just terrible (or I was really busy at school...). If the first chapters of a book aren’t good, I may sludge through about half of the book before I get so fed up I give up on the book. Most of the time, though, I can make it through the whole thing.
For me, picking out a book has never really been an issue. I love reading, and will read just about anything. I do read back covers or inside flaps and see if I recognize the author’s name. Quite frankly, I just love to read.

How I pick a book.....

1. How do you pick a book?
I pick a book by looking at the back of the book where it has information about the book, The cover/title, and the first couple paragraphs, if the book looks interesting I’ll read the first few pages and if I don’t want to put the book down, I know I’ll like it in the long run so I chose to read that book.

2. How do you evaluate the first 3-4 chapters?
In a book I look for interesting situations and characters I can relate to in the first few chapters. If a book starts getting boring, I don't enjoy reading it, or I can’t relate at all to any of the situations or characters I give up on the book and try a new one that looks more suitable for my taste.I think the most important part of a book are the first couple pages, because they make the first impression of a book.

Emily Parker

Don't Judge a Book by its cover

Hey, it's Serena. This is my first blog assignment for my Contemporary Literature class at MCA.

1. How do you pick a book? I usually pick books by using a few different ways. I look at the description of the book on the front cover or back of the book. If it sounds like something that I would like than I will probably read it. I also pick books based on the author. I like to read books written by the same author. Like when I read "The Devil's Arithmetic" by Jane Yolen. I would try to find a bunch of books by jut Jane Yolen and then read them. I also pick books based on the genre. I usually pick books that are fiction. No offense to those who like non-fiction, but it is so boring. I haven’t read any good non-fiction books lately. Fiction that is based on a true story is good, but not totally true.

2. How do I evaluate the first 3-4 chapters? What do you look for? What makes you give up on a book? First, I look at the vocabulary. If there are numerous amounts of words that I don’t understand than I will most likely quit reading that book. I also look at the maturity. I don’t want a kindergarten level read, but I don’t want an adult level read, if you know what I mean. I also want the story plot to be good. If it is boring than I will give up. When I read it needs to be fast-paced, not slow. Finally it should be something that I like. I will read books about horses, but not blood, guts, and gore.

That’s all for now. Bye.

-Serena

Judge a book

If I am picking a book, I want it to be suspenseful, and exciting. Good books are fast moving. Some people decide to pick a book by whether the cover is pretty or the title sounds cool. That is not how I pick a book. I like to read the back summary, and if it makes me want to keep reading, then it is a good book for me. Many people “Judge a book, by its cover” maybe it is a good book, just it doesn’t look that exciting. There are good books out there, you just have to find them. Having a good book contains many climaxes and having the author build up to a certain point when the action literally explodes. When I read, I like a book when you are so tense with the suspense your eyes dart across the page, and sadly sometimes you get so impatient you skip some words until you can find the dramatic issue.

For me to evaluate the book that I am reading, it takes careful decisions and judgment. You may find the first three chapters very slow moving, the first couple parts of a book is not always very interesting. It may be a very fast paced book, but have a bad beginning. In the beginning of a book, I look for getting to know the main characters life, what their family is like, and what their interests are. Usually, books are using the introduction to let you learn about the characters and the environment and people around them. When I give up a book, it is usually because the book is too slow. I can’t stand when an author drones on and on about one certain detail. Sometimes this is good and is called elaborating, but sometimes when the author is describing a certain thing, and spends a whole chapter talking about it. In certain situations giving details helps you paint a picture of the characters world, but it may bore the reader after you do it for so long. I have given up books before, and they were for certain reasons, but I have read many good books and they were mostly fast paced.

~Abby

Evaluating and chosing books

When I’m choosing a book I look to see if the cover looks at all appealing. After that then I read the back of the book to see if it sound like a book I’d be interested to read. Once I’ve done all of that I check to see if I’ve read anything by the author. I also ask around to see if anyone else has read it, and what they think about it. Usually as long the back looks good I’ll give it a chance.

When I evaluate a book I look to see if the book is easy to understand. I look to see if it’s hard to get through or if it flows along. I check to see if it’s about a topic that I enjoy. When I give up on a book it’s usually because I can’t understand what it’s saying, or I don’t enjoy the topic.

At least this is how I think I choose and evaluate books, I've never really thought about it before.

~Dana

1st Blog Assignment

1. How do you pick a book?

I pick a book by looking at the back of the book where it has information about the book, The cover/title, and the first couple paragraphs, if the book looks interesting I’ll read the first few pages and if I don’t want to put the book down, I know I’ll like it in the long run so I chose to read that book.

2. How do you evaluate the first 3-4 chapters?

In a book I look for interesting situations and characters I can relate to in the first few chapters. If a book starts getting boring, I don't enjoy reading it, or I can’t relate at all to any of the situations or characters I give up on the book and try a new one that looks more suitable for my taste.

Emily Parker

Assignment #1

Hey Y'all! This is actually my first assignment blog for the new Contemporary Lit. Class. We have certain stuff we have to write about so I'm going to start with the first one on the piece of paper.

1. How do you pick a book?
I choose books a few different ways. The first is by the author. I usually read books written by authors I like. I do this because I know this author is good at writing. The second way I choose a book is by the description of the book. If I like the summary, I usually try reading the book. The third way I choose a book is by genre. I usually choose to read fiction over non-fiction, so most of the time I read a fiction book.

2. How do you evaluate the 1st 3-4 chapters of a book? What do you look for? What makes you give up on a book?
I evaluate a book by how interesting the book is. I look for a fast-moving plot and strong characters that fit in with the story. It also helps when the book is written well. I most likely give up because the book is moving to slow or isn't interesting.

OK, I finished writing about the stuff on the piece of paper. I can't really think of a better wrap up so bye y'all!
~Ashleigh