This Semster's books

This semester I have read so many books that, I am not able to remember all of them. They were all good but with the rush of school, work, and home activates, time seems to fly by like a cheetah with its tail on fire. I always read fictional books like syfy and fantasy. The appeal of another world is so great, and the escape of melting into that otherworld get me all excited, and I always have trouble putting the book down.

· Tempted (336pages): This novel by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast is one of my favorite reads for this semester. Tempted is the sixth book in the House of Night series. The House of Night series is about a group of vampire friends living in a world where vampires are discriminated against when they just want a happy life like everyone else. This book was a bit different from the other five. The chapters switched back and forth from one character to another and I was not sure that I would like that at all. I was afraid that I would hate it and it would ruin the book, but I feel that in the end that method really made the book have so much more depth and made it so much more interesting. The main character, Zoey Redbird, in this series is always going up against some dark evil, and in this novel she is faced with the same previous evils she faced in the last novel and they are posing as a couple that they are not in an attempt to take over the world and declare war on the humans. In this book she ends up losing something that is so dear to her it could tear apart ones soul for good. She is such a strong character, and a great leader. If she were real I would want to be on her side that is for sure. Another complaint I have about this novel is that the plot is somewhat slow, it takes forever to reach a climax, but the climax was a good one so I guess it evens out.

· Blue Moon(284pages): This is a novel by Alyson Noel. This is the second book in the series known as the immortals. Something I noticed when I picked the first book and this book up to read is that the author does not capitalize the title, her name, or the name of the series. It makes me wonder, does she do this so kinda show the reader that when one lives thousands of hundreds of years such little things like capitalization is not seen as important. It becomes a boring time wasting task. The main girl in this novel is named Ever. She is a girl that can be described as a loner. She lost her family when she was 13 and she only has a couple friends until she falls in love with a man named Damen. Which all happens in the first novel. Now (in this novel) something is wrong with Damen, her soul mate, and Ever has to find out who is causing the change and why before she loses him forever. But in her search she faces a chance to go back and save her family and return to her old life. Which will she choose her family of the man that it connected to her soul whom she could not live without?

· Eternal (307pages) This book has the theme of Angel in love with a vampire. At first, it is a bit different, but as the book progresses a forbidden love forms and causes chaos. Miranda was just a regular girl with a guardian angel that always watched her but she never knew. Then one night her and her best friend go out to meet some guys and both of their lives change forever, and Zachary her angel falls. I like this book. It is not my favorite but it was enjoy about. The story line was good. It did take me forever to read at first because I had trouble getting into it. There is a moral to the story though that is so important and so sweet.

Sentence12

Novel: Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen

His Sentence

How much of the world did people miss because they were not calm enough, empty enough, to experience it?

Commentary: Cole has had a revelation and is asking some rhetorical questions, and out of all the rhetorical questions he asks himself, I like this one. I like this sentence for the simple fact that people do miss a lot of the world because they are to busy and stressed. Humans are too rushed and crammed for time to realize the beauty around them. I feel that the author used these rhetorical questions to get the reader to realize that there is a lot in the world and sometimes it is best to sit back relax, accept, become empty (not in a depressed way in an enlightened spiritual way), and experience the world around them in a new sweeter, magnificent view.

My Sentence

How much of what he said to me was a lie because he was not strong enough, brave enough, to tell the truth?

Sentence11

Novel: Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen

His Sentence

It was as if the sky was holding it's breath.

Commentary: At this moment in the text, the poor boy has been hurt dearly and just awoke to dead quiet and stillness. This use of personification to describe the stillness and the loss of sound makes me oooo and aaaaa. I try to imagine the sky holding it's breath, and the sentence it's self just sounds beautiful to me, even though the situation in the book is a very eerie one, far from beautiful. It is as if the whole world is watching this boy endure all the trials and the sky is worried about what will happen next, just like a lot of people with they watch horror movies and all goes quiet in the movie. The holding of breath brings anxiety.

My Sentence

It was as if the ocean was dancing with me.

Sentence10

Novel: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Her sentence

Prim comes home from school bubbling over with excitement.

Commentary: This is a very straight forward sentence with a cute little metaphor weaved within (bubbling over with excitement.) When I think of something bubbling over I think of a big batch of blowing bubbles dripping over the rim of the container. When I think of Katniss's little sister Prim running into the house bubbling over with excitement I can see he bouncing around like bubbles. In the times that this family are dealing with it warms the heart to know that they can still be happy over the simple things such as wedding pictures. So this is kind of a way of lightening the mood for a soon to be terrible scene.

My Sentence

I ran to the house from town dripping with enthusiasm.

Sentence 9

Novel: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins



Her Sentence

So if I don't show up, worry they will.


Commentary: This sentence struck me are unique. I thought of Yoda when I read it. If I am not mistaken Collins has used a from of hyperbaton known as inversion in this balanced sentence. Inversion is when the verb is placed in front of the subject to bring about a different effect for the sentence. The effect that I feel that Collins is trying to bring about is Katniss is deeply concerned about her family worrying about her, with all that is going on they may panic and end up getting in trouble.


My Sentence

I have to clean my room or sink it will.

Sentence 8

Novel: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Her Sentence

Prim.

Commentary: This is a fragment,obliviously, but a lot is felt in this one noun sentence with no verb. Prim is Katniss's sister and with the Capital hot on Katniss's, thinking that she purposefully defied them, Katniss's main concern is her sister and her sister's well being. Suzanne Collins purposely made this fragment to show that Prim was Katniss's only thought, her biggest worry. The use of this fragment pulls the readers emotions. It personally made me think of the one person that I cared the most about in the whole world, and what I would do to save them in a time like Katniss was going through.

My Sentence

Dakota.

Sentence 7

Novel: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Her Sentence
Tossing her head, she lets out a long, eerie howl that is picked up by other mutts nearby.


Commentary: Katniss is dreaming about a Career from the last Hungry Games, the one that she was in, named Glamour. I do not want to ruin the first book for anyone so I will say no more on the topic =). Having read the first book I can see Glamour howling and preparing to tear Katniss to shreds, and I must say the images shakes me. In sharing this dream the reader is able to relive parts of the past novel, and see how badly the games have scared Katniss. This visual in this sentence derives from the participial phrase at the beginning of the sentence. We can all visualize any creature tossing their heads back toward the sky, and most people have heard a howl, either real or fake, and know the feeling that it sends down the spine.

My sentence

Throwing her bag on the couch, Joshlyn relaxes with a deep, refreshing nap that is interrupted by her young brother.

Sentence 6

Novel: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Pg. 3

His Sentence: I can still see Hassan up on the tree, sunlight flickering through the leaves on his almost perfect round face, like a Chinese doll chiseled from hardwood: his flat, broad nose slanting, narrow eyes like bamboo leaves, eyes that looked, depending on the light, gold, green, even sapphire.

I was really able to feed off of the simile that he used in this sentenced. I could see a perfect little Chinese Doll, the only flaw being the cracked lip up to the nose (his clef lip). I am also able to really see the bamboo leaves for eyes that are different colors at different times. I could see the leaves changing colors like all leaves do during the summer. This may be a bit out there but the what I am getting from this is that the light to Hassan's eyes is like seasons to the colors of leaves. Such a beautiful description and such a beautiful thought.

My Sentence: Joshlyn could still see her lover in her mind, strenght radiating around the air in his proximit, like a radioactive star fallen to the earth: his thick, muscled body arching, full lips like juciy fruits, lips that curled, depending on the situation, up, down, crooked, and even and even forward.

Sentence 5

Novel: Blue Moon By Alyson Noel

pg.11

Her Sentence

I swallow hard and look at her, knowing exactly what she's after, hoping to kill two birds with one meal.

Commentary: The first thing that I noticed about this sentence was that she said, "kill two birds with one meal," aside from saying, "kill two birds with one stone," which made me giggle. I had to read the sentence twice to make sure that I read it right. Ever, the main character, is talking about her aunt who is afraid that Ever is not eating, and that Ever may not be with the right guy. So her aunt is wanting to take her and her boyfriend out to eat on the weekend, which will confirm or deny her worrisome feelings about Ever. I think I spot a gerund phrase in the middle of the sentence, I love gerund phrases and I love this whole sentence.

My Sentence

I run fast and look at death, knowing what he wants with me, catching another soul with one sweep of his scythe.

Sentence 4

Novel: Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen

pg 26

His sentence:

He wanted revenge but felt little joy from this act.

Commentary: This sentence does not exactly sparkle to me, but as I was reading the sentence did make me stop and think about what was going on. The main character Cole had just burned down the only shelter on the isolated island he had been sentence to stay on for a year. He thought that in burning the shelter he would hurt those who put him there. When I read this sentence one thought came into my mind so strong I had to say it out loud in the middle of class...DUH! This sentence made me wish that I could walk up to this kid and put the palm of my hand in the middle of his force head and yell, "Why on earth would you think that would give you joy and revenge!?!?!?" Now that I have finished the novel I believe that the author did this on purpose to make the reader get mad, or laugh, different reactions for different people, in order to get the reader emotionally involved in the story.

My sentence:

She desired love but felt little fulfillment from the event.

Sentence 3

Novel: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins


Pg122



Her Sentence :

I imagine these things and I'm terrified, but let's face it: they've been lurking in the back of my brain anyway.



Commentary: In this passage Katniss is thinking about the Peacekeepers coming in and getting her and shooting her for something that she has recently done that might lead to a rebellion. These are just thoughts of course but she almost lives through them as she thinks about them. Collins could have made this sentence into two separate sentences, but she did not. I like the way this sounds better than the two simple sentences that she could have used. Using this wording shows Katniss's acceptance and despair that she is not as tough as she would like to be, and that the Capital does really scare the britches off of her. When she says "they've been lurking in the back of my brain anyway," I can just see a little thought creature crawling around on all fours. Great use of personification.



My Sentence:

I paint these landscapes and I am content, but let's face it: I have been wanting more in the bottom of my heart.

Sentence 2

Novel: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Pg 117

Her Sentence:
What a pair we were - fatherless, frightened, but fiercely committed, too, to keeping our families alive.

Commentary: I love this sentence. When I read this sentence I can feel emotions stir within me, and I feel like I better understand the character. Katniss is reflecting back on the beginning of her life with Gale and as I read I can feel the reminiscing simmering deep in my heart. Such sweet yet sorrowful memories. I noticed that instead of making to separate sentences with this one sentence she combined the two. Making the second half feel more like a thought to the reader, and to show that Katniss was in fact thinking and reliving memories. Collins also uses a type of consonance within this sentence. Katniss says, "fatherless, frightened, but fiercely committed..." This use of consonance beats the point home that life is hard, but the have to always tough through it. That is their only sane choice. The other is to starve and watch their family starve, and no one wants that. Collins show the reader that no matter how tough things in life may be there is always a way to make it though, and everyone has to be strong no matter what.

My Sentence: What an alliance we were - scattered, scorned, but savagely dedicated, also, to surviving this terrible game.

Sentence One

Her Sentence: Over the years the odors of liquor and vomit, boiled garbage and burned meat, unwashed clothes and mouse droppings have intermingled into a stench that brings tears to my eyes.








My Sentence: Through the years the scents of coffee and vanilla, boiled cinnamon and roasted barley, untainted love and lavenders petals have interlaced into an aroma that brings joy to my soul.

Commentary: With the sentence that Suzanne Collins has written, describing the house of Haymitch, there are many descriptive words and phrases that most everyone has experienced or heard about. Thus, it is hard not to wrinkle your nose along with Katniss when reading it. I could see the vomit, liquor, burnt meat, and mounds of mouse droppings all over the floor, and I could smell and almost taste the nasty rotten stench. I tried to take a more pleasant route with my sentence. =)

Book: Catching Fire


Page: 13


Paragraph: 3