The Help

The Help is another one of those books that touches on real life issues and dealing with the issues. Also set in the south (Mississippi) during the 1960s, racism is a prevalent theme. Skeeter is an aspiring journalist who questions the racist attitudes of those around her. She was basically raised by a black woman, who disappeared before Skeeter came home from college. She is on a mission to prove that the black maids have the toughest jobs. The story also follows two of those black maids, Aibileen and Minny. These two women have powerful stories of life during segregation and the daily struggles they face!

The Secret Life of Bees

This book is so powerful so far. It's set in South Carolina during the 1960s. The book focuses on Lily Owens and her journey to find out who her mother is. I like books like this one that talk about racism and the issues it brings up. I can relate to Lily very much so. She's independent and is forever curious. She strives to know more and more and won't settle. She isn't exactly racist. She loves Rosaleen, the woman who raised her, and Zach, her new found friend. This book is a nice coming of age novel that focuses on real issues and deals with those issues rather than hiding them.

The Ultimate Reading Guide

So a post about reading. Who doesn't love that? haha. anyway reading hasn't always been fun to me. when I was younger, I had to be forced to sit down and do summer reading. It took a couple more years before I sat down with a book that I actually liked. The book was One for the Money by Janet Evanovich. It's about a woman who loses her job and decides to become a bounty hunter. She's kind of a sucky bounty hunter, but she is relatable. After that, as they say, the rest is history. I read all of Evanovich's books, every last one of them. Then I moved on and started reading more and more. Mostly detective-type stories, some teen books, and then I discovered dystopian books. Specifically the Hunger Games. I read the Hunger Games in about two days. It was enthralling. I had never read anything like it and I absolutely loved it. Then reading the second and third ones was like the cherry on top! Reading has become a big part of my life. I feel it can make a person whole in a sense. Having a good book to read to escape from life is really all I could ever ask for!

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

In Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, there is a central point about teachers and pupils. One of those points focuses on Li Mu Bai and Jen. Li Mu Bai is arguably the best warrior. Jen is on the rise to be a great one. There are hindrances to her rising fame you could call it. She is rude, lacks manners, and is very arrogant. Li Mu Bai is the epitome of the perfect warrior. He is respectful and knows how to be graciously defeated and is a gracious winner. Li Mu Bai sees potential in Jen. She already has a great skill set and knows a lot. Li Mu Bai wants to polish her. He also does not like the fact that Jade Fox is her teacher. He hates Jade Fox. Li Mu Bai wants to make Jen his own and he wants to shape her into what she could be. He believes with her that he could very well start over. Maybe not so much his own life, but her life. Li Mu Bai wants to put her on the right path and not see her end up like Jade Fox. By teaching Jen, maybe Li Mu Bai thinks that it will give him a second chance with Shu Lien. All in all, Li Mu Bai wants Jen to live up to her potential, and he feels that he can get her there.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

So I am almost all the way done this book and it is phenomenal. After reading the first two, it gives me a new appreciation for understanding the 'magic' that Lewis tries to portray. Lewis captures the mind with this book about a ship that sets sail on a journey to find Aslan's country. The characters develop at a nice pace and I'm happy that Lewis brought in their cousin as a third person. It's hard to like Eustace in the beginning, but as the book goes on you learn to like him and it's nice to have him with the younger two Pevensies. I'm excited to find out how the book ending differs from the movie ending!

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

To continue on with my Narnian adventure, Prince Caspian was the next in this series. As usual, C. S. Lewis has done an excellent job transporting me into the world of Narnia. I felt that this book was very well written and has a wonderful story line. I did not like, however, how the character relationships weren't as developed as they were in the movie. You learn about Caspian as a prince and as a person, but you don't learn about how he and Peter got along. You don't see the relationship between Lucy and Trumpkin that you do in the movie. As always there are the people who like movies better than books, but me personally, I feel that books will typically always trump movies. I personally feel that the movie did exploit the characters better than the book did. Overall I think this book is worth reading!

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

C. S. Lewis has captured my heart! I feel ashamed that I am seventeen and just now reading The Chronicles of Narnia series. But hey, better late than never, right? Anyway, this book is a classic tale that I'm pretty sure everyone one the face of the earth knows. It follows the four Pevensie children as the stumble through a wardrobe to the wonderful world of Narnia. This book makes you feel as if you are in Narnia with the children. Lewis has this way of narrating like he is telling the story as if he was there-and as if you were there- and it truly works. I am on Prince Caspian now and it is riveting! I don't want to put it down. I hope that the rest of the series lives up to the standard that The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe has set!

being human? I'd much rather be a cat.

So rule number 11. 11. Be kind to othersI think that this is probably one of the truest statements ever made. It is important to treat those who cannot do anything for you with respect. Animals especially. Animals have it so easy. They sit around, they eat, they sleep, and they are loved. Why can't humans be like that? Nobody judges an animal, unless they're little twits. Most of us don't kick, scream at, or make fun of dogs or guinea pigs or even cats. So why is it so hard to treat each other the way some of us treat our pets? Why can't we get along and be nice to one another? Spend a little time getting to know a perfectly good stranger, it could brighten their day. Give a little bit of your time to a homeless shelter or soup kitchen or even just donate something to Goodwill. It seems like so much, but in the grand scheme of things, it's quite frankly very little. So just be kind and polite, it could make someone's day (: "If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals." -Sirius Black

Bastille Day!*

First off I would like to say that when I die, I hope a published author looks over a eulogy written for me. I would like to applaud John Green for pulling through and making this a fantastic ending. It's like everything that hasn't really been said about a person is said in one fantastic little letter. All the wrongs have been righted and all the sadness has turned to joy. This book makes you take a good, hard look at life and realize that life isn't that long and we must seize the moment and make the best out of each day. Green is a writer extraordinaire and knows how to capture a reader with just a few strategically placed phrases that make you pay attention to what is being read. "The Fault in our Stars" is not just a love story, it's a life story. It talks about the trials and tribulations of being a teenager living with cancer. It's a scary and tough world out there and it's hard enough surviving normally, but add a terminal disease and it can make it hell. Hazel is an extraordinary girl with an extraordinary story. Green exploits the roller coaster ride that is love and life in this novel exceptionally well, and again I applaud him.

Empty

You hit me right in the feels John Green. Peter is supposed to be this amazingly great guy. Augustus and Hazel are supposed to have a great time in Amsterdam. Why have you made it so this book pretty much rips out my heart?! I trusted you and you ripped out my soul. It's like discovering that you got a puppy for your birthday and then having it die a week later. Gus and Hazel are in love and happy, why must things go sour? Why is there always this preconceived notion that with happiness comes sadness. Why can't there just be happy things? I honestly feel empty and am unsure of what to make of the last couple chapters of this book. I can't decide whether or not I am going applaud Green or admonish him at the end of this novel. This is so real and relatable and I pray to God that my stepdad doesn't have to go through the things Augustus and his family did. So let's hope these last couple of chapters make up for this past one

The fault in this book

So this is completely not what i thought was going to happen! She doesn't want to be with him, but at the same time she does! So maybe they won't end up in love after all. It sounds like the struggle of every teenage girl! He wants to take her to Amsterdam to meet her favorite author and at first she's all about it, but then she decides that maybe she shouldn't go. Hazel is very confusing, but then I guess we all are a little confusing. It's hard to decide whether or not they will end up together. I want to root for them, but Augustus seems too clingy, but he's also super sweet and I want them to be together. This story is so relevant to teenagers and life in general. I wasn't expecting this kind of story when starting it, but so far I'm happy with how this book is turning out. The title finally makes sense too! "The fault in our stars" refers to William Shakespeare when he has Cassius say, "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in out stars" and stars refers to the astrological stars. I thought it meant celebrities. Romeo and Juliet were star-crossed lover and it appears as if Hazel and Augustus are too!

The troubles of life

"The Fault in our Stars" by John Green is the story of Hazel Lancaster. She meets this boy in her Cancer Support Group. I can pretty much say that these two will probably end up in love, but then she will probably die. That's the things with a lot of books nowadays: they're predictable! I hope this one doesn't follow the status quo, but a girl can only ask so much. This book kind of hits home for me though. My stepdad was just diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and I was hoping that I might find something in this book to help me through it. Cancer is confusing and troublesome. You don't really know how to act around someone afterwards. Do you just act like nothing is going on or do you talk to them about it and make them feel upset? That has been Hazel's struggle so far. Many people don't know how to act around someone that has an illness or a disease. You picture them as a time bomb and wonder when it will happen. And by "it" I mean death. Cancer skews perspective in an enormous way. It makes you second guess choices and realize that life is actually very short and today might actually be your last day.