These are books two and three of The Lunar Chronicles, following Cinder. You may have guessed that Scarlet is based on the character of Little Red Riding Hood, complete with a missing grandmother, and Cress is the story of Rapunzel (I know, that one probably wasn't obvious, but the name is in keeping with the futuristic/sci fi element of the stories). It seems likely that Cinder and Scarlet could become best friends as they are both extremely determined, smart, and capable women. Scarlet is on the hunt for her grandmother, who has gone missing despite being a your average farmer, or so Scarlet thinks. Marissa Meyer has done a great job of weaving the story lines of all three of these characters together, and giving them each plenty of time to shine. One story, or one character, would not have gotten as far without the rest, and they still have a long way to go in order to be successful. There is no hunter or prince that can swoop in and rescue them, but they do have a group of guys that have proven quite helpful, including the prince of the Commonwealth and a former criminal turned good guy who has a good bit of street smarts to get the group out of tight situations. While fairy tales might seem just for girls at this age, I really think this series is one for ALL to enjoy.
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So Scott Westerfeld went a little deeper in the third book of the Uglies series, Specials. Don't get me wrong, all of the books had strong messages about how we judge ourselves and others on appearance, the importance of thinking for yourself instead of following what others think or do, and our reliance on technology, but Specials really takes the time to discuss topics of war and the preservation of nature (something the first book began to do as well). The book ends with a warning from the main character, "Be careful with the world, or next time we meet, it might get ugly" (Westerfeld 372). Tally has been forced to suffer through various versions of herself, but I think by the end, she knows who she is and who it is she wants to become. While this is an awesome message, this book was not my favorite of the series. It was very rushed: a war started and ended within a matter of like 30 pages. Also, Tally's dependence on a guy started to weigh on me (David, no Zane, no David, no Zane because he is pretty, no never mind, he isn't bubbly any more); it all became VERY superficial and annoying. But I still enjoyed the series overall and would recommend it. Okay, I'll be honest; I was a little hesitant about a book with the title of Uglies. Despite being warned throughout life that you should not judge books by their cover, I still fall victim to my judgment, though in my defense, I wasn't judging the cover, just the title. One of your peers said they had read it and enjoyed it, though, so I gave Uglies a shot: Scott Westerfeld describes a world where everyone is born ugly. Faces are disproportional, bodies are too big or too skinny, and tempers flare (there are bad attitudes). But this only lasts for so long; when you turn sixteen, you undergo a surgery that makes you pretty. Not just pretty: gorgeous. People actually stop to gawk at you as you walk past kind of pretty.
This idea kind of scared me, as we do live in a country where so much of what people see in us or believe about us is based on appearance. Should it be? No, but this goes back to the old adage of judging books and covers and what not. But I read on any way to see what kind of commentary Westerfeld was trying to make. The book made for an interesting story line. Though being pretty and having all the best clothes and technology sounds awesome to most, some of the uglies are trying to find a way to escape; they don't want to be the government's best version of themselves, they want to actually be who they are. Tally, our main character, desperately wants to be pretty, but due to new friends she has made and their "tricks" (or rule breaking), her surgery is delayed. It ends up being a good thing, though, because Tally learns an awful lot about herself; she is far more brave and selfless than she realized, and being ugly seems to no longer be so horrible. She has resigned herself to forsake the pretty world until, surprise, in order to save her friends, once again, and humanity in general really, Tally not only has to become pretty, but also remember what she believed in when she was an ugly. This is really difficult, as when you get your pretty surgery, the doctors also alter your brain, removing your "ugly thoughts" that might make you rebellious or argumentative. Basically, they try to brainwash you. Pretties, the sequel, is about Tally trying to remember who she was and trying to keep her promise to help her friends. But it isn't easy. You guys know how irritated I am that all books are becoming series, but it says a lot that I needed to know what was going to happen so badly I have already read the first two. I plan to start the third, Specials, tonight. We have all of these books in our library...just saying:). I avoided reading this book for a long time, mostly because when I was in high school I read Nicholas Sparks' book A Walk to Remember. The two books share a teenage girl who both suffers from cancer as well as falls in love, thus giving them a reason to continue to fight. I watch the movie every time it comes on TV, so I felt like one sad, sweet story was enough for me. The Fault in Our Stars offers a lot more than a sad, sweet story, though. It is funny; hilariously, laugh out loud, disturb others around you kind of funny. All the characters created by John Green are believable and likable, especially Augustus, who is both incredibly sweet and hilariously funny. While thoroughly entertaining, Green forces us to take a look at the bigger picture, too: what are we doing with our lives that makes us worth of being remembered. Hazel, whose friends are planning where to go to college and what will happen beyond, is only thinking about the next episode of America's Next Top Model since her illness doesn't guarantee her a lot of time. But does that mean she doesn't deserve to be remembered? It's a lot more than that too, but I understand why it was #1 on Time Magazines list of fiction books. Keep in mind, it deals with serious situations and language, so keep that in mind before you choose to read it. Cinder is part one of a series (I know, so many series these days). Written by Marissa Meyer,Cinder is based off the idea of Cinderella; all the books in the series focus on a fairy tale legend. Book 2 is about little red riding hood, but Cinder will still make an appearance. Is that to say guys won't like it because it is about fairy tales and princesses and such? NO! Everyone can enjoy Cinder. The book is named after the main character who is the best mechanic in the new empire in China. Set in the future, the focus is not about Cinder and the prince falling in love, far from it actually. The plot centers around the plague that is wiping out the world's population. Though the empire is working tirelessly for a cure, they cannot come up with one. Unfortunately for them, another empire, the Lunars, does have the cure, but taking help from them comes with strings attached. A lot of strings. The kinds that are dangerous and come for you when you least expect it. Though Cinder thinks she can find a way to help save the empire, only time (and reading the book) will tell if she succeeds before the Lunars do. It is good stuff, you should check it out. The school's library has the entire 3 book series. We do not have E. Lockhart's We Were Liars in our library, but I looked into it because John Green (author of The Fault in Our Stars) said it was amazing and it has been climbing the ranks in young adult fiction. Right now, it is in the top ten. So in case some of you have heard about it and thought you might check it out, I thought I would share my two cents. Cadence is a teenaged girl who comes from a family with a lot of money; or at least her grandparents have a lot of money, the aunts have not seemed to do much of anything. The family, none the less, has a legacy they are expected to uphold, putting a lot of pressure on Cadence and her cousins not only to achieve in school and sports, but to impress their grandfather for a good inheritance. There is very little talk to emotion through out the whole story; that is, until Cadence falls in love with someone who is not deemed worthy. Also she begins to get very frustrated when, after a swimming accident, she can no longer remember a summer spent with her family on their island (yes, their island, Grandpa owns it). Overall, the mood is pretty dark, and often you feel as frustrated and depressed as Cadence does. Also, there is a bit of language that pops up throughout; I wouldn't call it excessive, but it is there. My overall recommendation is that only older or mature readers check this one out. While it was good, it will still be good if you wait a year or two for it. Gathering Blue is Lois Lowry's second book of four in The Giver series (Which we have all but book 3 of in our library here at school). There is no mention of Jonas or Gabe in this book, but there is another government set up with some really shady dealings. The main character is a young girl named Kira, and she, like Jonas, has gifts only a few others have as well as some family issues (both of her parents have died, leaving her to fend for herself at as a young girl). She does a great job standing up for herself against the women that want her exiled (as without a family, where does she belong), proving talents and being a useful member of society, and having a heart for those that need her. One of Kira's legs just doesn't work as it is supposed to, and while a lot of society discredits her for that, she proves she is just as capable, not only that, but she can be a better person. Overall, I would say it is a good read if you enjoyed the dystopian genre set forth in The Giver. It makes you think about the rules and regulations, as well as everyone's place in society. Without question, this is my favorite book that I have read this year (and I read a lot more than what I post on here!). Wonder is a story that is centered on a ten year old boy named Auggie who, due to complications and abnormalities in his DNA, was born looking much different from every one else. The book focuses on his first year as a student in 5th grade, and the triumphs and losses Auggie and his family must face as he begins to be a part of the world. Fitting in in middle school is hard if you are an average kid: imagine what it would be like if you did not look "normal".
I know, this book sounds totally depressing, why on earth would you want to read it?! It isn't depressing, though. It does, however, make you think about your actions and your words, and it is encouraging and uplifting, and it makes you have faith in people. RJ Palacio's Wonder is a book EVERYONE should read! It has been a long time since I started and finished a book in the same day, but I was enjoying Kasie West's The Distance Between Us so much last night, I didn't want to stop reading (and boy to I regret that today). This is not to say it is the best book or a perfect book, but I did really enjoy it mostly because I felt a connection to the main character, Caymen. She is a 17 year old girl who is addicted to sarcasm and I could not help but love her. I also really enjoyed that the author had two commentaries going on at certain points: what Caymen wishes she could say at the moment, and what she actually does say. We all have those moments that we wish we could say one thing, but either because it is just too inappropriate or because we are scared, we say something else. Caymen grows up in a touristy kind of town, the poor girl surrounded by plenty of rich vacationers. She has found a way to be happy despite all the things she has grown up without, which I think is really commendable. Some of us have not had it half as difficult as this character, but we complain far more. It really makes you think about your life. Caymen meets Xander, a rich boy with everything he has ever wanted spread out before him, and it is interesting to see the obstacles, assumptions and stereotypes that cause road blocks for the two of them. Can two people that come from such opposite lifestyles really work out? Or is the "Cinderella complex" always going to be in the way? I would recommend this book to a female audience as you will relate to Caymen as questions her relationship with Xander and just dating in general, as well as her strength to stand up for herself when others treat her differently due to her economic background. This book is in our school's library, so check it out (literally). The Maze Runner by James Dashner came highly recommended by my first period class (and thanks to Ellie, this book is now in WAAS' library), and I have to admit it was a really good read. For the avid readers, I would say The Maze Runner is a cross between Lord of the Fliesand The Hunger Games; don't get me wrong, this is a very original idea. Our protagonist, Thomas, is the newbie to The Glade (a isolated and primitive homestead to what seems to be a bunch of orphaned boys. Kind of like never never land, but instead of Peter Pan and Tinker Bell, think scary monsters, cameras always watching, and evil scientists who manipulate your every choice in life. Not so fun) and since he is new, he has a lot of questions, which is good because I as a reader had a lot of questions. Who put them in this place? Why these kids? Why kids in general? Will they ever get out? and if they do, what will they have to go home to? I do have to admit, I am getting a little tired of books in a series. It is disappointing when you spend a lot of time reading all the books and then the ending is not what you wanted. But, once you start, it is kind of hard just to accept an ending that is open to so many possibilities. That is the case with The Maze Runner; I don't want to give a way anything important, but I will say that the reader is left with a ton of questions at the ending, just like they had at the beginning. But you grow to trust Thomas, so you know he will answer them when he can, regardless of what book that might come to be in. My thoughts overall- it was an exciting book that left you rooting for the characters' survival. You care about them, especially Thomas' friend Chuck who comes to be something like a little brother. Thomas and Chuck are some of the only ones that discuss how they miss home, even if they can't remember what home is. The boys have come up with their own slang (and when you catch on to what they are saying, you realize they have some potty mouths. I guess given the circumstances, though, they have bigger things to worry about than being polite, appropriate, and civilized). I bet the movie was pretty good and look forward to catching it when it is on DVD. I'd recommend it to all, guy or girl, any age. |
Note From Ms. PIt will probably come as no surprise that I am an avid reader. I have also been spending a lot of time in the Dawn Hodges Library here at WAAS evaluating what books we can add to have students really READING. Some of you already read on your own, which is great because reading opens your mind to new ideas and possibilities you might not otherwise think of. It helps you to imagine and live in a new world for a little while, which is something we all need sometimes. Archives
February 2019
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