In Response To "The Walking Dead Volume One" by Robert Kirkman And Tony Moore

While reading The Walking Dead, I had a lot of thoughts about what I would do if it were me who had to make my way through the zombie apocalypse. I don't think I'd even be able to grasp the fact that nobody could go outside of their group's area without having the high probability of being attacked by a flesh-eating monster. I tried to put myself in Rick, the main character's, shoes: like when he wakes up in a hospital, completely deserted of anything living. What would I do? I'd most likely freak out and end up getting eaten within the first ten minutes of being aware that the world was basically ending.

I think reading books and watching shows about this subject makes us think that we'd know how to handle ourselves if the world was taken over by zombies. The truth is, we really have no idea what we would have to do in order to survive. The rules might be different in our case. The "Walkers" might not be defeated by a good blow to the head; they might have to have every part of their bodies torn to shreds. We won't really know until it happens, which it might not.

We don't take advantage of what we have here

With perfection so close, so finally near

In dimensions unknown, we might have to fight

We might fight to survive, fight for what's right

But right at the moment, nobody cares

Nobody cares for what's rightfully theirs

That's why we do everything that we do

To forget all those things that the walkers would shoo.

In Response To "Anna And The French Kiss" by Stephanie Perkins

   I have been reading a lot of books where I want to go in and help out the main character, tell him or her about what all the other characters think or feel. Then when all hell breaks loose, I think about what could have happened if I could have just told the main character, in this case, Anna, what had been going on.
   Anna started out fine. But once she met Saint Clair, she lost control of her thoughts and words, as in what she said and how she acted around the people who cared about her. And at many times, whenever she would hurt someone who was one of her loved ones, I wanted to help her solve her problems, to use words to prove that she could fix her mistakes.
   I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think all authors try to have that affect on readers where the readers actually want to be involved in the story, not just to read it. Life works a little like that, too. You can't make people listen and want to be included, but from what you say and do, someone will eventually take notice of what you have to say, and put it into some kind of meaningful importance, like the books we read on a daily basis.

"Quality, Taste, and Style" by Tim Gunn

I've been reading a book that Tim Gunn wrote. Though it's about fashion, which truthfully I don't really care about, it's also been about learning to embrace yourself, to be happy with who you really are inside, not being ashamed to show your true self, things like that.
The thing is, well what I've noticed so far, is that its not as easy in reality to accept yourself in all ways. There are so many expectations of people nowadays, and its hard to live up to them. The main struggle with acceptance is just about trying to fit in and to not be an outcast. I know a bunch of girls who get all worked up over wearing makeup and making sure their hair is just perfect and buying the right kind of clothes and saying the right things and talking to the right people.. the list goes on and on. Mostly, I feel sorry for those people. That's because while they are trying to be a person they aren't, I'm having fun hanging out with who I like hanging out with, not worrying about what I say or do, and not letting other people's judging get in the way of how I act towards myself and the people around me. Believe me, it took a long time to be able to understand all that, and it also took work. You can't just say you're going to change and expect to be completely different the next day. Your mind doesn't work that way. Nobody's does. That's why people give up on being themselves--it takes time.
I think that overall, even though I've only read about 5 chapters, this book is going to be about expressing yourself in different ways, and in the end, it could help me to have a better point of view in the issue of acceptance of yourself. It's good that authors can have the ability to help make choices for readers. It shows them that they aren't completely alone, but also to show them how to take advantage of their independence.

In Response To "Hurricane Song" by Paul Volponi

We must remember the people in the Superdome during Hurricane Katrina because of what they had to live through. Under those conditions, it’s surprising that anybody trapped in there even got out alive or healthy enough to survive. We must remember the sacrifices they made, such as the loss of food and water in their bodies, making them extremely tired, weak, and vulnerable to the smallest dangers. By telling the story in the point of view of Miles, the protagonist, Paul Volponi shows feelings of loneliness and helplessness. Volponi uses Miles as a way to show how bad it really was in the Superdome during Hurricane Katrina, but also as a way to show how it made the nation and its people stronger. Throughout the story, Miles and his father’s relationship grows stronger as well, all because of the hardships he and his father went through as they spent their days wasting away in the trashed football stadium, waiting for the one day when they would grow free from the storm’s curse.

When Miles describes the way his family and many others had to live like for those many days that they were stuck inside the Superdome, he reveals the fact that they had been living like animals. With urine on the floor and robberies and rapes occurring everywhere you turn, Miles’ thoughts about what was going on showed just how much worse the situation became than everyone thought it would be. In the beginning of “Hurricane Song”, Miles and his father had no doubt that the storm would be over within a day, and they’d all get to go home to their secured houses untouched by any storm. But once they realized that there probably was no more home to go to, their relationship grew stronger, bringing them closer than they ever thought they’d be. When Miles and Pop discover their home to be destroyed, along with Pharaohs, the jazz-filled restaurant where Miles waited tables and Pop played his music, their bond grows stronger. This is because they had something to miss together, meaning that they understood each other’s pain.

The process that Miles and Pop had to take in order to gain a special father-son bond showed me that I should be more appreciative of the love, wealth, and support I get from my own parents in my own life. It made me think about some of the parents in the world, and how they abuse their children or don’t pay any attention to them or act like having kids was a mistake they can never fix. Miles had thought that his own father loved music more than his own son, and that he didn’t approve of Miles’ love for football. Because of this, they grew even further apart, just assuming that neither one of them loved the other like family. This made me think about just how lucky I am to be able to know that my parents accept me for who I am and to know that they love me more than life itself. That’s a feeling not a lot of kids get from their families, like with Miles, and the kids who do get to have that privilege should take notice that they have it.

In Response To "Crank" by Ellen Hopkins

Let me just get this out there. This book is wacko. Completely and utterly wacko. The main character has two different sides. The good side is called "Kristina", and the drug-addicted side is called "Bree." I have to say, the way Kristina fought so hard to get Bree out of her system made me think about whether she ever really wanted to do drugs in the first place. Well then again, she kept going back for more and more. I find it sickening that someone could have the power to change their life with a snap of their fingers. How must that feel? I guess it depends on whether your new life is good or bad.
I actually feel bad for Kristina for having to put up with herself for so long. But what I really feel bad about is Bree. I mean, we all have her inside of us, It's just that most of us know how to control her. She's just this creature at the bottom of our minds, waiting for the perfect moment to attack your only reasonable way of thinking, ready to attack at the exact moment you gain the slightest vulnerability. And I've found that once she attacks, she never intends on leaving. You fight a war with her, both physically and mentally. Then, she takes you down and rips you apart bit by bit, until all that is left of you is your beaten body lying in the middle of the floor. Everything you knew left you a while ago, when Bree first decided to take control. Everyone abandoned you when she pushed you to show them that you didn't need or want them, even though you did. Bree came upon your soul and bit at it and killed it and made you wish you'd never listened to her. Now there is nothing left for you except for her, and yet you've pushed everything away so far, that even Bree left your mind and evaporated into thin air, leaving you as a pile of nothingness, a load of trash, worth not even a cent.
That's what Bree did to Kristina, and everyone who followed her crank-filled ways.
That's what Crank told me.

In Response to "The Truth About Forever" by Sarah Dessen

While reading this book, I wanted to jump into the story and tell Macy exactly what to do. Macy is the type of character where she thinks too much about what to do with her life. In books with characters like her, I always seem to want to instruct the character what problems are happening around them, and how to fix them. Then I realize, without characters like those, then a lot of books would be really boring. And short.

Anyway, "The Truth About Forever" has taught me to stand up to the truth, and to be able to express any anger or fear inside of me. I know this is the meaning of the book because Macy never did that until she realized that thinking too much made her become afraid of the world and what could happen. When, in reality, you have to just do little things without thinking about the consequences. I'm not saying she can't ever think. I'm saying that Macy would have a lot less stress put on her shoulders if only she didn't always overanalyze.

"The Truth About Forver" by Sarah Dessen

So far in "The Truth About Forever", Macy, the main character has just started to tell the story of her life, and the meaning of all the people involved in it. Already, I've gotten annoyed at someone in the book-the mother. Ever since Macy's father died, her mother had been keeping herself occupied in the work zone. This means: not paying attention to her children, and only focusing on her computer and phone. She's just always seemed so out of it when she was at home with Macy, and because of this, Macy had never spoken up and confessed her real emotions.
I have to say, having a parent that doesn't even talk to you must really stink. The worst part about the whole issue is that Macy's mom doesn't even notice. She just assumes that, because Macy never spoke up to say anything was wrong, that she was just fine. When, actually, it;s the exact opposite. Hiding your feelings means that you have fear of what the reactions might be. Macy's mom shouldn't be so expectant of Macy to blurt out what's going on inside her head. No one can really do that without even the tiniest but of fear in their mind, especially Macy. I just think that's something that Macy's mother should have known before assuming that everything was fine.

"Flyte" by Angie Sage

Flyte by Angie Sage has been about one of the seven Heap brothers, Simon, and how he has turned on his family, along with Jenna, the princess. Because it shows the inside thoughts of Simon, the reader knows what he thinks of his odd family.
I have almost finished this book, so the plot is dieing down. But, as the end comes, I am starting to wonder whether Simon will actually turn into a normal person who is not trying to kill his adopted little sister. And, if he does end up changing, I have to wonder if the rest of the family will be forgiving enough to let him come back. No matter what, they will never treat him the same way. After all, how would you feel if one day, your brother decides to leave for a year without telling anybody where he's going, but then comes back after that year to take you away to a mysterious place, where you find out that he's turned against you and your whole family, and therefore tries to kill you? You probably wouldn't trust him for the rest of your life, no matter how much he begs for your forgiveness.
I think this book has been about trust, and the mystery of darke magyk. It seems as though you can't ever trust anyone, even if you're very close. There's a reason for everything; you just have to think about what the other person is thinking. This book is about using your mind to figure out the truth, which is exactly what Jenna does.

In response to "Curveball, The Year I Lost My Grip" by Jordan Sonnenblick

 SPOILER ALERT (I THINK)

By the end of "Curveball, The Year I Lost My Grip" by Jordan Sonnenblick, I have to say I wasn't very surprised at how the story ended, mainly because I predicted most of it. I think that Jordan Sonnenblick has a specific style of writing, where you can most definitely tell what's going to happen next, and yet the book is really interesting at the same time. I find this strange because if you always knew what would happen by the end, you'd think that the book would be boring to read. But I don't think that's quite true. There are kinds of writing where the whole book is just a fun read, even if in your brain, there are spoilers.

Like with "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie". I felt like I could easily say what would happen next, but I wanted to keep reading it. I think that the reason for this is that we either want to make sure that our predictions are correct, or we just want to hear the story written in an interesting way. This is what Jordan Sonnenblick incorporates in his books.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, even with the spoilers in my mind. It shows that you have to be truthful with yourself and others, even if it can hurt you or someone else. I have found an author that I admire as well because I read this book, along with "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie".

"Curveball, The Year I Lost My Grip" by Jordan Sonnenblick

What I must say about this book so far is..
Pete. What a mess he's gotten himself into, what with dealing with his newly-found baseball injury. I think that he thinks too much about what could go wrong in his life instead of what could go right. Like with his partner in photography class, Angelika. When Peter thinks about what his possible future could be like with her, all he seems to think about is what a total "moron" he is, and how this could just completely rip his life to shreds.
 Then, with his best friend, AJ, Pete never told him about the fact that he actually can't ever play any kind of sport again. But of course, telling AJ the truth could ruin their friendship, and Pete wouldn't be able to bear it. After all, he already bawled his eyes out right in front of Angelika, just from holding a baseball.
 So overall, I;ve noticed that Peter is extremely self-concious about all of his features, both physical and personality-wise. Coming up in the book, I would predict that something happens with his grandfather, who he cares a lot for. I think that this could bring out a different quality in Peter, or he could tell the truth to everybody, which would bring out a different quality as well. Either way, I know that something strange is going on with his grandfather, mainly because of Pete freaking out over it. Now, he may not seem like the most positive person in the world, but when he does over-think the negative, he doesn't exaggerate.

"Flyte" by Angie Sage

Now that Septimus and Nicko Heap, Jenna's brothers, have found her, they are trying to get out of the grasp of any darke magyk, which might lead Simon back to Jenna, which they can't have. After all, Midsummer day is just around the corner, and that means that Jenna must go to see the dragon boat out in Marram Marches, just like all of the queens and princesses had done in the past, in order to keep the dragon boat's magyk strong, and to keep the dragon's soul company. But, this can not happen if Simon has Jenna captive, with his evil powers, and the skull of the necromancer, named DomDaniel, who was originally out to kill Jenna in the first place.

Jenna, queenling of the castle, was kidnapped for a short amount of time by her own brother, Simon Heap. Now just imagine not being able to trust your own close family member, and imagine him or her taking you away to a dark and mysterious place, where you feel like everything is watching your every move, waiting for the perfect moment to attack.

Essay on "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick

Jordan Sonnenblick's ,"Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie", tells the story of an 8th grader named Steven Alper facing the average challenges of an average boy in middle school. Life is liveable until he learns about his 5-year-old brother, Jeffrey's, cancer. Knowing that he has to cope with the fact that Jeffrey could possibly die is too much to deal with, especially with the world of middle school dragging him down, along with his own insecurities, while he hopelessly tries to graduate from 8th grade. Though, by the end of the book, we see how much Steven has grown and matured through the personal sacrifices he made over the course of the story.

Because of his cancer, Jeffrey lost his whole head of hair. Sensing Jeffrey's new-found self-conciousness because of this, Steven shaved his head, all in support for his brother. This event showed how Syeven was becoming a more caring person, especially for Jeffrey. Also, Steven matured even more because, when he went to school, he didn't care about anyone's reactions to his new head, which meant that he was losing his self-conciousness. Instead, he only cared about whether Jeffrey still felt alone and unhappy. All of this showed how Steven had greatly matured, because, in the beginning, he wouldn't ever have thought about doing anything at all for this "annoying little brother" of his.

Try to imagine having to quit something you absolutely adore. That's what Steven had to go through when he figured out that his family's money was going down the drain he wanted the best for his brother's sickness, so he thought that one way to help with that was to quit his drum lessons, which were costing a lot of money for his family. It was thrilling that his teacher was willing to keep teaching him, even without the money, Steven being the teacher's "best student". Still, when Steven gave up his passion for his family's sake, it showed a lot of growth in his attitude.

Lastly, Steven showed his maturity greatly at his school's concert. He was going to have a drum solo, and be the star of the show, but he left it all-just because Jeffrey was getting a fever. Steven knew how bad Jeffrey's illness could get, and it was then that he remembered what Samantha, a patient from Jeffrey's hospital, had told him. She said that Steven had to be there for Jeffrey, that he had to stay by his side no matter what, because her own sister never came to visit her, even when she died. So, when Steven walked away from his big concert, it showed how much he cared for his brother, and how much he matured since the beginning of the book.

In the start of the story, Steven Alper was a selfish, self-concious 8th grade boy who couldn't care less about what happened to his 5-year-old brother, Jeffrey. But, in the end of the story, Steven had turned into a caring and mature person, who would do anything to help Jeffrey conquer his disease, even when the troubling events of 8th grade brought him down.