Quarter 3 Book Review.

Ten Things April Did.. And Shouldn't Have.

Ten things we did (and probably shouldn't have) Sarah Mlynowski, HarperTeens 2011, Fiction.

Sixteen year old girl named April was a high school student. Her parents both moved away and basically she begged to let her stay in her hometown so she didn't have to move in the middle of the school year and ruin things in her relationship and friendships. Her friend Vi allowed her to live with her, Vi was a high school senior who had a mom who just didn't care about her daughter. They has a list of things they shouldn't do and in which reality struck making it a list of things they did that they shouldn't have because of the fact they were two high school students living alone.

"This relentlessly entertaining story offers an authentic perspective on freedom, friendship, and first love. I totally loved it." -Susan Colasanti.

I haven’t really read any books by the same author, or even books of this genre or type. It’s actually really ironic, I wasn’t intentionally going to start reading this book. Once I did start though, I couldn’t put it down! I will read more books like this in the future though! It did remind of me the book speak in slight ways, only because the character was also a teenager in high school going through some tough times and Melinda in the book speak also was throughout the book as well. Both both are relevant to real life problems and real teenage years.

“I love you: You imagine hearing the words from someone not related to you, someone not your best friend, but when someone you love, someone you dream about, actually says them, it makes your body melt and your breath get caught in your chest.” (206)

While reading this book, I was going through some relationship problems with my family and boyfriend as was the main character April. April began doing things she shouldn't have, hence the name of the book, but by the end of the story she realized what she had done was wrong. I feel as if thats such a strong moral because no matter what you do, at the end of the day you’ll figure out if it was for good or for bad. I really enjoyed this book because at the time of reading it I just feel like it was super relatable and I could get myself lost in someone elses problems instead of my own, giving me some comfort to allow myself to realize I'm not the only one who could be going through what I am right now.

5 Paws = Devour It!

Alyvia's Diary. (Short Story Draft.)

Author notes:

1. The theme or message of this essay is that suicide should not be the manswer. Once Alyvia killed herself, she realized it was a mistake.

2. I think it was easy to write because it was like writing a journal. I took parts from personal expiriences and threw it into the story.

3. The only hard part of this was finding a theme for my story because usually themses are positive but suicide isn't a positive thing.

4. I have to finish my essay before it gets read.

Alyvia’s Diary.

May 16, 2012: I never used one of these, my mom thought it would be a good way for me to get out my thoughts without annoying other people into dealing with them, so she bought me one. It’s black. Just black, with nothing on it. I guess this is my diary, or you’re my diary. How do I even talk to one of you? I’ll get it eventually.

May 17, 2012: I’m back again, today was my first day back at school since Jaime passed away. Nobody understands around here, how bad it hurts to lose someone so close to you. Losing a sister, is basically like losing your other half. Yes, we did argue quite often. No matter how many arguments there were though she will still always be my sister. i dont understand why the fire had to take her, I mean we are in the same house, under the same roof, went through the same fire, why did it take her and not me? Why didn’t my mother save her? Why didn’t I save her? I don’t know these answers but it bothers me everyday to find out. I didn’t even say I love you before she was taken from me, is she in the sky now believing that I never loved her? I hope not.

May 17, 2012 (later in the day): Since I got home from school and wrote to you earlier, I came home and sat in my room like usual. I began listening to music and my mom came in, she asked me if i began using you, I told her yes, she made me give it to her. I don’t like telling people about my problems. Ive always been one to be alone and enjoy it, I don’t need friends or a counselor, or anybody that I don’t already have (myself). She got mad over questioning my sisters death. Why doesn’t she care about it? Did she intentionally start the house fire to get rid of her? Ugh. Im going to bed before I do something stupid.

May 18, 2012: Almost a month clean. I relapsed. Oops.

May 18, 2012: I took the blade and allowed the blood to pour down my own wrists, what’s wrong with me? Why cant I be happy like everyone around me? I’m drowning in my own sadness and it’s slowly killing me! Time to crack out the bracelets.

May 21, 2012: Sorry I abandoned you for a small bit, I decided to write in you today though because I feel really good about today. I’m wearing a new Pierce the Veil shirt I bought at Hot Topic over the weekend, along with some new bracelets, (Suicide Silence, Asking Alexandria, Job For A Cowboy) to cover up those ugly marks on my wrists. I’m wearing my black skinny’s with my purple vans to match the background on my shirt. I’m ready for school, if only more people enjoyed the things I do like this.

May 21, 2012: I tried to crack a smile most of the day, until my bracelets slipped. I was in math and i had my head leaning on my hand and one of my bracelets slipped and the girl sitting in front of me, she noticed. I used to wish i was her, she had a perfect family, all the money she wants and needs, the long soft looking hair, and that perfect body shape, then theres me. A potato. My hairs dark and stringy, I don’t know my dad, my mom hates me, we arent exactly the richest in the neighborhood. I don’t have many friends, or friends at all anymore. I’m just worthless. A nobody. I dont know why i’m still alive.

May 21, 2012: I’m staring at this razor again, but I promised myself I wouldn’t do it. I promised myself, and I’m going to keep this promise. I’m gonna tuck him away where he belongs. I’ll listen to some Of Mice and get over myself.

May 25, 2012: I’m just so over done.

June 6, 2012: I got kicked out of my house again, my mom got mad because my grades are dropping. My grades literally went from A’s and B’s to C’s and D’s and now they’re barely passing as D’s either. I got home and went upstairs then didn’t come down for dinner and that’s what really ticked her off. I don’t want to eat. I don’t like food, because everytime I eat food I feel like a whale. My weight went from 148 to 117 in two months. I can finally see my collar bone! That’s great news! Anyways, I’m back at home. My mom called the cops eventually and they came and got me at my aunts house. I really wish i’d just live with her, she understands me so much better than anyone else.  I haven’t talked to my mom either, i haven't even left my room. I have water. I will be all set. Theres only a week left of school, lets hope this goes by fast.

June 7, 2012: Getting ready for school has never been so hard. I literally haven't closed my eyes for rest in two days. 48 hours. Its physically impossible to with everything that constantly runs through my mind.

June 7, 2012: I just got home, I hate people. All people. im going to bed. God take me in my sleep please.

June 8, 2012: Friday at last. After I fell asleep last night I had not woken up since right now. Thats at least 15 hours of straight sleep. I just created my own no revolution! I have no plans for this evening, everyone at school today was talking about their parties they're going to and all their graduations. I dont even think I'm graduating, is it sad that I dont even care at this point? I'll spend my Friday night watching episodes of Breaking Bad, and eating ice cream.

June 8, 2012: I haven't eaten in so long. I tried taking just a single bite of my ice cream and felt so sick. This isnt good.

June 11,2012: This weekend I came to a conclusion, I'm going to stay back, and run away after vacation. I have enough money saved up from babysitting the twins next door. I can do it. I'll be just fine. Mondays suck.

June 15, 2012: ITS THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL. FINALLY AND GUESS WHAT, I PASSED. I’M NOT STAYING BACK. I PASSED WITH D’S AND F’S BUT I DID IT.

June 15, 2012: I drew a picture for you. I hope you like it.

June 15, 2012: I just realized, you're the only person who has been here for me.. you don't even talk. *sighs* back to my demons eating me alive.

June 21, 2012: I cannot take living here one more day. I cannot do it. Im hurting myself, I'm wallowing in such pain and its not going away i can't do this anymore I just can't I cry myself to sleep every night thinking what if I just end this pain. Ugh! It will be SO much better once i disappear. I'll be with Jaime wherever she may be. Most of all though I will be happy!

June 25, 2012:

Dear all of you whom might find this letter. Know this isn't your fault so dont blame yourself for my selfish mistakes. I need this happiness. It might not be my destined time but it is my time to go and I have to take advantage of this. Th down set date for my life to be taken is too far into the future for me to hold on any longer. All the bullying, and pain everyone has put me through. She said it. The girl in the blue dress at graduation told me to kill myself. Well here you go girl in the blue dress. Here you go mom, who never gave a single care in the world about me. I was literally just your rag doll who you had to keep to keep your name out of other people's mouths.  Dad, thanks for never showing up in my life either, shows how much i really ever mattered to you. Here you go people who always looked down upon me. im finally out of the way. This wasted life is gone. I love you all and im sorry I couldnt be here longer. I took all the pills in the medicine cabinet. The blood will drain from the tub when you pull the plug too. Sorry if it stains, I wont be around for you to yell at though. Im sorry if this really hurts. I wont be able to turn back after this. think of it like Houdini, this is my great escape.

Goodbye.

And that was all.  I was gone. I regretted it. I should have never done that because looking down at everyone and their sad faces, the fact that they cared after I was gone kind of made me regret killing myself. I'm tangled in the great escape and I can't turn back now. I only meant to hurt myself and not everyone around me, if I could beg for their forgiveness and beg for them to take me back and unbury my lifeless body only to place life and happiness back into it. But, they couldn't and I can't be re-birthed but now I am gone.

Peculiar People Problems.

Miss Peregrines Home For Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs. Publisher; Quirk Books in 2011. Genre: fiction.

In this story, the main character Jacobs grandfather passed away. Within his lifetime he told Jacob stories on how he used to live on this Island Cairnhorn, he showed Jacob pictures of kids and these children whom had these peculiar gifts. Jacob didn't know this but his grandfather had a peculiar gift too. His grandfather could see the monsters who were dangering the island. Jacob took his grandfathers death rally hard and his dad took him to see a psychiatrist. Dr.Golan, Jacobs psychiatrist thought it would be a good idea to have Jacobs dad go to island Cairnhorn and take Jacob with him. Jacob joined along with his dad and his plan and Jacob saw the home where his grandfather once lived, revealing secrets that no one knew.

"A tense moving and wondrously strange first novel. The photographs and Rex work together brilliantly to create and unforgettable story." -John Greene.

The authors writing style is kind of mysterious and tense. It's jumpy but more concentrated as well. I haven't read anything else by this author but reading this book by this author dies remind me of another author, Mary Downing Hahn. They both have the mysterious Kind of style.

"See for yourself," she said, gesturing towards me. "Can you imagine any relative of Abes being so perfectly clueless?" (Page 131)

If I had the opportunity I would love to go to the island of Cairnhorn and see this mysterious house that the children had lived in. I would love to witness these peculiar children and the weird things they can achieve.

Rate; 5.

Cuddle the Music. (Value Essay)

Cuddle The Music.

Now a days, you see everyone walking around with their glitzy technology, glamorous jewelry, little puppies, name brand everything. Not a care in the world. Whatever happened to value? Can we just go out and buy a 300 dollar name brand boot, or a couple hundred dollar down payment on a new car? Does anyone remember the times when we actually value what we got. Does anyone are about those special moments with family anymore? Those long nights alone? How's that for value? Now tell me, reading this.. Is there even anything to value? Forget about the name brand stuff, and remember the times that you can cherish forever.

She's waiting there for me everyday by the door. Her cute little face staring at me, eyes matching mine. It's almost like she can sense me getting off the bus from my long day at school. I see her bright green eyes, long soft fur, and curled whiskers awaiting at my door blocking my path until I bend down to pet her. Her "purr" is simply perfection and the way she's always there for me and knows something's wrong is imaginable. Almost like she can read me. My cat Minnie is seriously my best friend. She may just be a cat to everyone else but to me she is so much more. She's that shoulder to cry on when I need her, she's my pillow to rest my head on when I'm down, she's my friend when I need someone to play with. Whenever I'm sad, she can sense it. A soft rub up against my shin, I feel her vibrate of a purr and knows she's telling me it will be okay. I an go up I my bedroom shut my door in hopes of privacy but as soon as I sit to rest I hear scratches on my door, it's my baby waiting for me. She pounces up in my den with me and we sit there having a conversation like no other. No one else would be able to read it or understand it. Nothing gets passed across, just my hand on her back and her comfort in my heart. Reading this right now, you might think I'm crazy but you should think again. If you had no one else, but a cat who loved you more than life, where would you turn?

I feel my walls vibrate, my heart thump with the bass, colorful winds take over my mind I'm lost in the music once again. Lyrics being spewed through my headphones, blocking out any unnecessary thoughts or problems. I adjust my volume just a few beats higher, I cuddle up close to my boyfriends sweatshirt and I'm gone. All my worries, issues, problems everything's just gone, vanished like a ghost in the night. My music has won again. Never once has my music failed to make my day better, to stop my tears, and to remind that it'll be okay. I feel visuals of the words being said, the band members individually pulling me out of a crowd of billions of people because even then I still feel alone, screaming the words into my ears until I finally understand them and agree. Band members have always found a way to save my life through their music and with that I dedicate my life to them. Band posters cover my walls, CDs everywhere, band tees and tons of storage space on my phone dedicated to them. With every word that travels through their microphone and into my ears has so much emotion, these people don't even know me but understand me better than the people who do. I crave music every day and truly cannot live without it. I'm so appreciative that these band members have enough strength and willpower to share their words with me, to take my hand and pull me out of sadness everyday of my life. I honestly owe my life to music.

Both losing myself in music and owning my loving kitty are similar in ways. They both comfort me when I'm upset and need cheering up, They're both there for me when I need a shoulder to cry on. My cat allows me to vent my problems out when I need it, my music allows me to forget about them when I need it. Both objects keep me in a star of sanity and without them is probably lose it. The two objects I value are two completely different things with such similar effects on me and my personality. They even have great effects on me life and that's why I value them so much.

Besides similarities my cat and music have difference too. My cat lets me vent my problems,while my music understands them and tells me it's okay. My music reminds me not to give up and to keep holding on. My cat gives me a reason not to give up and to keep holding on. My cat is a physical thing that I can touch and love, my music is a feel. A vibe that takes over and numbs you to a point of well being again. I would NEVER be able to live without my cat though. My music either, these two things are so important in my life.

Speak Final Assessment.

Speak Final Assessment:

1. A inner/outer voice discord that has occurred: Many time my sister has gotten on my nerves to a point where I want to smack her. She urkes me to the very last straw where she gets so under my skin I can't take it anymore. A lot of times I don’t really think I just do but sometimes I dont. Anyways, one time my sister got so under my skin where I just flipped and the inner voice in my head was telling me to just walk away but my outer voice was telling me to smack her. Instead of listening to the angel on my shoulder, I listened to the devil on my other side and smacked her. My mom got mad at me, and I got in trouble. Again. To go against my inner voice at first felt good because it got my sister to stop, but then once I got in trouble for hitting my sister my mom got mad and it made me depressed. Instead of hitting my sister I should have listened to my inner voice and not have hit her but I wanted to so I did. The end.

2. Once upon a lovely squiddly diddly doo time, I was walking down the street and I wanted ice cream. So my inner voice was telling me to go inside the store and get ice cream with my moms money. then my outter voice was like yeah do it, it for a really good cause because you’re hungry and the ice cream looks delicious, so I went into the store… and I bought ice cream! It was strawberry shortcake with little sprinkles on top. I got in trouble when I got home because I didn’t buy what my mom wanted me to, but I told her it was for a good cause and got the ice cream. Then I gave her a bite and her whole mood changed. It was like a klondike bar. What would YOU DO for a klondike bar? I ended up spending all the money my mom gave me on more and more and more and more ice cream. But it was okay because the ice cream made me happy and I’m glad my voices harmonized together to get this lovely treat. Knowing my action were in accordance made me not have to really think about what I was doing so instead of thinking about what I was really doing I just went ahead and bought that yummy strawberry shortcake deluxe popsicle.

3. IN the book Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Melinda’s inner and outter voice disagreed a lot. One part of the story where it really shows this, is towards the end when Andy took her inside the closet where she had made her own closet room. Melinda was about to get hurt again she had the choice to scream or not. Melindas inner voice knew she should scream for help, but her outter voice was really scared and didn't know what to do. Instead, she didn’t scream she knew she should but she didnt. She did tell him how she really felt and the whole field hockey team did come in and save her but she didn’t cream. She did the take the piece of glass and cut him with it so that could be a hormic way but in this paragraph I’m talking about disagreement.

Secrets in the Attic V.C. Andrews.

First Quarter Outside Reading Book Review.

Secrets In The Attic by V.C Andrews, Pocket Star, 2007. Genre: Fiction.

    Two girls (Zipporah and Karen) are best friends, and they have been. They share everything, absolutely everything, except some secrets that Karen has been hiding. Karen has always been more mature than Zipporah, physically and mentally. Karens stepfather Harry Pearson is the definition of a perfect person in everyones eyes except Karens, but nobody knows that he has been raping her, or sitting in his moms old house to talk to his dead mother when he thinks no one is around. Karen has had enough of the unbelievable torture of getting raped by her stepfather every night when her moms asleep and not caring about this matter. One night, Karen dresses up in Pearson’s mother's old clothes and lays in bed waiting for him to taunt him with the thought of how his mother must feel about him doing such a horrid thing to her. Once he comes in he's ready to do what he has to do but seeing Karen likes this gets him angry, he tries to rape her one last time but Karens prepared and stabs him. Karen took off and no one knew where she was hiding, that lead everyone into expecting that she did kill him. Guess where she was? Zipporah's attic.. not even Zipporah had known for a while. Zipp, kept her secret safe between them two, until her brother came home from college. Although he had already known because him and Karen had been mailing each other back and forth through college, Zipp and him didn't know about each other knowing. Eventually, Karen and Zipp’s brother end up getting intimate and one straw that Karen pulls revealing that now she has gone mad, and Zipp’s brother calls an end and tells the cops about her. Now, Karens in the mental hospital and finds out shes pregnant with Zipporah’s brothers kid! Wow plot twist huh?

Secrets in The Attic is a very good book. It's easy reading. I had a hard time putting it down. Well written. I plan to read it again -Maggie2011MI

    This author has many book series and I find her a very well written author. Her books are very exciting and very brought to life. She uses a lot of similes and makes great metaphors in her writing as well.

    “Harry Pearson is dead,” She told me, then to be sure I understood, she added “Karen’s stepfather is dead.” (On back)

    Both girls in the book neither have such a great life, Zipporah feels very alone sometimes and usually only has Karen to confide in. Once she loses Karen, Zipp is actually lost. I have the same problem I've lost many friends and without them I feel lost. I like being isolated and don't enjoy big groups of people, I like being alone and even in a crowded room feel lost and alone. I feel as if Zipporah would be the same way. A connection to Karen would be that Karen is mature for her age, also Im very mature for my age as well and I always have been.

-5 Paws. Devour it.

Daisies Mistake.

Author Notes: 
1.What I'm trying to have my reader get out of this story, is that in the two books I read, the characters Karen and Daisy were two complete opposite. Karen was a betraying liar who only thought of herself. While Daisy was caring and honest and kindhearted she risked her life for her best friends.
2.This essay wasn't really easy to write because choosing two characters to combine into a story when they are completely difficult isn't the easiest thing to do. I managed to come up with the idea of betrayal because that's pretty much what happens when people are completely different. Not always but most of the time.
3.The part of my essay that was harder to write was the conflict, I had to find a conflict to encounter. I couldn't find anything for them to come across.
4.I feel as if my story isn't finished, I'm not sure what to add to it to complete it but I don't know it just needs something. I feel as if it should have more of a complete ending than just a cliffhanger ending.

It was dark and gloomy and the smell of death chased them through the air. The barn looked as though it was such a massacre and the bodies were everywhere. looking around to see if anyone had been alive, Daisy and Piper moved around any unnecessary, untouched props.

    “Help me.” A quaint voice whispered from one of the corners of the barn.

    “Did you hear something?” Daisy asked piper in curiousity that it wasn't her hunger and dehydration playing tricks on her.”

    “I heard it. Someones here, and alive.” again the quaint voice whispered from the corner of the barn and this time simultaneously Piper and Daisy looked over into the corner to see something moving. Something moving so slow, it looked like a slow motion clip you would see in one of those dramatic movies on the lifetime network. “Hello?” Piper chanted in her meek tone. “Who are you? Whats wrong? What had happened?” A series of questions had escaped pipers mouth without her permission it had seemed.

    “Help me.” The low voice kept repeating those two words as a record stuck on replay. Daisy ran over to the motionless body, so dead it was barely alive. Laying in a pool of blood, blood everywhere, such a conspiracy look alike. it was slaughter, a nightmare!

    “Oh god…Karen?” It had been Karen. once her best friend and now a resemblance of a beaten piece of meat. “What are you doing here? What happened?”

    “Its not safe you need to leave, they could still be here. Just go Daisy, take Piper and leave.”

    “No Karen, i'm not leaving you here.. not alone not like this. You have to come with me.” Daisy Demanded to Karen with tears swelling into her eyes. Seeing her friend like this killed her.

    “After the event with Harry, after the cops took me away, they left me for dead. They

were on his side, they told me I have the right to suffer like I made Harry do. They could be watching Daisy. You have to leave. Now!”

    “I'm not leaving you here, you can repeat it all you want. You're coming with us, now!” Daisy mocked Karens exaggeration and pulled her up by her arms and dragged her over her shoulders. “The barns only a mile or two away, once we get there I'll sneak back into the old house and get the first aid, thats if it is still there. We should be safe there, it looks like nobody has noticed it, it looks untouched.”

    “Just be careful Daisy.” As Piper carried the leftover belongings they had found on the way there and Daisy carried Karen, they caught up. “How has your stay in hell been? Bad I assume.” Being locked away in hiding because no one wanted to admit the murder of Harry pearson, (such an important part to this town) was his own stepdaughter, Daisy had kept her in hiding in the old house until she did wrong and her brother found out calling the cops and betraying Karen and Daisies’ secrets to sticking together forever.

    “Karen, it wasn't so bad.. Jesse got let off easy since he was the one who had called the cops on you. But, Piper and I were taken for granted and put doing community service. While the war broke out we had to take care of what was left of the farms and such. Aunt Penn had never returned either, the boys are gone and now It just Piper and I. Now you as well. But tell me, those bodies there cant just be for decoration Karen. What happened?”

“It was awful, after I had killed Harry Pearson and after your brother called the police they took me away. They took me to a hospital for crazy people, they didn't let me tell my side of the story. They would have believed me anyways, so I didn't fight back, I let them do their job. Then one night I was asleep in the room, I heard all this noise from outside, the echoes screamed my name and I knew it wasn't okay. They were going to take me somewhere, they marched in simultaneously and that was it. They dropped me in the back of the truck, and left me here. I've been here quite a while Daisy, longer than you think. I've barely had food besides the leftovers the rest of them had. There were people being abused and killed and I had to watch it. Its bad enough seeing what I went through, killing someone myself and now watching people being killed. It was a nightmare, its all your fault.” That was it, those words sent Daisy into a trans. Piper saw the look in her eyes and knew nothing was going to be okay anymore. Karen had lost it, she was a liar, a pathological liar who brought Daisy into her web of lies causing so much pain into her life.

    “Listen Karen, I didn't choose to call the cops. The stories weren't making sense. Jesse and I couldn’t hide you any longer. We couldn't do it, the cops knew something wasn't up and its illegal to hide someone from the cops I tried. Were the birds to the feather and I know I shouldn't have held you in the first place. Don't you dare try to blame this on me, I was bulletproof, after you killed Harry you shot me with your lies. That was it. It wasn't my fault.” Karen hopped off of Daisies’ shoulders as if nothing had happen, the same role she had always played with people. Her lies again. “Karen, what are you doing? You're hurt! No! You're a liar!”

    I knew you and Piper would arrive, I planned all this out oh so carefully after they left me there. They left me there for dead because of you, all the pain you put me through. You and I were never good friends, I was always envious of you! But, not anymore Daisy. Not anymore. All this ends right here right now.” Karen reached for something which looked metal in Daisies eyes but she was so confused and shocked to notice, her best friend who had killed her own stepfather, used her for hiding, got her caught up in something someone like Daisy would never get caught up in, was about to kill her too. After everything, this whole game called friendship, surrounded by an even larger game called high school and the largest game called life, but in this game you don't get three lives. “Goodbye Daisy.”

Daisy & Piper; How I Live Now by Rosoff

Karen; Secrets In The Attic by V.C Andrews