Hold Tight, Harlan Coben. Fiction. Penguin Books. 2003.
Background: Harlan writes mystery/suspense books for ALL ages! "The modern master of the Hook-and-Twist!" (Dan Brown)
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Emily Giffin, Something Borrowed. St. Martins Press.2004.ficton
"You don't have to lust after your best friend's boyfriend to worship this book. Here's a heroine you'll root for and a book you won''t want to put down" -Lauren Weisberger,
Rachael has been waiting her whole love to find “the one”. But when her best friend Darcy throws her a huge 30th birthday party, Rachael pays her back by sleeping with her soon to be husband. The problem is that Rachael soon finds out that what she though was only going to be a one night thing, might mean something more.
With as much scandal as the “Scarlett Letter”, “Something Borrowed will keep you on the tip of your toes. Read the first 10 pages off the book, and you’ll be hooked. If you enjoy reading suspenseful books, then this is the book for you. It will question your view on if love really conquers all. And to what lengths are you willing to take to be with the one you love.
This book offers a little bit of something for everyone. A great love story, for anyone who enjoys a good romance novel. But also shows the challenges that friendship holds, which is relatable to all. I would recommend this book to anyone over 13. The most upsetting part of the book is when you realize it’s over. But don’t worry, because the squeal “Something Blue” is just as good!
This book shows the significance of a friendship on one’s life, and how the all-encompassing powers of the friendship can be the most difficult to overcome. Extracting oneself from such a strong force may be the only way to reach eternal happiness.
“But I have learned that you can’t just create your own timetable and will it to come true.”-Something Borrowed
The Pact, Jodi Picoult. Romance. William Morrow & Co. 1998.
“Jodi Picoult has written a haunting tragedy of two families. The Pact is rich with suspense and compassion, and it will make people question how well they know their own children. It is an intensely moving novel.”
-Luanne Rice, author of HOME FRIES
Chris and Emily have been together since birth, being best friends to boyfriend and girlfriend. Everything seemed fine up until one night Emily’s parents get a call saying she is dead. Chris is now on trial for murder. He says he didn’t do it. His parents believe him, and Emily’s parents just can’t. Do Chris and Emily’s parents really know him as well as they thought they did? Did Chris kill Emily? Or was it something deeper than even Chris didn’t know about?
The Pact is one of the most intense and suspenseful book I have ever read. The author keeps you wanting to not put the book down until you are done. If you enjoy reading mysteries and suspense books then this book is for you. It has a very heavy influence on teen related topics. I would recommend this book to anyone over the age of 14 because it does have sections on homicide, violence and drinking, mainly destructive decisions.
The significance of this book is to get you to know your children and what they are up to. I wouldn’t call it being nosy, it’s just because you don’t want anything bad to happen to them. In the book both Chris and Emily’s parents thought Chris and Emily had a great relationship until this happened. Nobody knows if this was a homicide, suicide or freak accident. My opinion about the topic hasn’t changed. You really don’t know someone as well as you thought you did. You may know someone your whole life and still not know everything about them.
This book was the greatest book I have read this year. The Pact is an experience you will never forget and will keep talking about it for years to come. I recommend this book to anyone over the age of 14. Boys and girls will both love it!
Lance Armstrong, It’s Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life. Autobiography. Berkley Publishing group.2001. Background: Story of the six-time winner of the Tour de France and cancer survivor. “An all-American story…inspirational” –Booklist
Lance Armstrong was a very talented and driven cyclist certain to be one of the best and just when things are really going his way he is diagnosed with cancer. The book follows Lance through all the highs and lows of his life, from winning the Tour de France to Chemotherapy. This story shows what life as a cancer patient is like and Lance gives you the thoughts going through his head during the whole thing. “Your past forms you, whether you like it or not. Each encounter and experience has its own effect, and you're shaped the way the wind shapes a mesquite tree on a plain.”
This was the best book I’ve read during this class because of how inspiring it is. It’s one of those books that changes your view of life the entire time you read it and even more than that. It makes you thankful and makes you realize that your problems could be a lot worse. Armstrong does a great job of explaining his races and helps readers like me understand more about cycling. I know a lot more about cycling and cancer than ever thought I would.
This book defines determination and Lance Armstrong is the king of it. The biggest theme is to never give up and you can achieve anything if you keep plugging away at it. You may think he is the one of the luckiest people alive for being both the greatest person to ever ride a bicycle and a brain cancer survivor but I disagree, I think he made his own luck by doing everything he possibly could to attain both titles and although he was scared and tired he never doubted that he could beat it or the other competitors.
I used to not really like cycling and although I knew it was hard I never really considered it as a real sport. This book has changed my view entirely and I now have much added respect for cyclist. The book affected how I looked at my own life. I admire Lance for being so self motivated and makes me wish I was as motivated as him. Honestly reading this made realize how lazy I am.
This book is definitely the best book I’ve read for this class because of the message it sends. The story, theme, and the way it is written are all great. . I’d suggest this book to anyone who’s looking for something to read with no age restrictions.
“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”
The Last Lecture, Randy Pausch. Non-Fiction. Hyperion Books, 2008.
Theme(s): Live your life to the fullest. Have no regrets. Everything you do is a learning experience, even if it doesn’t turn out the way you wanted. If you knew you were going to die and you had one last chance to give a lecture what would you say?
“Time is all you have. And you may find one day that you have less time than you think”. - Randy Pausch
Each year, at Carnegie Mellon University, a faculty member gives a “Last Lecture”. They are asked to deliver what would, hypothetically, be a final speech to their students and peers before dying. It is a great tradition because both the speaker and listeners get the opportunity to take a moment and reflect upon what matters most in life.
Randy Pausch was a 47-year-old professor at Carnegie Mellon, and he was asked to be a part of the Last Lecture series. Ironically, it really would be his last lecture. A few weeks before he was asked his doctors diagnosed him with pancreatic cancer and told him he would only have a few more months to live. With a little uncertainty Randy decided he would do the lecture. He said that this was his chance to pass down, to his children, his knowledge and life lessons. At ages five, two, and one his children were to young to understand and appreciate what he had to tell them. He figured that his lecture would be taped and that one day, when they were ready, his children could watch it.
Randy’s lecture was titled, “Achieving your Childhood Dreams”. It wasn’t a heart wrenching speech about dying, it was uplifting and positive; it was about living your life.
This book is so memorable and instructive. Randy gave so much advice during his lecture and his book. He was successful and had a great life. He had an interesting job, a wife, and children. He talked about his childhood dreams, the ones he achieved and the ones he didn’t. He gave advice about failure, and getting what you want. The one thing he really focused on was not having regrets. I totally agree. If you do something, or don’t, you should be sure that you’re not going to regret it later.
The Last Lecture made me think about what I want most out of life; what I want to get from college, my family, my job. It made me wonder what I would do with my time if I was told I only had six more months to live. Reading this book will make you ask yourself so many questions about life. It puts life into a different perspective.
“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.” —Randy Pausch
Lock and Key By Sara Dessen, a fictional story about a girl who has been moved around by her unconcerned mother and now has to live in a new place with her older sister. The book talks about learning to let go and being put into situations where you don’t feel comfortable. Sara Dessen has written other very successful books such as, The Truth About Forever, This Lullaby, and Just Listen. She is very popular among young adult female readers.
In the beginning the main character Ruby, is rescued from her home that she has been living in for months by herself. Paying rent, buying food, and going to school to avoid all suspicions. When the landlord finally suspects something he reports it to federal officials and Ruby will be living with her older sister who had moved out many years ago. Her sisters life is terribly different from hers now with her sisters husband being the successful online connections creator of Ume.com. Ruby now has to find a way to trust a family again, and she discovers something no one expected out of her so called “perfect” neighbor Nate. The quote of this book is found on page 365 “But I was sure of something too; its a lot easier to be lost then found. It’s the reason we’re always searching and rarely discovered- so many locks, not enough keys.” I Hope when you see that quote it will make you want to read the book.
This book has been one of the most memorable books I’ve read this year. This book is so realistic and many people I bet could relate to it in one situation or another. The symbol of a lock and a key are a great mystery and it keeps the reader sitting on the edge of their seat to see what will happen next. The characters emotions fill the pages of this book with love, hardships, friendships, surprises, and pain. The biggest transformations that occur in this story are the ones that the characters make happen. This makes it such a great read because almost all of them overcome something or change their ways to be a better person.
My opinions on the topics of this book have changed since I’ve read Lock and Key. Now when I see people who are trying to reinvent themselves or that may need help to pull themselves out of their rut. I want to try and help as many people that may need it because what Ruby went through, trying to live on her own entirely is upsetting in my opinion. Things that go on like that and no one even notices makes you want to question everyone and think that they don’t want to be involved in anything that could be the slightest bit difficult. Sometimes it’s hard to help someone you don’t even know but it may be one of the best things you’ve ever done for anyone. You may find a way to help yourself in the end.
In conclusion, Lock and Key was one of the best books that I have ever read. I defiantly think that its Sara Dessen’s best book. I hope that you will consider reading this book and I promise you that it will be a great read and an easy one too. If you are open to all options consider this book because it has so many good messages to the reader that you pick up from Nate and Ruby. The symbols and the imagery used make the book so much better and relatable.
Keeping the Moon, Sarah Dessen, Puffin May 11,2004
Fiction
The theme of Keeping the Moon is to be yourself and don’t let other people’s words bring you down. The problem in the book is that the main character, Colie who has recently lost a lot of weight with her mother’s workout, is being called names by some girls in her school and she loses her self-confidence because of all of the name calling before and after the weight loss. Colie ends up spending the summer with her aunt in North Carolina and she makes new friends who try to help her regain her confidence.
Colie, the main character of the book, and her mother Kiki Sparks have overcome the challenge of being overweight by having her mother create a new workout. But when the kids in school see Colie and her dramatic weight loss they call her names and now that she doesn’t have the weight to hide behind she feels very alone. Since her mother is now famous she is going on a world tour to promote her workout. So Colie is left to stay with her Aunt Mira for the summer. After arriving and meeting Norman, Mira’s friend who lives in her basement Colie isn’t sure what to think of staying with her aunt. Once Colie has settled she ends up getting a job at a small diner where Norman works. There she meets two girls that are waitresses named Morgan and Isabel. Will these two girls be able to help Colie build up her confidence or will Colie always feel alone???
This book is a page turner because you always want to see what Colie is going to do next. I agree with the author when she makes points about Colie was made fun of because of her weight and I think that it might be an issue with other children as well. Not just about weight but about appearances as well. The book affected me because it showed me that no matter who you are you should always have confidence in yourself and you should always believe in yourself.
In the end this book is about being confident in yourself and believing in yourself because that is the best way to help yourself live a better life.
Second Glance, Jodi Picoult. Fiction. Washington Square Press, 2003.
“Building on a foundation of a forgotten past, Jodi Picoult creates a novel that raises an unsettling mix of questions about what was, what is and what could be….[Picoult] is an author who doesn’t waste her time with easy conflicts, and the result is a thought-provoking and eminently discussable book.”- Denver Post
Ross Wakeman is looking for a way out. He has tried to kill himself and succeed once but wasn’t lucky enough to stay dead. He is looking for a way to end the pain of losing his fiancée, Aimee. When Ross, a ghost hunter goes to visit with his sister in small town Comtosook, Vermont, things get strange. A developer is making plans to build over an ancient Abenaki Indian burial ground, when Ross meets the inexplicable Lia. Ross has no idea the secrets, surprises and tragedies he will uncover by pursuing Lia.
Second Glance was one of the most thought provoking novels I have ever read. I praise Jodi Picoult for stepping up and uncovering the history that many people have been to shamed or proud to share; the history of Eugenics. So many things happened in the past that are so painful and embarrassing that the only person brave enough to call attention to them, are authors like this one. This book really makes you step back and look at history but not lose focus of the present. Jodi Picoult has crafted this book in such away that you are questioning and looking at your own life and history. This novel isn’t all sad though, the forming of new relationships adds a heart warming touch when the people involved let fate take its hand.
This book takes a look at the study of super natural forces. This is a very controversial subject. Many people believe in ghosts and others don’t. This book will make you question your belief, if not rethink your decision all together. I think the message Jodi Picoult is trying to get across is just because you don’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there. I would recommend this book to anyone over the ages of
14, boy or girl.
I Am The Messenger. By Markus Zusak. Contemporary fiction. Knopf Books. 2002. The main theme in this book is universal, meaning everyone can understand it. It is the message that life is what you make of it. This theme is reflected through the book’s main character, Ed Kennedy.Ed is a young and lazy cab-driver who thinks that he will never do anything meaningful in his life. He has no support because he lives only with his dog, The Doorman, and is always arguing with his mother. His father left the family years ago and Ed has never quite been the same since. Ed does have one major social activity that he does every week- playing cards. Ed plays cards with his two best friends, Marv and Audrey.These people seem to represent Ed’s entire life because they are all he has. Anyway, one day Ed notices something in the mail. Ironically, it was a card just like the ones he played with. This card had an address on it- 45 Edgar Street. Ed didn’t know what to do or think. Little did he know that he would have to go to this address to commit an act of kindness to a random person. After the first card came, many more followed.Ed kept getting cards and kept going all over the place on missions to help people. At the end of the book, and after many twists and turns, Ed finally realizes that these cards all served a purpose in his life. They made Ed act instead of just sit around all day, and realize what life is all about. This book was very interesting, entertaining, and most of all this book was a great teacher. The lessons and messages about life in this novel are all very true and captivating. Markus Zusak makes you realize that no matter how far down you are, you can always pick yourself back up. He also stresses that there is always something for you to live for. I cannot disagree with any of these thoughts. To me, Markus Zusak is a very unique author in that his views are inspirational and make you think. He made me think about what I take for granted in my every-day life, like having many friends and having parents who really care about me. He also made me feel inspired as I read this book with his view on how we should live our life. We should always look ahead instead of look back, and always be thankful for what we have that others may not. I definitely recommend I Am The Messenger to anyone and everyone who likes to read, and who likes a good mystery. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
Revolutionary Road, Richard Yates. Fiction. Little Brown & Co. 1961
Background: Richard Yates’s first novel tells of the tribulations of the not-so-perfect life of a suburban couple in the 1950’s.
Theme: Revolutionary Road deals with the basic theme of people trying to escape the loneliness of their over-stated, under-lived lives.
Frank and April Wheeler are a seemingly happy, loving couple living with their two children in Connecticut during the 1950’s. It is quickly revealed though that Frank and April are not the quintessential suburban duo that they appear to be. After days of fighting and ignoring each other April decides that the only way to save themselves and their marriage is to move to Paris. Frank agrees to the move and plans are made until April finds out that she is pregnant. April plans to abort the baby, as to not put off the move, but Frank won’t allow it. Once again life and marriage become rocky in the Wheeler house. Morals will be questioned, promises broken and lives put on edge as Frank and April struggle through their hardest controversy yet. Revolutionary Road is compelling, suspenseful and emotional right to the very last page.
Revolutionary Road is the essential novel to describe the trials life in suburbia. Frank and April express a depressing, yet truthful, portrayal of an American couple. Despite the continuous arguments and hatred between Frank and April, Richard Yates makes you want them to succeed. With April it is the fact that she is able to see that there is more to life. You want her to escape: to break free from the lonely housewife life that she doesn’t deserve. It is that drive, the compassion I felt for the characters that made it impossible for me to put the book down. I always wanted to know what was to come next and Yates kept me on my toes trying to guess what the final outcome would be.
Revolutionary Road brings up many issues involving domestic life. The roles of father and mother are so stereotypically played by Frank and April (played being the key word). April is not meant to be a house-maker while Frank is no more fit to be a nine-to-five businessman. The Wheelers try to break this trend. They plan for April to go to work and for Frank to stay home when they move to Paris. Their plans are quickly run over by the pregnancy. April’s contemplation over an abortion brings up another controversial issue, especially for the time period. First off, it is illegal for April to get an abortion, and she plans to perform the act to herself. Within the house Frank is completely opposed to April’s plans. They disagree over the issue, and it makes life very rough between them. I think the overall main issue presented in the novel is the roles of men and women in society and in a household. I think the most interesting issue presented in Revolutionary Road is the bipolar love-hate relationship between Frank and April. There are times when only unconditional love is seen between the two. They are a team, at times; they root for each other and work together. Within a matter of days this changes. They fight and insult one another. These times make you wonder why they would ever get married in the first place.
Overall I found Revolutionary Road to be a beautifully written novel depicting the sad, lonely lives of a suburban couple. Yates provides a realistic plot presenting issues of the time that still hold true today. The controversies of love and life are fought over and offer a sleuth of questions for the reader to consider. Revolutionary Road deserves a place in the collection of American classics.
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