Black City by Elizabeth Richard

The main characters Natalie and Ash hid their forbidden love from the government and army. Ash is a dark magical creature while Natalie is human. When an outbreak started killing all the Darkling’s including Ash’s mom Natalie and Ash try to find out the cause. I think that their love is truly powerful because it’s illegal to love each other. Natalie realizes that Ash isn’t human but he isn’t a monster either. I think it’s dangerous for them to be together but then they will have to try and change the people of the city’s mind.

          

             I don’t know how they’re going to turn out in the future because of their forbidden love. But I think its sweet that they love each other even though they are different.  But when Ash gets in trouble for killing a tracker to save Natalie’s life he has to be executed it was heartbreaking to see Ash almost die. But it’s strong for Natalie when she brings him back to life with their love.

                         

             When I finished reading the book I felt hope for the city and hope for the love that they had. I felt sad that the war had only just begun for them. I noticed that there was a lot of betrayal in the book. I also noticed that people only cared for themselves to survive. I felt that they was a deeper meaning to all the fighting and war between humans and darklings.

                         The wish by Gail Carson Levine

In the book the wish Wilma Sturtz bumps into a witch who grants her wish to become poplar. The thing I find interesting was that being popular doesn’t really matter a lot to me it seems stupid that someone judges other for their appearances. Some people don’t even know each other well and yet they judge them. I think Wilma needs to realize who she actually is.

           

I also think people should accept who they are and live happy. Also that people shoudnt judge each other even with their flaws. Wilma realizes its different to be popular but she misses her old life. I think this is a good choice because its who she is and she accepts it. I find this inspiring and that there’s a moral of the story. In my opinion its better to be yourself than faking perfection.

          

  I think that you shouldn’t change yourself to get someone to like you or be really popular. Cause doing something that makes you happy is worthwhile and time fly’s when you’re having fun. It angers me to find that someone who I barely know judges me. But they don’t understand. Its not worth being perfect having flaws makes you unique.

 The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

              This book made me open my eyes to see the world in better/worse place. The Lorax pointed out the flaws and consequences while the business man ignored the drastic effects. In the end the man didn’t realized what he had until it’s gone. This shows that the environment is important to many animals and even people/ imaginary creatures.

              

            I think it’s actually ridiculous and trouble causing to wreck something beautiful and graceful. If I were the business man I would listen or even care to realize my effects on the environment and how it affects everyone even me. It doesn’t seem thought provoking to actually destroy something without realizing how drastic it can affect him. It’s sad to not notice something until it’s gone. I feel hopeful towards the end of the book.

           

              I feel hopeful because there’s still a seed which could bring back will be the creatures. It seems like it’s not the end yet and eventually things normal. It’s sad that the business man couldn’t save any trees cause of his greediness.              

           Crewel by Gennifer Albin

     In the book crewel a certain girl named Adelice is chosen to rule and have power over arras, her land. She can weave time and nature without a loom. This makes the guild, which is the group of people deciding how people should live, powerful and curious. There are many spinsters that can weave but Adelice is special because she can weave with or without a loom. But she doesn’t want to serve the guild. But she’s already playing their game whether she wants to or not.

          Im confused by Adelice’s  decision because she gets to have power and fancy things she never had before. But I find out why she refuses, she wants her parents back and her sister is a complete stranger. With her parents both gone she has no hope but getting Amie, her sister back. This proves that what Adelice and her sister have a strong relationship and it proves that Adelice would trade any silk gown for her sister back. I find this heartwarming and fill me with questions. Will Adelice ever get her sister back?

          Also Adelice has many enemies including her ex best friend and her instructor maela. I think that Adelice should lay low for a while waiting for the right time to strike to get her sister back from the guilds dangerous clutches. And when Jost met Adelice I think they clicked more than when she was with Erik. But marrying Erik brings trouble from maela who also crushes on Erik. Adelice shouldn’t mess with Maela even though Adelice is more powerful.

In the end Adelice needs to play dumb in order to survive and find her sister. I find this disturbing that the guild forces and controls people. They should have their own choices especially if Adelice wants to be a crewel.

A curse as dark as gold

By: katrina lin

The main character Charlotte Miller needs a way to pay off the bank. Her father borrowed money and then years later he died. She left with her sister Rosie. It turns out the mill she owns has a curse on it. She has to save it or else she would run out of money and cannot pay the money to the bank.

She knows there is a curse on the mill. For example there was a ghost in the mill. Also there was a sign meaning of bad luck. Finally her friend Harte a worker fell off a ladder when rebuilding the wheel that is used for the mill.She got someone to work for her but he is a stranger .he can spin straw into gold and more. She should not trust him. For instance he is a stranger. Also he can lie to her and Rosie. He only wants little things like the ring, and watch.

Charlotte fell in love with a man named Randel Woodstone. But can she trust him. Because he was talking secretively with her uncle. Also he wants to know everything about her. Charlotte only knows the truth.

So even though the mill is saved from buyers and actions. Charlotte has more to face until the end. I think the only reason that charlotte saved the mill was for her father and trying to redeem him. Also when charlotte marries Randel they both realize that they aren’t meant for each other. I think this is because of the troubles with the mills and the make believe curse.

chinese cinderella

Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah is a true story of how a daughter wanted to make her family proud came true. The main character Adeline other died shortly after giving birth to her. She has 2 older brothers and 1 older sister. She also has 1 stepbrother and 1 stepsister. Her father remarried to niang a mean strict stepmother.

I think all Adeline is trying to do is bring honor to her family. For example Adeline brings medals home every week for them to notice her and be proud of her. I think that her only friend that supported her was her aunt baba. Aunt baba kept all of her report cards and tests locked up and the key was always worn around her neck, showing a sign that her aunt baba cared about her scores. I think that aunt baba was proud of Adeline and loves her very much.

I think when the family got a dog Adeline really wanted to be Jackie the dog because he was treated better than Adeline. Also I think it’s unfair because Jackie gets delicious treats and is fed better than Adeline. The family loves the dog more than her because her father always plays and takes care of Jackie better. I think Adeline is jealous because Jackie never gets in trouble or beaten.

But Adeline’s life changes when she enters a writing contest. She wins 1^st prize and her dream is to go to college and become a writer. Her father lets her go college but makes her becomes a doctor instead of a writer. But I think she is happy that they are proud of her. Even though she wants to be a writer she’s happy just to be going to college.

So Adeline finally made her family proud of her from all the medals and winning the writing contest. I think she earned her family’s trust and they are proud. Adeline realizes that she did make her family proud of her.

     In the book Beastly the character Kyle is cursed to be a monster without any one to love him. The witch who cursed him will only lift the curse if he finds someone to actually love him. Kyle meets lindy a girl who doesn’t care about appearances and they find themselves deep in thought and they gradually fall in love. Kyle’s time is running out before he stays a monster permanently. Lindy realizes that Kyle is soon a sweet kind guy who gives her space and freedom to live. Beastly by Alex flinn

     I think this book is just mainly based on how an ordinary person can see to love a monster. It seems as though physical appearances doesn’t matter and the personality of the heart does. It’s strange to me that people wouldn’t think that they themselves are ugly. I can relate to this because im not the prettiest person in the world but I know someone will always love me for being me. I see kids my age around me calling themselves ugly when they are beautiful in every way but they just don’t see it. Making your appearance seem better isn’t the same as the true feeling in your personality.

     It makes me wonder how do people live with themselves thinking that they are going to be lonely forever leaving themselves to be shunned or just drama attracted. In my eyes no one is beautiful or ugly and we all have flaws that make you be yourself. It’s your person and you shouldn’t let anyone change that. Some people think that beauty is everything I see beauty as just a mere problem in life. If everyone realized they didn’t have to be better than they are now the word beautiful wouldn’t even exist because it just is another difference to people that separates us.

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

In the book Everneath  the character Nikki Beckett vanishes mysteriously without a trace and now shes back to live her life again. No one knows where she had been but only she cole. Knows cole is a guy who basically took Nikki to an underground cave where they spent hundreds of years sleeping in. but it wasnt a hundred years it was just a year. Jack Nikki’s boyfriend broke his heart looking for her and now that shes back he is overjoyed. Nikki only has a year until she has to go back underground and never come back out. 

She could become a queen of the dead with cole but her heart remains with jack.

I think that Nikki has a tough decision to either diee with jack or live as queen. She loves jack and she cants bare to leave him. Cole is a bad influence on Nikki he messes with her mind it seems as though cole actually likes her though. He seems overprotective because of her. I think that Nikki actually has two guys who just love her. But for cole its more of a power thing he just wants to rule the world.

It is heartfelt to be torn across love and power. The author made me feel like I was Nikki herself and how she felt was nerve wrecking if I were Nikki I would feel broken and that I would just be with those who love me. And that’s exactly what nikki did.

Rippled by Mandy Hubbard

In the story Rippled the character lexi is cursed to be a siren. As a siren she must quench her thirst in swimming in her own solitary lake. When she accidently kills her boyfriend steven drowning him with her melodious voice. A year has passed since it happened since she killed…. She blocked out her friends and family to protect them from her. She thinks shes a monster and no one will be her friend. Until cole comes around cole was stevens best friends.

He helps her realize that shes still there and he wants her to hold on to what she still has.Cole brings out the best in lexi and helps her notice the beautiful side in life.cole saves her from falling in love with the wrong guy and lexi gains some of her friends back.

In the end of the story lexi curse is lifted thanks to cole. I think the moral/lesson in this story is that even a monster could find love and to never give up. And that theres love for everyone even if it died it was still and always will be there.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

In the book Where the Mountain Meets the Moon the character Minli lives in china where it has a poverty setting. Money is hard to find and Minli is determined to find riches for her mom and dad. She received 2 coins for her birthday and a foreign trader comes selling goldfish around her town. She spends 1 of her coins on one of the goldfishes hoping it will bring luck to the family. When minli’s parents found out she spent her money on a worthless fish they were distressed. They thought it was a waste of money to spend it on something like a fish because they barely make 2 coins.

What minli learns that this is not an ordinary fish…..it’s a magical talking fish. The fish tells a myth of the old man up on the moon who grants people wishes. So minli sets out to find this man, she travels far and wide to find him. She meets new friends like a boy with a buffalo, a king, and a dragon. The dragon is an important character too because even though most dragons can fly he cannot. So he sets out with minli to find the old man to ask him how he can get to fly.

In the end of the story, minli finds the old man but the thing is that he can only answer one question. So minli asks the old man..Why can’t the dragon fly? The old man replies that he should remove the stone that’s stuck on his head. So minli does and she realizes that she doesn’t need money to be happy. The dragon is thankful and carries her home. She takes the stone home as a remembrance. Her parents are glad she’s home and happy. But..Minli realizes the stone wasn’t a stone it was a dragon pearl. The pearl is worth many jewels and riches.

So even though minli didn’t asked her question she got her fortune. The moral is that you don’t need money to be happy. Love from your family is all you need to survive. It seems lucky that even though she helped a friend she got something back in return

                    In the story "Am I blue" by Bruce Coville, a 16 year old boy struggles to deal with gay bashing or ( being called gay). the main character Vince is insulted and made fun of because people think that he is actually gay. the bully butch carrigan beats up vince for his belief of his sexuality. but the thing is that Vince isnt sure of his sexuality. he doesnt know if he is blue or not. so his fairy godfather, melvin shows up to grant vince his three wishes. his fairy godfather, melvin was treated differently because he was blue or (gay). so when vince gets to see the world in  new way or new vision he sees and realizes how being blue isnt wrong or how some people deal with being blue. he sees everyone in a different light. he even sees himself differently and realizes how he really is blue or not he learned that it wasnt wrong to be gay or blue or straight. 

               I realized how being blue isnt wrong and how vince learned to cope with it.Ii think this story is relative to everyday life where everyone is bullied for their gender wether they were blue or not. I can easily realte to vince's problem. because everyday I would see  people being bullied even if they are straight or gay. it would prove that gaybashing is common now and people today struggles with being blue or not. Vince is the perfect example of a victim in gaybashing.
                

   
                                 Reading responce
            My book Hereafter by Tara Hudson is a ghost/romance genre, the main character's name is Amelia. shes dead and is a ghost. she doesnt remember anything of her past except her first name and where she died. one of the main conflict in the story is that Amelia meets a boy named joshua, who can actually see her after his brush with death. but as they fall in love Amelia has a bigger problem than falling for a living boy. another ghost name Eli wants to claim her as his forever slave. Amelia refuses and destroys Eli with her paranormal powers.joshua and Amelia struggles to find more about her past and how she died.
           when i finished reading this book i was shocked at how someone like Joshua can fall in love with a ghost girl. Amelia;s conflict puts her in pressured situation to escape eli's hands and from parting from Joshua. this reminds me of when i have only two choices and both cannot live without each other. I was moved by how Amelia puts so much effort to keeping Joshua with her.

MAD LOVE- summer reading book response

                                                    summer's reading response
             The book  Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors is a love/mystery genre. The main character Alice Amorous is a 16-year old girl. shes a daughter of one of the most famous romance writer. but ever since her mother got secretly hospitalized for a mental illness, Alice has been staggering to keep her mothers reputation, forging signatures, telling her mother's publisher that everything is going great, and answering fan mails only she, her mom, one doctor, and a next door neighbor. Throughout the story Alice struggles to keep everything in order, but she has problems including money running out, the next book that is suppose to be written my her mother is overdue, and her crush Tony. but along the way she meets a man... who's name is Errol. Errol claims that he is cupid and he needs her help to write the truth behind what happened thousands of years ago. The only problem with Alice is that she doesn't believe in cupid. She experienced what most teenage girls dont, and that is helping cupid write his story.
   
             When Alice starts forging her moms signatures and lying to the public about her mom she starts losing hope for her mom. But when Errol came around, he made her realize how beautiful and cruel the world is. Errol has a deep dark secret about his love and Alice is the only one who can help  him write his book before he's gone. Alice finds herself trapped and puzzled at herself. Is Errol her only hope for her mom and Tony? Alice finds out that writing a love story needs her to fall in love herself. Alice falls deeper and deeper into an abyss full of lies and truths. Errol helps her appreciate how her life is and how he lost his true love. Errol isnt like any other guy he's cupid and how his love between gods and mortals effected Alice and his innocent wife. Errol has issues being a god he tells Alice about his story and helps her write it with the details, he is very passionate about his wife psyche. psyche was a mortal a village girl who died a very gruesome death because of jealousy from a goddess venus. Errol thought that if venus found out about psyche and how she was prettier than her she'd be outraged and slaughter her.

             Venus was lied to by Errol to protect Psyche, but of course no one can keep a secret, Venus eventually found out and sentenced Psyche to be imprisoned behind a wall with her to die a ghastly death. Errol needed to spill his heart onto a paper to make known the truth about the myth. Alice needs more time and answers from Errol to do so, Errol assists Alice to look into people's auras and see their emotions. But since Errol doesnt have time he urges Alice to write before time runs out. Alice's secret is about to be blown when she cant afford a private room  for her mom in the hospital. So doctors moved her into a dormancy shared by another person. When Tony comes to the truth about him liking Alice she finds hope in herself and Errol.

            At the end of the story Alice scavenges for her mom after she went missing, Errol passes away in the rain with his final advice to be thankful for the love she has. her mom was cured and they went back out to the public onto the spotlight where they announced  Alice's new book "The True Love story of cupid and psyche" based on Errol. when Alice and Tony are together she feels like their love is true and they both changed. Errol and Psyche are together as he promised leaving Alice to love what she has. Alice and her mom are back together again still loving each other as they always have.

           Alice uncovers the truth about Errol putting her in a position to realize how much love she has around her. Her mom is back with her being the best romance Queen writer loving each other constantly. Tony and Alice feels like they were meant for each other and forever they will be. Errol and psyche live forever with hopes that they will meet again. Alice knows that she it was worthwhile to write about Errol's love story and feels congenial about it.