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.