Thoughts on YA Literature: Summer Ball (Mike Lupica)

Mike Lupica’s Summer Ball is a story about a young basketball player named Danny Walker. He is thirteen years old and has arrived at a summer camp run by Josh Cameron. Personally, I am not into sports, so when that name was mentioned in chapter two, I had to look up just who this person was—even after the novel mentions that he was a star point guard of the Boston Celtics. I did not know what a point guard was and I generally do not follow sports at any level.

The portion of the novel that I could relate to was the fact that Danny and his friend’s height differences with other basketball lovers at Right Way camp. I know the feeling of having such a height disadvantage. The author was able to make this to be one of many central themes throughout the book, even though it does not have to be. The novel could have easily been written without the conflict of height; Lupica transcribed his characters to have a love for basketball—so much that Will comments to Danny that, “Basketball always makes you happy. It’s who you are, dude. Your whole life, every single time you need to show somebody new that you have game, you show them. Big-time.” (15) This made me think of things that I am passionate about; realizing then that Dixon was able to relate his character’s love for basketball to his targeted audience’s love and passions for things they enjoy as much as Danny enjoys his sport.

I felt whole at the end of the book because the author was able to show character growth intellectually and physically. The characters of the story start out unable to address their fears and conflicts well. Towards the end of the novel, the characters were able to find ways to address their problems, figure logically ways to proceed with what they have to do, then eventually make a connection. A question I have is why did Lupica pick Josh Cameron (a soccer player)? I wonder if the author has some personal connection with this figure; or was it something random that he decided to generate to fill that particular role? The novel is about basketball, with slight references to soccer; so why Josh Cameron? Was it intentional?

Thoughts on YA Literature: Hunting the Dragon (Peter Dixon)

Peter Dixon’s Hunting the Dragon is an inspiring story of a boy who misdirects his life and comes to find out a bit about himself that he never knew existed, after a series of events—especially after being fired from his job as a surfing guide. The story then transfers into a combined series of events where Billy (the protagonist) finds a new job on a ship called the Lucky Dragon. Not knowing what his job title would consist of, Billy finds himself in a predicament after finding out just how messed up his job consists of.

I was surprised (and I am sure Billy was to) that the story would take this sort of turn. It never occurred to me that Dixon’s novel would turn towards the concept of saving endangered species, such as dolphins. The ideas were laid out as you read the commentaries. At first, I thought that the story would be a rendition of Flipper. I read the commentaries left by Peter Dixon about how he came to writing this story, which guided me in this pre-conception. I did not know that such stories were ever to be implemented into a fictional novel. I realized then that you should not be that quick in making judgments about a novel’s plot. I began to think of other ways that the path of this novel could follow. Some of the elements within the plot were predictable, but it was an overall wonderful experience.

The character, Billy, is a typical teenager who is on a path to find himself. In this sense, I speak of him opening his eyes a bit further. The setting takes place in California, the other side of the United States that I have never been to. California seems to be overly shown in television shows, movies, etc., so it was not all entirely hard to follow in terms of certain activities that Californian teenagers are into. The boy is a surfing guide, which is an occupation that I cannot relate to as someone living in Toledo, Ohio; however, I got a good laugh out of that thought. The novel was different from the others that were assigned. The text is easier to read; I can see how young adults can relate to the language being used throughout the novel. I would suggest this novel for freshmen in high school because of some harsher words being used such as “bitching.” I like the way that the author used tone and language to his advantage. It definitely makes it an easy read for his targeted audience.

**Spoilers** Summary of The Boleyn Inheritance (Philippa Gregory)

Philippa Gregory's The Boleyn Inheritance precedes her novel called The Constant Princess. In such regard, the novel recounts the tales of three different women that all have two things in common: 1) they are, at a certain point in their lives, a lover to King Henry VIII and 2) they all have had their chance in immersing themselves in the Boleyn Inheritance.

The novel takes place towards the middle of 1500s, after the death of King Henry VIII's third wife, Jane Seymour (Katherine of Aragorn being the first wife and Anne Boleyn being the second). The King is once again on the prowl for a new wife. He has his eyes settled on Anne of Cleves. Jane Rochford, after a long stretch of time, comes back to Court. She is the widow of George Boleyn whom was executed along with Anne Boleyn having to be accused of adultery, incest and treason for plotting against the King. It is because of this that Jane Rochford does not have many pleasant memories of Court life. At the same time, a woman by the name of Katherine Howard also enters Court by decree of her uncle to attain high reputation amongst reputable people.

Throughout her life as the new Queen, Anne of Cleves has trouble getting along with King Henry VIII, especially her step-children, since it enrages her husband. She speaks very little English and even mistakes the King for a worthless drunk upon her arrival. Although she tries to make amends, the King is scornful towards her. King Henry VIII questions his marriage with Anne of Cleves, but he does so anyway, perhaps to win the eyes of the public around him. Anne of Cleves has a plain appearance: this is noted in the novel in the perspective of Jane Rochford and Henry VIII himself. Everybody is surprised by the way Anne of Cleves carries herself; she does not dress in high fashion, but rather like a country bumpkin. All in all, it only takes a few months after their marriage that King Henry VIII is already tired of his wife and wishes to get rid of her. In addition to Anne's story, her marriage with King Henry was never consummated. She was eager to sign an annulment that says that she was previously engaged to Francis of Lorraine. Whatever the case, King Henry VIII has already set his eyes on a new woman: Katherine Howard.

King Henry VIII quickly divorces his fourth wife and marries Katherine Howard, one of his previous wife's lady-in-waiting. Again, there is much tension for fourteen year old Katherine Howard. This seems to be a trend for all of King Henry VIII's wives. However, Katherine is infatuated with one of the King's favorite courtiers, Thomas Culpepper. Not only that, but she is unable to win over King Henry VIII's step-children, especially Mary, who thinks that Katherine Howard is too self-indulgent. She is at first in love with the idea of being Queen; however such thoughts began to spiral downwards once she begins to take notice of a few things surrounding her. For one, King Henry VIII is showing age and he has now put on a few pounds. He is disgusting at this point, since he is now too heavy for her liking. He also has a tumor in his leg that is always leaking pus and blood. She begins to sneak out of the King's bedchambers at night to accompany Thomas Culpepper in his room at night, having her friend Jane Rochford guard the door.

Katherine's life takes a turn for the worse towards the end of the novel as an old flame shows up in Court. She gives her former lover a position within her household, but has negative feelings towards this. Her affairs with Culpepper is then found out by her close friends and enemies. Everyone around her deserts her in order to avoid getting themselves into trouble with the King. Katherine becomes frightened and hysterical as she is investigated. She is then found guilty of adultery and treason, executed at the age of sixteen, alongside Thomas Culpepper and all those that were involved, including Jane Rochford.

**Spoilers** Summary of The Constant Princess (Philippa Gregory)

The novel starts out when Catalina (Katherine of Aragorn) is about five years old. She is with her sisters and mother during a time period of great tension between the Catholics and African Muslims. The novel refers to the African Muslims as Moors. These Moors are being persecuted because they refuse to accept the Catholic religion. There is a scene where the girls are expressing their concerns for the Moors that are coming into their encampment. Queen Isabella I of Castile (Catalina's mother) tells her that she will return for her daughters when she is finished taking care of state matters. At the end, the Queen returns and asks her daughter if she was afraid-- in which Catalina says that she was not afraid at all during her absense, thus resulting in the readers to take notice that Catalina, even at a young age was proud to own the title of Infanta of Spain as well as the Princess of Wales, since her betrothal to marry Prince Arthur of England.

The story then skips over to when Catalina is older. She finally meets her fiance, Arthur Tudor, and his father King Henry VII. King Henry VII is strongly attracted to Catalina and Arthur does not seem to show much appeal towards her. Once the two are married, Arthur is nervous to consummate their marriage. The first few months of their marriage is seen to have much tension and awkwardness. The two newlyweds do not understand one another very well. Arthur then orders Catalina to accompany him on a journey to Ludlow Castle; which results in her to become ill because he did not look after her. She was left in a litter just about the enter way in freezing weather. She becomes very frustrated and confronts her husband about how he mistreats her as his wife and as a woman. He acknowledges her needs to having a better husband. The two, at this point, begins a happy and honest marriage. Catalina and Arthur have a deep conversation with one another about what they would like to see changed for England, the customs that her people follow (differences and similarities between her people and the Moors), what sort of family they would have together, etc. Their happiness ends with Arthur falls ill and dies from the sweating sickness. On his deathbed, he asks his wife to promise that she will marry his brother, Henry VIII so that their dreams for England may come true with Catalina as Queen of England. After Arthur dies, King Henry VII proposes to Catalina. He is rejected, gets angry and doesn't allow her to marry his son, Henry VIII.

It isn't until King Henry VII dies, that Henry VIII and Catalina get married. She changes her name to the English “Katherine” when she finally becomes queen. Catalina pretends to be a virgin during her wedding night with King Henry VIII. She is very careful in how she does this. In the novel, she describes herself cutting the bottom of her foot to smear the blood on the sheets, walking limply around for people to see. She makes it apparent to others that she is tired and that she needs rest. Her first pregnancy results in a miscarriage. Because she is desperate to have a child with her new husband, she consults a Moorish doctor since they tend to be more knowledgeable. While Katherine is away having her child, it is discovered that Henry is having an affair with a woman named Anne when he is told that Katherine was not a virgin. With that, the novel ends with the start of King Henry VIII's scandalous relationship with one of Katherine's lady-in-waiting, Anne Boleyn.

Thoughts on YA Literature: Princess of the Midnight Ball (Jessica Day George)

Jessica Day George's novel Princess of the Midnight Ball was rather enjoyable. I was not able to make many connections between what happened within the plot and my own life. I suppose the reason why it was satisfactory is the fact that I grew up reading and watching videos that had to do with the Disney Princesses. I think that being able to comprehend the plot within any novel because of your experiences is an important factor. Students oftentimes pick novels to read for pleasure based on the idea that the novel's central theme is around something that they are interested in and/or have experiences in. For the most part, young adults that are athletic and/or merely just have an interest in books will pick up books that are centralized around sports. The same applies to young adults that have experiences and preferences about fantasy-- princesses that live in large castles with a white knight in shining armor to whisk them away towards a life of perfection.

My favorite character is Pansy. She is (I believe) the youngest sister out of the twelve. She plays her role very well within the book, especially when Galen sneaks into the Midnight Ball to “figure things out” about the princesses. Her status among her sisters allowed readers to identify her as the naïve sister that is easiest to sway. This type of personality adhered to Pansy as a character was then used as a literary device in order for the progression of the plot to take place. It is from Pansy that Galen finds out a bit more from one of the sisters as to why they disappear from their chambers in order to escape below the Earth to participate in the Midnight Ball against their wills.

I wish that the story was not as predictable as it was laid out to be. It is perhaps that I grew up reading materials such as Princess of the Midnight Ball that I have become quite jaded. I find that the repetition of such turns of events has become overused. Although the text itself does not say that the characters all lived happily ever after, it was implied. And such an ending truly bothers me. Although this “happily ever after” sense is supposed to bring closure to readers, like all matters, it becomes old after a while. In a way, I felt cheated because the novel followed a similar plot line to what I am used to: Princess is under distress. A Prince-like figure finds out. He snoops around. Finds a way to save said Princess. He saves her. They marry. Happily ever after.

Thoughts on YA Literature: The Wednesday Wars (Gary D. Schmidt)

I was excited to be starting The Wednesday Wars. I thought it was going to be a very interesting read since I had finished many of the other texts that were brought about in the classroom. Though the content itself brought new perspectives and new light for me, it was very difficult to get through the pages. I believe I may have skipped a few scenes that may or may not have been important to the plot. I would oftentimes have to re-read the passages to make sure that I was not missing anything for later parts of the book. Even through my attempts in keeping this novel satisfactory for me; I decided that it was just not a novel that I could digest as quickly with understanding like the other novels that I have thoroughly enjoyed.

I believe that this novel cannot be understood without reading it from front to back multiple times. It is very important that the reader decides to take another look if he or she does not understand it the first time. Because of this, I would perhaps like to read this novel again. I do not believe that Schmidt's concepts in this novel are immediate to interpret. One must be able to critically think once the events are introduced in order for them to be pieced together. I know as a first-time reader of The Wednesday Wars, that I would often find myself wondering how Holling Hoodhood is feeling as a young boy literally being separated from the rest of his class on Wednesday afternoons with a teacher that does not seem to like him. I was thoroughly surprised when I found that the two characters were getting along as time progressed. It reminded me of the possibilities I forming a better teacher-student relationship with my future students. Oftentimes, I would see that some relationships in the classrooms that I have entered, the teacher may or may not show much of an interest with the student, or the student just does not care much to be cooperative and/or willing to do better in the class.

I like the way the author manages to have a background story for each of his characters. Each individual within the novel had an actual part to being at Camilo Junior High. I did not feel as if the characters were merely created to fill a gap. I have read novels where some characters did not have an actual role at all; they are merely cameos that usually end up non-existent after a while.

If I were Holling Hoodhood, I would have perhaps been so stressed with the amount of things that are happening around me. The seventh grader is not only dealing with the Vietnam War happening right outside his neighborhood, but he is also dealing with tension that is a part of his family and school life. I found his parents to be especially translucent to his needs. They did not seem to be fully interested in what he has to say or do. His father especially had his eyes on his business-- in which his son will inherit once he retires and/or passes away. I wonder why the author made the story of Holling Hoodhood this way?

Thoughts on YA Literature: Rules (Cynthia Lord)

Another book that I enjoyed was Cynthia Lord’s Rules. In a sense, I can relate to the character, though in a different light—I grew up doing different things from what would be typical for a normal child. I didn’t have the luxury of playing with that many children, particularly because my parents liked to keep us within the house. There wasn’t that much social interaction, unless I was in school.

The novel was presented as a story about a girl with an autistic younger brother. It is a coming-to-age story with a pinch of self-discovery, a common theme within the realm of YA literature. I particularly enjoyed this novel because of its simplicity with the mind of a young girl in constant battle with trying to fit in and be a normal girl growing up with normal friends and a normal family. At the same time, she knows that such a situation cannot happen because of how her life has been laid out for her. I can relate to the main character (Catherine) because I know the feeling of wanting to be normal. I think that transition for me was difficult, as it is for the main character’s realization that being different isn’t all that bad; in fact, it gives room to enjoy the little things in life.

My favorite character is Jason. I enjoyed Jason’s character development from a troubled boy who was highly dependent on his mother in the beginning of the story to someone who wishes to do things by himself in the end. He became much more independent than he was when readers first encounter him in the beginning of the story, although he is unable to communicate through vocals and uses a wheelchair. I noticed that despite his inabilities, Jason is a very strong character that influences many lives within the novel, particularly the protagonist. It is with Jason that Catherine first encounters someone who was able to voice the question of whether or not she was ashamed of him when he discovered that she was invited to go to the school dance. I believe that this was a turning point for me because I never thought about how many other incidents there were within the novel where somebody asked her what she thought about her situation. Her family in particular just assumed that she would adjust as much as they have for their younger child.

Honestly, I was surprised when the protagonist suddenly became aware of her differences as compared to her friends and accepted it in the end. I knew that there would be an ending where Catherine would have to find some sort of middle ground between her responsibilities. I think Catherine discovered, in addition to her accepting of how her life was different from her friends’ lives, that she was the only link for her younger brother to normalcy, although she may have felt handicapped herself because of the time and effort that she has had to spend with her brother.

Thoughts on YA Literature: Found: The Missing: Book 1 (Margaret Peterson Haddix)

Margaret Peterson Haddix’s Found is by far my favorite novels out of the ones that I have read for this class so far. I am not one for science fiction, but I made an exception for Found because of its adaptable characters. Though the plotline was quite predictable in terms of what the characters were going to do next and how the story would end for that particular novel; I thoroughly enjoyed spending the time that I did reading the novel.

I love the way that the author managed to transition the novel. It was definitely very easy to follow in terms of where I was at with the events. It was as if she was able to use the exact wording for her audience to keep the story moving with enough sidetracks. You could really see yourself watching as the story unfolds within your mind as you read. I think that is a very important aspect for a novel, if you are to be successful as a writer. The plot itself was very interesting as well; it fed the reader enough information to keep the reader going and wondering what the characters were going to do next. I noticed that Haddix had something for the characters as they were constantly doing something for some sort of cause. I thought that was a sort of hidden message for her targeted readers that they should perhaps start thinking about doing the same in the near future, as a way of developing what they want to know or find out about themselves with his or her friends.

This (book) made me think of the 1980s “Back into the Future” movies with Michael J. Fox. I suppose that sort of nostalgic emotion made me appreciate Found in more ways than one. I enjoyed the movie series when I was younger. I do not believe that the series will stop there for me. I believe that sometime in the future, I will have to pick up the entire series just to see the story progress. It’s amazing what these children are putting themselves through strangely out of curiosity! I wonder what Haddix has in store for her characters; will the two adopted children find peace within their lives? Are they really going to be sent back to their original time periods, or will there be an honest to goodness loophole somewhere unbeknownst to them (and everyone else)?

Why do you suppose Jonah’s sister has to tag along with the boys? I wonder oftentimes why Haddix has the only non-adopted child follow the boys around. There just has to be some sort of relevance between her and the plotline. I have a theory that maybe she is also an adopted child as well, but that sort of gesture does not appear within the text from what I remember.

Thoughts on YA Literature: Nelson Mandela (Y-KIDS)

I have read many manga before Y-KIDS’ Nelson Mandela. I wasn’t expecting anything different until I finally managed to get a copy of one in my hands. The first thing I noticed was that the format of the book was the traditional American-style (if I may call it that) instead of the Japanese-style. But all was forgiven as I started to read the manga itself. I love the way that someone decided to implement history with 21st century literacy. I have never thought that such a thing would happen. Personally, I have experience with parents that look at any form of cartoon to be a waste of time. I would have never picked up any sort of biography if it weren’t for something like this. I enjoyed the fictional aspect to the manga, as well as the actual biographical information that is presented. I like how there are appendixes at the end of the book to further explain the life of Nelson Mandela; why he is important, etc.

A question I have is: how closely related is the manga to the actual historical events that took place with Nelson Mandela’s life? How condense is this graphic novel to the accounts that lead up to Nelson Mandela’s presidency? I wonder, although these historical biographies are meant for kids (I assume because of the author Y-KIDS), how much has been left out about Mandela and how much information these writers and publishers are spelling out for their young audiences. Is there some sort of censorship between the realities of historical figures not including Mandela? If so, is it really necessary?

Frankly, I am not a person that has ever been interested in history—so Nelson Mandela was just another name that I have heard. I began to think of other figures of history that I have missed out on. This manga may have just as well opened new doors for me to venture. I wonder if there are any other publications such as this one (aside from those listed on the syllabus and in the back of the book). I am sure that what I felt with this Y-KIDS’ production would be similar to other readers. I am quite anxious to see what the other manga by Y-KIDS are like. I also hope that there will be more productions similar to this for its audience. As of now, if I were to be teaching historical figures to young children, I would use these novels as an introductory point for them. And with that I hope that students become interested because of the way that these biographies are being presented; it is definitely one of the much enjoyable ways to learn content, and I feel that that, to some extent, we must conform to what keeps our students interested and motivated to learn.

Thoughts on YA Literature: Need (Carrie Jones)

I was excited when I first heard about this book. Quite honestly, I thought that I would enjoy reading this novel first. I was surprised when I began to read the text, thinking that it would be “awesome.” I quickly became aware that this novel was not going to be as exciting as I thought it was going to be. I did not even reach halfway through the book. I was confused when this happened; but as time permitted, I put down the book and started to read another one. I allowed myself a little break from Carrie Jones’ novel, coming back a few days later to finish the rest of the story. I noticed personally that this novel is not one that I could have read straight through without taking a break. I thought that there were too many instances where information was lacking; but perhaps it was the way that the author had wanted that to be. Personally, I sensed no real excitement even though I knew what was happening with Zara and her friends. I felt that I was thrown into a world unbeknownst to myself although the plot seemed clear for me.

I have come up with a theory: that there just has to be a prequel to this novel that would have made better sense of what was going on with the protagonist, her family and friends. I felt incomplete at the end of the book because I didn’t feel that the novel should have been “the beginning;” it felt like a sequel to another book that isn’t in print because this novel is where the series starts. I like the scheme of where the author is going with the novel. I think that Jones could have done better with introducing the Need series.

My favorite part would be Zara’s encounter of her otherness. Although I did not care much for Jones’ style in textual combat, I thought that was perhaps one of the exciting parts of the novel. I sensed a bit of symbolism between Zara and her entombment of her own identity as she and her friends drove away from the scene. I could see that she really believe or want to believe that she was an actual part of the mythical realm. Because of this belief of what the scene meant, I believe that this novel contributes much to the idea that YA literature’s primary make-up of being a coming-to-age or self-discovery plotline.

My favorite character is Issie because it really seemed that even though there were so many things happening within the story, she is generally the only character that would be considered normal, happy and pleasant. I believe that Issie is a character that Jones intentionally placed into the novel to balance out everything else that was happening between Zara, Devyn, Nick, and Betty. At the same time, as one progresses through the novel, there was never really a moment where Issie does not consider herself to be any less part of the “group;” and there is never a time where her friends block her completely from whatever situation. It proves then that Issie, to her friends, is a vital part of their team.

Perhaps another go for this book; I have not given up on it yet! And I’m sure her other novels will do the series justice. Although I did not enjoy Jones’ first novel, the book was quite an interesting read. At the moment, I wonder if Jones makes up for the openness in her sequel; perhaps that is why I felt the way I did when I finished Need. I hope that by the time I am finished with the rest of her novels that I would feel differently. I have really enjoyed the content that Jones presents within her novel.

Galley Review: The Devouring (Book 2): Soulstice (Simon Holt)

Soulstice, written by Simon Holt (Galley Book)
© 2009 by Star Farm Productions; Little, Brown and Company (New York)

If you are seeking a new science fiction novel, then perhaps Simon Holt’s Soulstice is for you. The advance reading edition that I managed to come across was published in 2009 by Star Farm Productions. This 266-page turner is exquisite in an atypical way. The story takes place presumably after Holt’s first book called The Devouring. Having not read Holt’s first novel, the concepts between the textual lines were not hard to navigate. The characters are easily adaptable; Reggie for her adventurousness and flawless bravery and Aaron, who is surprised and betrayed by his only best friend.

The Vours are back again in Soulstice and Reggie is back on the prowl to stop the demonic beings from taking over the world. She is faced with countless encounters, including a few shadowy characters with which she will have to make many decisions whether or not to trust. Armed with dignity and faith of the world at her fingertips, Reggie manages to find a door that leads to many secrets which could perhaps change everything. Equipped with flawless narratives, Holt challenges the reader’s mind by appealing to the senses. The author gives you enough to keep reading and discovering with the characters as they walk through the depths of Hell and back. Chronologically, Holt is able to clearly depict for his readers at which point on the timeline he or she is presently in. The characters have been developed so clearly that the reader will instantaneously know who is who and most importantly where.

A downside to this novel: there is very little to work with when it comes to illustrations. The only one that you will find remotely interesting is the cover design—a mixture of font used for the book’s title and author’s name. There is half of a boy’s face on the cover surrounded by what seems to be yellow smoke. The primary colors used on the cover are white, black, and yellow, which may all signify caution, evil, and some pure humanity. I believe that some form of artwork would have helped bring out the basic fact that… Vours are downright creepy.

I would recommend this book to any science fiction or horror lover. I believe that Simon Holt did a wonderful job in attaching the plot and characters to the reader’s senses. The book, again, although I have not read the prequel, was very engaging. I thought that my time spent reading this novel was worth it. I would not recommend teaching this novel to students that are below 7th grade, simply because there are some graphical content. I do not recall any vocabulary that would be considered difficult for 7th grade. The book itself was an easy flow, easy to understand. I would rate this book an eight out of ten!

Thoughts on YA Literature: Hex Hall (Hawkins) & Found (Haddix)

I am reading about a dozen or so books this semester that could be used within a classroom filled with young adults. I will probably mention a few novels here and there that I find interesting. For the first few weeks of school, I read Hex Hall, by Rachel Hawkins, and Margaret Peterson Haddix's Found.

Currently, I am reading Need, by Carrie Jones and I will be starting Cynthia Lord's Rules, hopefully by this weekend.

I am not going to talk much about these books since I believe that everybody should probably learn for themselves, what is available between the pages. Young adult literature are not hard reads; quite honestly, if you do not do a lot of reading and just want to pass the time by, I suggest picking up any of these books just to escape. I found the majority of what I have read so far to be enjoyable. Some of them are too slow for my liking, but everybody has their own choices and opinions.

If you like J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, then perhaps you should pick up Hex Hall by Carrie Jones. I found a lot of similarities between Jones's novel and Rowling's Harry Potter. I was a bit shocked at first with what the book would be like when I heard about it from my professor; but I surprisingly found it a bit comforting that I was able to find myself indulged within the text itself. Though similar, there are quite a few twists and turns that I never thought would of been possible in the HP series. Although a bit too much like HP, HH was a good distraction from what HP-hype.

Haddix's Found was breath-taking. This is perhaps my favorite novel so far out of the three that I have read or am currently reading. I'm not sure where to even begin explaining this novel; there is just a lot of things going on within this text that I would not want to further explain before I end up ruining the story itself. If you like science fiction, I would strongly recommend this short read. And if you do not like sci-fi, pick this novel up anyway. I never thought of myself as a science fiction lover and I couldn't put this down.


I am only halfway through Need. To be frank, I am not enjoying this novel. I was excited to start this piece of work by Carrie Jones, but it has been a slow build up so far. I am not sure what is wrong with it; or perhaps it is just me. Honestly, the reading has just been a tedious task for me. I do not find myself wanting to read the novel. Unfortunately, I will have to push myself through it, just so I can get on with the rest of what I have to do for this course. And if that doesn't work, I'll have to just pick up another book. If that is the case, you will hear some excerpt about Rules in the near future.