Weekly Blog Post: Prom

Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson


Spoiler Alert!
          This book, Prom is a really nice book that brings you into the eyes of a troubled teenager. You're going to see how her problems are small little things, but these little problems could create a lot of trouble. That made me think about how the smallest things in life are actually the biggest and they matter the most. Anyway, Ashley (the main character) has to deal with these problems which are family, friends, and going your own way. I see family and friends as the small problems in the book, but they lead to the big problem: going your own way. For me, that's the case too. I want to be my own person, following my own road and not what my family or friends want me to do.

          Ashley's family and friends basically decide her future in this book. She's not going to college, she's moving in with her boyfriend, and she's going to get a crummy job. Her family decides that they'll support her and Ashley will live in the basement. I love how in the end, Ashley chooses something very different from her starting point. You can actually see that she wants to choose her own choices along the way just like most of us. For example, probably most of our parents want to get into a good school/college then get a very, very, high-paying job. I hate that and I can see Ashley hates that too. I don't want to stick with one plan for the rest of my life; I want to choose for myself. I still wonder why some people stick with one plan... What would you do? I mean, I want to have a really unrealistic job, but I'm still following my own road no matter what anyone says.

          Going your own way helps Ashley solve her problems. At first, she hated the prom, she kind of wanted to move in with her boyfriend. In the end, she went to college, she moved in with her best friend, Natalia. I like how in this book, it actually shows a teenager going through changes all the time. Because most of our parents expect us to stay the same and follow their goals, but it's what they want, not want we want. It's about how we're supposed to make the choices, not our family or friends. It's our life, so do you want to have your own choices?

          I truly love this book because of it's theme and colors.

Weekly Blog Post: Something, Maybe

Something, Maybe by Elizabeth Scott


          This book is a really sweet book and it's a great book for teenagers and adults. It explains the problems of a really messed up teenager's life while reaching into deeper problems, like family. But in this  book, what makes it so unique is that some of these problems are weird. It's twisted in a way and it makes you think about how you would feel if you were in Hannah's, the main character, shoes. Hannah doesn't only deal with family like most of us do, but love also. Love basically circulates her mind and probably every mind of every living teenager on the planet. It teaches an important lesson that love might not be what you want it to be, and it'll do anything it can to steer you in its' direction.

          First off, family. Hannah's family is very different. Her mom is practically a stripper who used to be a famous person's, um, toy. That famous person is Hannah's dad. A lot of families are embarrassing, yes, but hers' is so far apart from them. That makes me think about how unique every person and every family is, but also about how every family has their own ups and downs. But listening to Hannah drag on about how her life and family sucks, I do think she is a bit selfish. At least she has a parent and a dad that wants to care for her. What would you do if you were Hannah? At least her dad isn't dead (although her stepdad is...). But she's actually lucky to have shelter, food, and a loving mom. If I were her, I would learn to appreciate more. What's so wrong with her life? I think she doesn't appreciate for what her mom has actually done. Her mom needs to wear lingerie and have "chats" with strangers. But she does it for money, for Hannah. Hannah doesn't seem to care about that though and that's what I honestly hate about her.

          Love seems to be a big part of Hannah's life. Hannah does seem to blind when it comes to love. She pretends that she has a soulmate, Josh while in real life, she has a boy who has a huge crush on her. This makes her life really hectic actually. But this also makes me think of how many people are like that. Hannah should just be happy she actually has a guy friend. Although this book is really sweet, I also think that the book is so blind, just like Hannah. This book expresses feelings of a person who's dealing with a lot of problems.

Weekly Blogpost: Just Listen

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen.

          Just Listen is a book that reflects on problems that most teenagers have probably been through and what teenagers will go through. This book takes you on a journey through heartbreak, friends, and family. It's the entire package and although that's a good thing, it can be sometimes overwhelming. This book really makes you think about your life and how everything can from perfectly fine to disrupting in a second. You feel as if you go through Annabel's (the main character) experience.

          Heartbreak is not necessarily Annabel's problem although she is caught up in her ex-best friend's heartbreak though. This makes me wonder if that could happen between me and my best friend. But not only is Annabel caught up in the problem, she gets blamed for cheating on her friend's boyfriend when she really didn't do anything at all. Accusations are made a lot in this book. Accusations happens around me a lot too. Teachers, family, even friends. It makes me feel how Annabel must have felt when she got accused. It's really unfair when someone accuses you of something you didn't do; like when it happened to Annabel.

          Friends is a big problem for Annabel and most of the kids on the world. Everyone needs a friend, not necessarily a lot because just one friend can get you through the day. Although Annabel does have a friend, Owen, she has lost a lot too. Sophie, her ex-best friend, Emily, and even Clarke. Without Owen, Annabel was a loner. Being alone feels horrible. I have been through that because I never had any close friends; just a big group of friends. "You can't trust anybody these days." is my favorite line from the book. I once had really close friends before and then I realized that I couldn't trust them. Annabel kind of had the same problem except she was the person that people couldn't trust. In Annabel's world, very much like our world, there are rumor mills. Rumors ruin friendships. I remember in 6th grade when I spread a fake rumor about this guy and within an hour, everyone in my class knew about it. But some rumors are even more drastic, ruining friendships like it ruined Annabel's with Sophie.

           Family is the biggest problem of all for Annabel and for many teenagers too. But our usual "family drama" is probably getting grounded, lectured, or not wanting to go to family gathering. For Annabel, it's way different. Her family drama consists of her sister not eating, but it's not only that. Her sister, Whitney has had an eating disorder before so she basically puts down everyone. I've never really thought about having a sister with a eating disorder, but this book made me think about my family.  I feel lucky that my family drama isn't so...so weird. I do know that there are families like that though and I feel bad for them. Annabel looks like she has it all: a modeling career, a cool guy friend, and she's become a role model. But she's so much more different in the inside and that made me think about how looks can be seriously deceiving.

          This book made me think about my life and how some people's lives were so much more different. Just Listen makes you really want to listen.

Weekly Blog Post: The Dead and The Gone

The Dead and The Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer

          The Dead and The Gone reflects on problems that aren't very realistic. One big problem is a apocalyptic situation and that problem is actually the root of all other problems like violence, starvation, and death. It makes us think "Wow. What would I do if these were to happen to me?". It makes you wonder about how life is a precious thing and any destruction would disrupt it. Alex, a teenage boy trapped in this situation is the main character and you get to see how his problems can't be solved and how he suffers from them. This apcocalyptic situation gets most of his family dead and forces him to think the unthinkable.

          Violence is a major problem and that involves killing poeple, even babies just to get your necesities like food and money. Violence is what drives Alex though and I always asked myself," Is it really worth it just to get food and money?" I often thought about other people's perspectives during reading the book because they suffered, too. But then again, Alex is only trying to survive with his sisters, Bri and Julie. He even has to go "body shopping" for valuable items like shoes and jewelry. Alex didn't even save a baby from being trampled from a angry mob and he cracked an old man's hand. It makes us think about justice in this world and how when you're out there trying to survive, you care about no one except yourself and your family.

          Violence then leads to starvation. Alex has to save up his food so he wouldn't run out and this made me think about how unfair that was to him. Some of us in the world gets more than 3 meals a day while some has to starve and savor food like Alex. It also made me feel bad and I definitely tried to resist during those parts. I felt guilty. Alex even starts to rely on school lunch while some of us don't even stop to think about school lunch. He relies on the government for food, too for a bag of food per person each week. We don't even have to do that.

          Violence, lastly leads to one more thing: death. Dozens of people die each day and "drop like flies". Most of the citizens have guns and they're not afraid to kill for food and money. That reminds me of savages because they're killing one another just for necesities. It again, makes me think about justice in the world. Is it fair that you get killed just so someone else can feed off of you? Of course not and that is because you have a life too that you need to protect. Not only violence leads to death, but so does the apocalyptic situation. There's volcanoes blowing up everywhere leaving ash in the air, tsunamis making cities flood and shrink and kill hundreds of people. Alex's parents were actually killed because of that. That's a really unthinkable situation, but still, this book makes you think about how your life would be in this type of setting.

Weekly Blog Post: Catcher In The Rye

Catcher In The Rye by J.D Salinger

          This book is mainly about a teenager named Holden Caulfield's life and it captures some moments and skips some. The captured moments are not really filled with problems, but just things that are important. One problem is being unsuccessful and that's really it although he does struggle with his friends and girls, being unsuccessful's a real big problem.Being unsuccessful not only leads to family trouble, but friend troubles as well. Holden has flunked every class except for English in Pencey, the school he goes to. He then gets kicked out because of this. But that's not the only school he's been kicked out of; he's been kicked out two other schools. Holden even decides to not live with education anymore and just work in a ranch out in the west. That's his problem: being unsuccessful.

          But being unsuccessful leads to family trouble. His father is extremelly strict on education and is already tired of Holden flunking out of every schools he goes to. His father wants him to go to Harvard. Holden's little sister is definitely on Holden's side and cares for him a lot as well. Eventually,even Phoebe gets scared that their father would kill Holden for flunking out of Pencey.

          Holden deals with troubles with friends as well. For one thing, Holden doesn't really have friends, just roommates and classmates. You see,Holden has a problem where he can end up hating someone just by their characteristics. He leaves Pencey in the end with a big fight with his roommate, Stradlater and he trashes a nice girl that he was on a date with. He can't even make good friends with his classmate Ackley who is quite a disgusting fellow.

          This book really talks about Holden's time in New York after Pencey rather than focusing on everything else, but what do you think you would do if you were in Holden's shoes? What would you do if you failed at school and making friends? I think that I would go off on my own and run away.

Perfect Chemistry: Weekly Blog Post

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

          Perfect Chemistry is mainly about relationship that grows and grows. But it's filled with dark problems. Brittany, is the good girl in the story. Alex, is the bad boy in the story. They face through stereotypes, gangs and drugs, and heartbreak together. Their relationship is based on the these problem, but a darker problem lies beyond them both: family.

          Stereotypes. Brittany is from the north side. Alex is from the south side so it means they can't communicate in any way. Even them working on a chemistry project is a big problem for each person's group of friends. So when Brittany and Alex becomes more than just chemistry partners, things get messy with friends. Brittany's boyfriend, Colin breaks up with her and Alex's mom is even more furious than Brittany's mom. It's impossible to date especially since Alex's friends, including Carmen his ex is always teasing him.

          Gangs and drugs. Alex was a in a gang and it affected his relationship with Brittany a lot. They got into arguments and fights. Alex's gang friend, Paco was even killed during a drug dealing. Gangs and drugs eventually led to heartbreak. Alex became frustrated because he had no choice, but to stay in the gang. Brittany didn't understand that. After heartbreak, comes family. Both of them have major problems with their family including death and having a mentally disabled child in the house. This affects them by putting permanent scars on them and this also makes them similar.

          Perfect Chemistry's problems make the book what it is.

Glass: Weekly Blog Post

Glass By Ellen Hopkins


          Glass is a book with a lot of hard things going on with Kristina, the main character. One problem is addiction. Kristina is addicted to drugs and she won't stop. The drug, also known as the "monster" kills her and her family inside and out. Her family has to kick her out of the house because of this addiction. She goes to a point where she can't stop no matter what she does. the monster tears her and her family apart meanwhile bringing her close to her druggie friends and her druggie boyfriend. Her addiction has led to teen pregnancy and jail, but what actually caused this addiction was peer pressure.

          Teen pregnancy is also a problem. While addicted to the monster, Kristina has a baby that she barely cares about. Her baby, Hunter is also affected by her addiction by hurt. Kristina has tried to stop using drugs for her baby, but things got even worse. Hunter got injured several times and it was clearly a sign for Kristina that she needs to stop using drugs, but she went deeper into her addiction. Kristina has no control of herself or baby. Jail has been a problem, too. Kristina and her druggie boyfriend, Trey get arrested and they both go through the pain of separation from drugs and from each other. In jail, Kristina also finds out that she is pregnant again and now this baby will be even more hurt than Hunter. 

          Peer pressure caused the addiction. Kristina's first love, Adam introduced her to the world of drugs, and all her boyfriends after Adam were addicted. Kristina's friend Robyn affected her the most. Robyn did lots of drugs, dealt with drug dealers, and she got Kristina hooked up to addiction. This book is really about how addiction can change your life and everything in it.