Read Between the Lines

Teaser Tuesday #3--Rage

2011-05-03T11:38:00.000-04:00

It's teaser Tuesday again. Today, I'm highlighting RAGE by Jackie Morse Kessler.

Here is how Teaser Tuesday works:

- Grab your current read.

- Open to a random page.

-In the comment section, share a few “teaser” sentences (maybe a short paragraph) from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (That means, make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

- Remember to show the title & author, too, so that others can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Story: (From the back cover.)

Missy didn't mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don't find comfort in the touch of a razorblade, but Missy always was...different.

That's why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a new kind of blade--a big, brutal sword that can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it's with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control.

The Teaser:

"Be seeing you," Adam said.

Not if she could help it. Missy fled down the hall, her ears ringing with the Matts' laughter, her stupid body reminding her just how much she missed being with Adam. And that slowly turned to panic. The familiar feeling of suffocation leeched its way through her, making each breath torture, and her heart screamed behind the prison of her ribs.

She thought desperately of her lockbox, tucked safely away in her closet.

Not again, she told herself. Not again.

Whether she meant Adam or her razorblade, Missy couldn't say.

Your turn! Grab your nearest novel and give us a teaser.

Teaser Tuesday #2--Ship Breaker

2011-04-19T11:10:00.001-04:00

It's Teaser Tuesday again! YIPPIE! I'm very excited about this idea. This week, I've started SHIPBREAKER by Paolo Bacigalupi.

Here is how Teaser Tuesday works:
- Grab your current read.
- Open to a random page.
-In the comment section, share a few “teaser” sentences (maybe a short paragraph) from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (That means, make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Remember to show the title & author, too, so that others can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The story: (From the back cover)

In America's Gulf Coast region, where grounded oil tankers are being disassembled for parts, Nailer, a teenage boy, works on the light crew, scavenging for copper wiring just to make quote--and hopefully have enough to eat. But when, by luck or chance, he discovers and exquisite clipper ship beached during a recent hurricane, Nailer faces the most important decision of his life:Strip the ship for all it's worth or rescue its lone survivor, a beautiful and wealthy girl who could lead him to a better life.

The Teaser:

Pima drew her work knife. "Here."

Nailer made a face of disgust. "You just going to chop her fingers off?"

"No worse than cutting the head off a chicken. And at least she's not gonna squawk and flap around." Pima set the knife against the girl's finger. "Do it with me?"

"Where do I cut?"

"On the joint," Pima indicated. "You can't cut through the bone. This way, they pop right off."

Nailer shrugged and got out his own knife. He set it against the joint where it would part easily. He pressed his blade into the girl's flesh. Blood welled up as he cut.

The girl's black eyes blinked.

Teaser Tuesday--Dark Song

2011-04-12T10:26:00.000-04:00

Hello all!
Thanks to my friend over at http://literatisliterarylibrary.blogspot.com, I've decided to begin what's called Teaser Tuesday. (Be sure to stop over to her blog, follow, and check out the awesomeness that happens there.)

Here is how Teaser Tuesday works:
- Grab your current read.
- Open to a random page.
-In the comment section, share two (2 or 3) “teaser” sentences (maybe a short paragraph) from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (That means, make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Remember to show the title & author, too, so that others can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Dark Song-- By Gail Giles
pp.198
{Mark} stood up, no longer leaning. "But there's something else. I felt like I was steel and you were a magnet. I had a gut feeling I could tell you my secrets and you wouldn't betray me." Now his eyes penetrated mine, and I shivered. "There's something dark in you, Ames, that was searching for the dark in me." He turned and left the room.

That's it. Now, go grab your current read and give us a teaser. :)

Point of View Poll

2011-04-07T11:25:00.000-04:00

Hello, all!
So, I've officially started a new book today, and already, I have a problem: POINT OF VIEW.

When the characters first start talking to me, I hear their voices in 1st person. But when I start to write, I work it out in 3rd person. I find it's easier to narrate the action that way. I've written the first chapter in both 1st and 3rd, and I still can't decide.

So, help me out here:
Which do you like to read best? 1st person or 3rd person?
Which do you like to write best?
What problems do you have when working with either of those Points of View?

I still love you

2011-03-16T13:29:00.000-04:00

Dear Read Between the Lines Blog,
You may have recently heard that I started another blog. Don't worry, I still love you, and I promise, I won't ignore you. My problem is that I have things to say other than discussing books, and, unfortunately, I cannot use you to say them. Please forgive me.

I will still continue to read and use you to discuss these works of art. However, for my daily musings and stories, I must use your sister, "Ramblings of a Rabid Writer" found at therabidwriter.blogspot.com.

For all you followers, I'd love to have you follow me there as well!

Disappointed.

2011-03-09T19:32:00.001-05:00

I have high expectations for books, and most of them really live up to at least half of my expectations. If they reach more than half, they're on my list of freakin awesome books. However, every once in a while, my expectations are dashed, stomped on and thrown in the trash right along side the rabid possum. (No, really, but that's a whole other story!) What's worse is that I don't want to write about books like these. I would much rather rave about a fantastic story and tell you all to rush to your nearest indie to buy it. (That's independent bookstore for all of my non-book loving followers and few family members who will have no clue what I mean.)

Unfortunately, this stinkin book won't leave me alone. I finally finished Little Brother by Cory Doctorow. If you notice on my 'What I'm reading" list, I think I started it back in November. I just finished it. I know most people just give up when they can't get through a book. Not me. I'm the 'power through to the end no matter how long it takes' type. I can't help it. I have to give the author at least that much respect for having a published novel. But this one was painful most of the way through.

The premise is fantastic. A group of teens create an underground internet to subvert the government after being treated like terrorists. It's hailed as a cyber geek rebellion. I love this kind of story...most of the time. Here's the main problem I had with this story: There was too much description of how this underground internet thing worked. Pages upon pages of explanations about privacy keys and unlocking someone else's stuff if you had this but not that and only on the third Tuesday of the month if it was raining. I COULDN'T FOLLOW.

I get that there has to be some amount of explanation for a futuristic novel like this one, but it was way too much. So much it took away from the story. Then all the weird groups these kids organized were just strange and I couldn't fully understand the purpose of them. One was a group dressed like vampires who gathered in the middle of a train station and yelled, "bite, bite, bite,bite,bite" at each other in order to kill one another. Apparently, it was supposed to be some distraction that went awry, but I didn't catch that. It just seemed incredibly bizarre.

I can't even describe any more. Let's just say, after months of taking little bite, bite, bite, bite, bites out of this story, I barely survived.

So how about you? Are you the type to finish a book no matter how difficult, or do you put it down when you lose interest? What are the books you just couldn't stomach?

Hush Hush--Becca Fitzpatrick

2011-02-03T14:32:00.001-05:00

According to Scripture, we all live in a fallen world. This seems like an obvious statement.One look around shows us the evil humans inflict on one another. But what if there's more to this fallen world than meets the eye? What if, in addition to us, there were other fallen creatures?

The Bible talks about the fallen angels, led my Lucifer, who, though once an arch angel, became the Devil when his jealousy of God got in the way. Our ideas about the fallen angels come more from John Milton's 'Paradise Lost.' While a work of fiction, it's considered to be accurately based in the scriptures and, in my opinion, is a probable description of what may have happened in the beginning. (Thank you Dr. Hurley for making me read it!)

In Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush Hush, fallen angel, Patch, attempts to become human. He didn't follow after Lucifer. Rather, he "fell" for love. It gives new meaning to the phrase "falling in love!" Ah yes, love, the strange, crazy things it makes us do!

And then there's Nora Grey. She's not interested in a relationship when she has grades to focus on. But there's something about Patch that sucks her in. The problem is she can't decide if she can trust him. Something about him isn't quite right. But let's admit the obvious, there's something about a dangerous side that intrigues even the strongest of us.

After reading some reviews on this book, I've discovered some people find the fact that Nora is attracted to Patch's dangerous side ridiculous. They think having her follow after him after he's thrown her a snide remark or treated her like trash is ludicrous and degrading to any strong young woman. What young girl in her right mind would do such a thing? Um... Have you been in a local high school lately? Do you know any teen girls? Yeah, enough said.

How many movies have you seen where the monster is hiding in the closet and the heroine still reaches for the door nob? How many times have you personally known something might not have been on the up and up, but you still stepped through the door or answered the call or chosen something dangerous? It's part of our fallen nature to be curious about what we can't control, to test the boundaries of safety, and to be attracted to danger. I wish it weren't the case.

But on the up side, just as in all of us, we have to fight our fallen nature, so does Patch. He has to decide if the mission he began is the one he wants to finish. Sure it would include personal gain, but sometimes there are times when we need to set aside our own personal gain and come to the aid of others.

Does Patch do this? You'll have to read the book to find out.

Inanimate object POV

2011-01-20T11:28:00.001-05:00

I've recently joined the Sinclairville Library's new writer's group, Pen and Quill. Our most recent assignment was to write a short piece from the perspective of an inanimate object.
Here's mine:

It’s all up to me. Every day it’s the same thing. She expects me to do all the work. Why she can’t wake up on her own, I’ll never know. No, she lays the responsibility on me every time. I know her expectations, or maybe they’re threats. “Wake me up.” “Warm my hands.” “Clear my throat.” “You better be gratifying, or else!” Of course, she can’t find someone else to do her dirty work. Oh no. Never. Can’t you feel the weight of this responsibility? If she doesn’t focus well at work, it’s my fault. If she’s sleepy in the afternoon, my fault! And God forbid she be grouchy in the morning. That makes my job a thousand times worse.

And then there’s the issue of that same green thing she likes to use every morning. Yeah, you know. The one with the pretty leaves, or, even worse, the *gasp* high heeled one! Yes, high heels. I know. It’s sickening for someone like me, a robust, full bodied guy, to have to endure that. But I do it anyway because it’s my job, and despite the difficulties, I’m good at my job.

But I have to admit. I do love the cool of her hands around me. And the soft hum in her throat as I settle down. It’s the satisfaction she expects from me. Yes, I complain. But giving her what she wants? It satisfies me too.

I'm assuming you know what it is. Leave your answer in the comments.

Matched--Ally Condie

2011-01-06T11:19:00.002-05:00

So, I've become a total freak about dystopian novels. The more I read them, the more I like them. I'm picky, however. I'm not as much into the ones that have a heavy sci-fi side, which is why I loved Ally Condie's Matched.

When I was in high school (Come on, it wasn't THAT long ago!), we had to read 1984. I don't think many kids have to read this for English class these days, though I hope I'm wrong in that assumption. I didn't realize it then, but I think that's what started my love for the dystopian novel. It's all about the hope that even when the odds are against you, you still fight. No matter how big the problem is, no matter how insurmountable it may seem, you still have to try. I love to see a character, who at first seems passive and weak, find strength and passion within him or herself.

WARNING--SPOILERS

As the book opens, Cassia Reyes is 17 and headed to her matching ceremony. It's the time when she'll find out who she is to marry. In her world, society has figured out how to perfectly match young people so they will have successful marriages and healthy children. Disease and malformations are rare. What's even more rare is when she's matched to Xander, her best friend. They grew up together and know each other, unlike the others her age who are matched with people from around the country.

Her life seems absolutely perfect until she's looking through the microchip that gives information about Xander and sees another boy's face. Another boy she knows.

The problem is Ky Markham isn't allowed to be matched. He's an Aberration. Now, in a society where everything is chosen for her, Cassia has to decide if she will choose the life created for her or create one of her own.

If this book, as seen in others like it, creates teams for the love interest, I am totally Team Ky. He's real in a way Xander can't be. Ky is freer to choose his own life because of his status. Now, that doesn't mean he isn't subdued by society's rules, but Ky is smart enough to manipulate the rules and fly under the radar. Xander is just as smart, discovering Ky's secret of purposely remaining average, but he has no desire to change. In this world, you take what you're given, and Xander seems content with that. He doesn't have the history of another, wilder place like Ky does. It's Ky's experiences that make him unique and intriguing to Cassia.

Isn't that true of all of us? Our pasts, be them good or bad, make us who we are today. They allow us insight into life in ways others can't see. The things we love, the things we notice and appreciate (Books, poetry, music, etc) all stem from our own personal history and experiences.

Let me give you a personal example: When I was growing up, we used to make fun of my Dad who would sit at the dinner table spouting Greek, Latin and Hebrew to us. "Pedantic comes from the Latin root ped, meaning foot," he'd say. "It's the same root we get in the word pedal." This was common practice, and though I don't remember all the roots,--Sorry Dad--I gained his love for language, words and how they're put together. I chose my path based on this. My experiences with language shaped my love for it. Now, I wish I had paid closer attention to my father all those years ago.

So, I ask you, where do you come from? What past experiences made you who you are? What shaped you to love the things you love? Do you like to listen to swing music or eat black licorice? (Thanks again, Dad!) Are you a person of faith? Do you love poetry? Books? Sports? Coffee? And do you ever wonder who you'd be if that person, that influence hadn't been around? Think about it. What would be missing from your life if one person or experience hadn't happened?

Bleed For Me

2010-12-02T11:29:00.005-05:00

I know I've gotten away from the book reviews for a while. I hope you'll all forgive me for that. Below is a short story written as an assignment for my new writer's group. (For those who may be interested in attending, it's held on the 1st &3rd Thurs. of the month at 6:30 at the Sinclairville Library.) The assignment was to write about a childhood experience.

For Gramps: I'm thinking of you today.

Bleed For Me

By Jessie Andersen

She watched the white gauze blush red as blood seeped through the too-thin fabric held against his palm. Clenching his fist for a moment did nothing to stop the crimson stream that continued to flow. With the bare, calloused fingers of his good hand, he reached for the metal handle of the wood stove in the corner next to his favorite rocker. A flick of his wrist opened the door, and he tossed the soaked fibers into the flames.

Ripping the clean gauze open with his teeth, he pressed it against his skin. “Here, hold that,” he said, his voice gravelly, as she looked on helplessly as any seven year old would.

Carefully, she pressed her fingers against the gauze. Her hand in his was odd, out of place against his worn, leathered skin, a pool of fresh cream poured over a pile of dirt and grease.

While she pressed, he reached into his back pocket where she knew he’d pull out the handkerchief that lived there. With a snap, he stretched out the cloth from corner to corner and wound it around his hand, tucking one end under and tightening the knot with his teeth.

“There,” he said, squeezing his fist. “Good as new.”

But he couldn’t hide the tiny grimace that flashed over his eyes and forehead as he pressed on the makeshift bandage.

A sharp voice called from the other room. “It needs stitches!”

“I ain’t going to no doctor, Ginner!” Then he looked at the small girl at his feet and shook his head, his eyes twinkling lights over soft, blue velvet. “I don’t need no gol’ darn stitches!”

He winked as his lips pulled back in a grin, revealing the gold capped tooth on his upper right side. It made his smile sparkle as much as his eyes.

“How’d you cut it, Gramps?” she asked, staring up at him from the floor where she often sat at his feet. She’d walked through the door moments before to the sight of him sitting by the fire, attempting to nurse his hand while his wife, her Gram, cleared away some bloodied towels.

“Cuttin some pussy willers. Jabbed that gol’ darn knife right into my hand when I was cuttin ‘em.” He leaned his head back on the wooden slats of the rocker and closed his eyes.

She could picture it. All 5’4 of him reaching deep into the weeds, bending around a jutting rock with knife in hand, trying to be careful not to fall in the creek bed full of water. He’d have held the stems together with one hand and sliced with the other, driving the blade deep into his palm. Deep enough to need stitches. But he’d refuse to get them. She grimaced just thinking about it.

“Them pussy willers tried to best me, but I got the better of them, now didn’t I?” He tossed his head to the side, pointing toward the mantle with his gaze.

She looked up where, for the first time, she noticed a glass vase sprouting pussy willows and cat tails.

She laughed, “Gramps, why’d you need pussy willows so bad?”

He clenched his hand. “I just know’d you like ‘em is all.”

A white heat flooded her body. “Y-you got them for me?” she stammered.

“Yepper, and you can take ‘em home. I don’t want to see ‘em ever again,’ he snickered.

No, of course not. He’d not have the plant that bested him standing on the mantle in its full glory, taunting and teasing his injury. In his mind, he’d met the challenge of the willows and came out on the other side, the slightly marred victor.

For years those pussy willows adorned her vanity, evidence of a grandfather’s loving sacrifice. Now, though years and her grandfather have passed, the pussy willows displayed in her weed arrangement in her own home remind her of just one of the many sacrifices of a man whose memory still lives on in the willows. The same pussy willers he cut so long ago.

Rantings on Beauty

2010-11-12T11:44:00.007-05:00

I'm sorry. I can't help it. I've been putting this post aside, telling myself that because it's not based on a book, I shouldn't have it on here, but this idea has been bugging me for a few days now. I can't stay silent. I must speak loudly!

On Facebook the other day, I began to see posts, which said, "Post this on the walls of the 12 prettiest girls you know ... if you get 5 back you're beautiful! ♥ ♥ ♥" Right away, I felt the bile rise up in the back of my throat. I wanted to puke and scream and cry all at the same time. If you've ever seen me cry, you know it's not pretty! I would definitely not get that post on my wall on any day that I've cried. So, for a day or so, I said nothing. But it kept hounding me so badly, I posted this to my wall:

"To all the girls posting this, "You're pretty if you get 5 returns of this 'You're pretty' post," I certainly hope you know that beauty does not come from a FB post, or even what anyone else thinks of you. Beauty, true beauty comes from within. How about instead of desiring to get those 5 posts back, you show the kindness to someone else ? That's what makes a person beautiful."

Obviously, I couldn't say all I thought in a few lines on FB, so I'm saying it here.

How is it that we as a society have stooped so low that now our children have to find their beauty and self esteem by how many times random people paste a "you're pretty" post on their Facebook wall? We have FAILED with a big, fat F if our girls are seeking to discover what true beauty is on Facebook. Look, I love Facebook. I can now keep in contact with friends I haven't seen in years and keep up with family who live far away. It's great, but when we as parents allow Facebook to teach our kids about beauty, we've gone horribly wrong.

I'm reading a book by Joyce Meyer for my Bible study. It's called the Love Revolution. In it she focuses on the theme of happiness. How many people aren't happy because they think that getting more stuff or wearing certain clothes is going to bring happiness? Now, the book is written from a Christian perspective, but even with that aside, its message says the only way to be happy is to serve others. I'd take this message one step further for our young people. It's that servant's attitude, that willingness to put self aside and do something kind for someone else without need or want of anything in return that makes someone beautiful.

When I was a little girl, my mother told me all the time, "Jessie, It's better to be pretty on the inside." I now tell my daughter the same thing, to which she replies, "Yes, and it's cold on the outside." (We still have a little work before she fully understands the meaning of this phrase.)The point is that beauty comes from within. A person can be the perfect model with long flowing locks and porcelain skin and still be ugly.

Admit it, you know these type of people, people who are "beautiful" but are mean or stuck up. You also know people who may not look perfect. Maybe they have a few more pounds than the average person, or scars that cover their face, but their inner beauty masks what the world considers ugliness.

I hope that as I raise my daughter, I can teach her that she will be beautiful because she loves people, because she loves the Lord, because she is kind and gentle, because she helps those around her and sacrifices herself for others, because she speaks words of encouragement and not harsh words. If I can teach her how to do that, I will have a beautiful daughter. Better yet, if I can show her how to do those things by doing them myself, I can be a beautiful mom.

Maybe I should start a new Facebook post. One that says, "Post this to the wall of 12 girls who are beautiful because they are kind and gentle, because they sacrifice for those around them, and because they speak kind words of encouragement instead of harsh ones, for their beauty comes from within." Do so with nothing expected in return, just for the sheer joy of encouraging someone else for the good qualities they possess. Join me, won't you?

Thirteen Reasons Why

2010-10-20T10:52:00.002-04:00

We all want to make a difference in this world. No one goes into life thinking, "I want the things I do and say to hurt people." Or if you do, you're deranged. We choose our jobs based on the idea that we can best serve the world in one particular profession. Despite the fact that my six year old says he wants to be a "regular guy" and not a doctor like his four year old sister, we want the things we do to matter. We've all heard it said a million times. "I want to make a difference." "I want to help people." And maybe the things you do or say really do influence people for the better. I certainly hope so. But what if that influence wasn't exactly what you hoped it would be? What if, because of you, someone died? What if, because of you, someone CHOSE to die? What if you were one of the THIRTEEN REASONS WHY?

Jay Asher has created a masterpiece in his debut novel Thirteen Reasons Why. In the story, Clay Jensen discovers a package on his doorstep when he arrives home from school one day. Inside are cassette taped numbered 1-13 created by Hannah Baker, his first crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier. When he plays tape #1, he hears Hannah's voice telling the story of her life, more specifically, why she ended it. She goes on to say, "If you are listening to these tapes, you are one of those reasons." Clay's duty is to listen to the tapes to find out his role in her death and pass them on to the next person. Accompanying the tapes was a map, delivered weeks before the suicide. As Hannah walks the listener through her story, they can follow the map to places that influenced her life.

It's with horror Clay listens. He can't remember what he could have possibly said or done that would have hurt Hannah enough to make her kill herself. He even cared for her. As he listens to the stories, he discovers it's not always a "big something" that's mentioned. A rumor here, ignoring there. But all the small events add up. For someone who needs a word of encouragement, for someone who needs a friend to listen, taking that away even for a second can crush the human spirit.

As we read, we see Hannah's tapes woven into Clay's reactions in a back and forth narrative point of view. It is hugely powerful being able to experience the heartache from her perspective and to see his immediate reaction. I have to admit, I was brought to tears when Clay begs the people on the tapes to stop what they're doing, to pay attention to what's happening.

Thirteen Reasons Why is a potent testimony to young people showing them that EVERYTHING they say and do is observed by someone. Nothing goes unnoticed. And sometimes what we consider the least of offenses have dire consequences.

So, don't hold back that word of encouragement. Keep your eyes open to the truth. Dispel rumors as they come and be the absolute best person you can be. You never know who might need what you have to offer to live another day.

And the Winner Is...

2010-10-04T12:13:00.001-04:00

It's October 4th, and in honor of the SPEAK LOUDLY campaign and banned books week (It just ended.), my drawing for a free copy of SPEAK was today. I used a very scientific method: I wrote down all the entries on little slips of paper, put them in a bowl and had my four year old draw a name while holding the bowl above her head.

And the winner is... Hold your breath...
Tracy Hewitt!
Congrats, Trac. I'll be getting the book to you shortly.

A Change of Plans

2010-09-27T09:59:00.001-04:00

Have you ever had a change of plans? You know, you get one thing all scheduled, planned to the T. You know what time you need to leave and how fast you have to drive in order to arrive at your destination with four minutes to spare. Those four minutes will be eaten up by your walk to the building and you'll show up right on time.

But what about those times that you've had to throw those plans out the window? All the hard work put into preparation and something steps in the way and it's all for naught.

Recently, my Mother planned a 40 year anniversary trip to Maine for my Dad. As Dad puts it, "This was a labor of love." For anyone who knows my mom, she hates to travel. I mean hates it! She'd rather have lemon juice poured on paper cuts than travel more than 30 minutes in the car. So, this was a huge deal for her. She planned the whole thing herself; the B&B's, the stops along the way. It was her love for my Dad that spurred this trip. So, it must have been hard when unforeseen circumstances caused them to cancel the trip. So, she painstakingly called the B&Bs to cancel. Some refunded her money, some did not. But she did it because life got in the way and because she loves my Dad. They got to go eventually, but only after she rearranged her plans.

But how about those times when we choose to change our plans? We plan to do _____ and our kids want to do _____ (Fill in the blanks.) Sometimes we put our own plans aside because we want to see the joy on our children's faces. We want to show them how much we love them by giving them things that will make them happy. We want to show them that they are the most important thing in the world to us and do so by putting our own wants behind theirs.

This is how God is with us. He changes his plans for us!

Isaiah 38 tells the story of Hezekiah. "In those days, Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah went to him and said, "This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order because you are going to die; you will not recover." Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord. "Remember O Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: "Go and tell Hezekiah,'This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life."

It was the prayer of the faithful that caused God to change his plans. He had things all set. Hezekiah was supposed to die of his illness, but his prayers made God change his plans. Isn't that amazing. GOD CHANGED HIS PLANS!

Yesterday in Sunday school, we were discussing the miracles of Christ. My favorite is his first miracle at the wedding in Cana. You know the story. Jesus is hanging out with his buddies at a wedding. The bride and groom run out of wine, which was about the most disgraceful thing to have happen in that time period. So his mother comes over and says, "They don't have any more wine." He responds by saying, "Why do you involve me? My time has not yet come."

You see, it wasn't in his plans to turn the water to wine that day. But those of you who've read the story know how it ends. He does it. He performs a miracle. He changed his plans that day. Who knows, maybe his first miracle was supposed to be something huge like a group healing. Maybe it would have been accompanied by lightning bolts and earthquakes just to make sure everyone noticed. But whatever his plans were, (the Bible doesn't tell us when 'his time' really was.) he changed them for that couple.

Are you beginning to see? God loves us so much he changes his plans for us. So don't give up or give in. Don't resign yourself to the fact that nothing will ever make God change his mind. It doesn't matter if you think God has a certain plan and everything is set and unchangeable. God is the only unchangeable being in this universe. His love is unchanging. His grace is unending. However, with a little prayer, sometimes with a lot of prayer, his plans can change. Why? Because he loves you.

So what ideas have you given up on today? What have you stopped praying for because you still don't see the answer? Have you decided that you'll never have a baby because the doctors have told you so? Have you given up on that relationship because it seems too impossible to fix? Are you absolutely sure there is no more hope? God wants to be merciful to us. He wants to extend his grace to us. The real question is, are we willing to reach out and accept it?

I was once told that God answers prayers in three ways: "Yes", "No", and "Not right now." But I'm beginning to believe that there are now four answers: "Yes", "No", "Not right now" and, "Sure, just let me rearrange some things first."

Christians Can Speak Loudly Too.

2010-09-19T21:28:00.003-04:00

For those of you who haven't yet heard, Laurie Halse Anderson's SPEAK is under attack. Wesley Scroggins, an associate professor at Missouri State University, claims it is filthy and immoral and even claims it contains "soft pornography" because of two rape scenes. This man is a Christian and asks how the Christian men and women can expose their children to such filth. Ironically, the Bible contains stories of rape, incest, adultery, murder and the like, as well as being a story of redemption, yet I'm assuming Mr. Scroggins won't try to prevent children from reading it.

I'm horrified by this whole event. First of all, I'm a Christian. I have been for as long as I can remember. Growing up with a pastor for a dad, my life was inundated with faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. My faith boils down to this: We as humans screw up on a daily basis, sometimes worse than others. This is called sin. That sin separates us from God. To fix the problem that we originally created, God sent his son, Jesus Christ, two thousand years ago to be punished for those sins. He died and because of his sacrifice, I can one day spend eternity with a God who loves me and sacrificed his own life for me.

I've screwed up countless times. I've hurt the people I love the most, and in doing so, I've separated myself from God. But you know what? He forgives me. Notice that's in present tense. He forgave, forgives and continues to forgive. It's not that I do horrible things on purpose, but living in the world we do, we often are influenced by the things we see around us. We are continually under attack by the enemy of our souls, Satan, and we have to stand guard in order to fight against this evil.

Christianity draws an even clearer picture of the depravity that we humans face every day. It's not right to shield our children from reality. If we do, they won't know how to deal with it when they experience it for themselves. Should we do this before they're ready? Of course not, but we can't pretend that sin isn't real either. If we downplay the sin in the world, we also downplay the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Personally, I want my children to understand that despite all the evil that surrounds us, our God has already defeated the enemy of sin and death. I want them to understand they can live in this world without fear because of Christ's death and resurrection. I want them to know that no matter what sin is committed and no matter how broken people are, there is still forgiveness and healing in Jesus.

Just one look around this world and we can see the sinfulness. Murder, hatred, incest, lust, affairs, and abuse are just a drop in the ocean of the horrible things humans have done to each other. And rape. Yes, rape, which brings me back to the controversy surrounding SPEAK.

If you haven't read it, do so!!! It's a necessary read for any teenager, despite what Mr. Scroggins says. Yes, it has rape in it. But why are we afraid to speak loudly about issues and sins in our own society? Are we instead just going to ignore the rapes that occur every day and hush young people when it happens to them? Are we going to tell them by our silence that their pain isn't important, or are we going to show them that there are people who have been through what they've been through? Are we going to show them that they can survive, live even, after something so horrible? Are we going to support them and encourage them to speak out or are we going to shush them into dealing with their pain alone? How do we expect to change any of the atrocities that happen in our world if we keep silent about them?

Do horrible things like rape happen every day? Yes. But there can be healing after. Our Lord Jesus Christ can bring healing and wholeness that the enemy and the rapist took away.

But sometimes it takes a little nudge. It takes someone like Laurie Halse Anderson to write a book like Speak that shows young people they don't have to remain silent. Speak gives them a point of contact, someone to resonate with, a spark of recognition that maybe, just maybe they can be all right. If we keep silent about these issues like rape, abortion, drugs, or abuse, kids will discover answers on their own. Why not give them a point of reference that may just help make their lives a little better?

So, Ms. Anderson, keep writing stories like Speak. We're still listening.

.

Hate List-- Jennifer Brown

2010-09-13T10:49:00.003-04:00

I've been sitting here with my fingers hovering over the keyboard, wondering where to start. I was so moved by Jennifer Brown's debut novel Hate List, I can't even sort out my emotions. This book evokes a wide spectrum of feelings from hate to fear to sorrow all the while drawing the reader into a realm of reality we all hope we never have to truly experience.

Valerie Leftman is about to start her Senior year at Gavin High School. But this year will be different from any other since she was the girlfriend of Nick Levil, the guy who shot up the school, killing many of his classmates before shooting himself. It was all because of the Hate List, a list that she helped create.

You know you've said it. "I hate this homework assignment." "Mrs. So-n-so sucks." or "I'll kill him for breaking my ipod." Those kinds of things were on the hate list, but it was more than that. There were names. Names of people Val and Nick hated for tormenting them at school.

Punches in the chest when no one was looking. Nicknames like "Sister Death." They were constantly bombarded with an array of teasing, and their only way to deal was to make the hate list. But Val wouldn't have done anything about it. Writing it down was enough for her. And she was just as shocked as everyone else when Nick open fired on the commons. But no one will ever believe that. Just like they wouldn't believe that Nick wasn't really the monster the papers made him out to be. He was kind, and protective, and he loved Shakespeare, but no one would know that because they were too busy harassing him.

Unfortunately, Val can't change the past and now she has to face the same people day in and day out, and despite what the reporter, Angela Dash says, the shooting hasn't changed anything. Kids still hate each other. Fear still resides in the hallways. She's still ostracized. But maybe through the help of her psychiatrist, Val can figure out how to deal with her upside down life. And maybe, just maybe she can learn to trust people again.

A school shooting would be anyone's worst nightmare. As a former teacher, I know what the schools are like. I know how cruel some kids can be to other kids. But how can we expect different from our children when we adults don't do any better? How can we teach our children not to hate when our own lives are saturated in anger? Until we can learn to forgive those who have wronged us and show our children that hatred only destroys, there is no hope for them. Until we learn to treat others who are different from us with respect, we can't expect our children to do the same. I know it's hard, especially when ignorance abounds and people make choices based on their feelings. I know it's hard when someone offends you or your beliefs. I know it's hard when people choose wrong believing whole heartedly they are right, (Yes, there is a right and wrong no matter what some may say.) So how can we go about making this world safe for our children?

The answer is in ourselves. We need to search our hearts and rid them of malice, hatred, anger, greed, jealously. We need to replace that with love and forgiveness. Only then will we not only be able to tell our children to be kind to those who are different, but we'll be able to show them how it's done. What better lesson can we teach our kids than living that kind of life?

Candor--PamBachorz

2010-08-28T21:33:00.001-04:00

Candor. Where the destination is perfection and subliminal messages are the way to get there.

Got a nasty smoking habit? Move to Candor. Is your marriage in trouble? Move to Candor. How about a rebellious child? Move to Candor. It'll fix everything and make your life just perfect. There's no need to worry about teen pregnancy. (Respectful space in every place.) And drugs? No. The people of Candor would never dream of such a thing. Their bodies are temples. Not even chocolate or ice cream is served here. (Healthy breakfasts make for smart minds.) The children are never late to class. (The great are never late.) And would never dream of disobeying their parents. (Parents always know best.)

Oscar Banks has everyone fooled, even his father, the founder and creator of Candor. Daddy dearest thinks Oscar's the model citizen he's supposed to be thanks to the messages his father's been pouring into his and everyone else's brain, but Oscar creates messages of his own to fight back. (Remember the messages. Control the Messages; don't let them control you. Think independently.) He will remember his mother who left, and he will remember his dead brother no matter how much his father tries to erase them. Until Nia moves to town and everything Oscar's created may just fall apart.

Nia's not like the others. She holds out a good week before the messages start to change her and in that week, Oscar falls in love. Now, just like he's done for others, he has to get her out before the messages erase her forever. But can he do it without losing himself in the process?

I love a good dystopian novel, especially when the created world in in the realm of possibility. That's what we have with Candor.

I'm reminded of the verse in the Bible that says, "Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it." I've heard it said that the verse was talking about training a child "according to his bent." In other words, watch and learn what talents a child possesses and encourage that. How important it is for we parents to see our children for who they are and to encourage those characteristics that make them individuals. Yes, we train them to be good citizens, to act appropriately, but how often have we wanted something for our children, maybe even pushed them a certain direction merely because the activity was something we wanted? Are we making our children be the people we want them to be or the people God created them to be? Are we suppressing their characteristics in lieu of ones we think are better? Yes, of course we need to teach them right from wrong. And we should allow them to experience things they may not want to experience. Pushing them is necessary sometimes, but do we do so to their own expense? Do we make them out to be little robots of our own liking or do we like who they will choose to become?

Maybe you know first hand what it's like to be molded into something you didn't want. Or maybe you're that person whose parents let you be you. As for Oscar, you'll have to read to see if he comes out a better man.

Reading suggestions-- Help!

2010-08-26T21:52:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone. Currently, I'm creating a list of YA books our library needs to purchase. You see, thanks to you and your generous sponsors for our first ever Read-a-Thon, we have money that we can use on such things. So, to compile a list I need information from you.
What're your top 5 favorite YA books? OR What are the last 5 YA books you've read and enjoyed.
Thanks!

The Dead Tossed Waves-- Carrie Ryan

2010-08-14T21:42:00.001-04:00

There is nothing better than reading a sequel that's better than it's predecessor. Okay, well, maybe I can think of a few things, like chocolate, lots of chocolate, and really good coffee in the morning, and my husband would make that list too. He's pretty awesome, especially when he makes me coffee in the morning! But, other than that, a kick-butt sequel totally takes the cake. (What does that cliche mean anyway? It makes no sense. Where would you take a cake anyway?) I digress.

The Dead Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan, sequel to The Forest of Hands and Teeth, accomplished what few second books do: Its story blew the first one out of the water. (No pun intended.) Now, if you keep up with this blog, you'll know that I also loved the previous book, so that should give you a hint as to how much this one rocked.

Warning: Spoilers!!!

Gabry lives in Vista, a town on the ocean in a post apocalyptic world where the Mudo wash up on the shores of the land. Her mother, as the keeper of the lighthouse, is responsible for clearing the beaches. Cutting off the heads of the already dead before they trudge back to life again isn't high on Gabry's list of things she prefers to do every morning. She'd much rather be dreaming about her future with Catcher, a future that would probably involve a semi decent life if she could convince him to stay inside the fences where they're safe from the Mudo.

But, show me a teenager who doesn't test the boundaries, be it alone or as a result of pressure from friends. This is how Gabry ends up outside the fences in the ruins of the amusement park where she discovers that her dreams about Catcher's love are reciprocated. This would make for a great love story if it weren't for the fact that a Breaker attacks her group of friends and Catcher is bitten.

A bite from Mudo means death and return. Suddenly, Gabry's world is turned upside down. She escapes and watches her friends punished for going outside the boundaries. To make up for not getting caught, she promises her best friend, Cira, that she will find Catcher, who has gone missing.

When her search leads her to the shores beyond the boundaries and right into another attack of Mudo, Elias saves her. It isn't until later she discovers he's a souler: one of those crazy cult members who worship the Mudo, except, he seems different somehow. He leads her to Catcher, who still hasn't turned Mudo and won't since he's immune.

Great, end of story. They live happily ever after. I don't think so. Being immune is extremely rare and when the recruiters find out, they'll want Catcher for reconnaissance missions. You see, the Mudo can't sense him, which would mean he could enter territory that is infested with Mudo, and get to places that hold supplies. Unfortunately, just turning himself in won't keep his friends safe. They'll be kept as ransom for him to return from these missions. Because of this, Catcher, Gabry and Elias and Cira escape into the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

This should be easy for them because Gabry's mother, Mary from the first book, left clues right before she ran back into the forest herself. Seeking out a village would be a great idea. Maybe they could even settle down and forget about life in Vista. The question is, who would Gabry settle down with? Catcher refuses to kiss her again for fear of infecting her and though her heart belongs to him, she's constantly being pulled toward Elias.

With the Forest full of Mudo, the love of her life infected, her best friend injured and the recruiters hunting them down, how will they ever find their way through? If there is any hope for Gabry's future, she has to discover the truth about her past and her mother's past. Only then can she make the choice between the two men who've both grown to love her and maybe, just maybe, outrun the living and the dead who are out for her blood.

I think the thing I love about these stories is how detailed Ryan is in creating this world. When I can entirely picture every detail and have no open ended questions, the author has done his or her job. Kudos to you, Ms. Ryan! I can't wait to read more of your work.

Catching Fire--Suzanne Colllins

2010-07-28T10:17:00.001-04:00

Dear God, Please grant me the talent that Suzanne Collins had while writing Catching Fire. Thanks! Amen.

Warning: Spoilers:

Collins did it again with her second book in the Hunger Games series, Catching Fire. How many twists and turns can this woman come up with?

The first time I read it, I went into it thinking, there's no way she can surprise us like she did in the Hunger Games. NOT TRUE! There were so many surprises in Catching Fire, I couldn't keep up. From whipping Gale to the announcement of the Quarter Quell to the "pregnancy" to all the tortures in the games themselves. I could barely keep up. No, seriously, I wanted to stay awake to read the whole thing, but since I'm not a teenager anymore and since I have children to look after, I had to keep closing the book to get some rest. (Stinkin sleep!) In my opinion, this was more of a page turner than the Hunger Games.

Side note: Think about it, Collins must have planned out these two or maybe all three books when she got the idea. She started Hunger Games at the 74th games, leading up to the quarter quell. I love when writers have ideas like this and it just blossoms into something amazing.

Okay, enough of me blabbing about that. Let's get to the actual story... We know that tension has to increase as we step into the story. Collins does this, not by jumping into the games again, but rather by playing up the situation in the districts. We get to see most of the districts on Katniss and Peeta's victory tour. It's here that the uprisings begin to take shape. I almost cried when Rue's district gives the sign of goodbye after the announcing Rue's four note whistle. AHH!! Then, when they get back to district 12 and new peace keepers are present.. Rules are harsh and beatings begin...with Gale. I think I was screaming aloud at that part. Add the subtle tortures of Darius being an avox and Cinna being beaten in front of Katniss for turning her into a mockingjay in defiance of the capitol and you have and edge of your seat page turner.

It's funny, whenever there's a love triangle developing, normally, I take sides. Here, I can't decide who she should be with. Every time she's with Gale, I want her with Gale. Every time she's with Peeta, I want her with Peeta. Both are upstanding men who love her and want to protect her. And they don't fight over her like in some other book series. :)

I also loved the other characters. Haymitch totally rocked!!! He was awesome, and I loved the insight into his own Hunger Games. Peeta even makes the observation that Katniss is like Haymitch. That's why he chose to help her stay alive in the first games. My second favorite character was Finnick. Probably because he has that cocky attitude, but inside he's a softy who cares for people.

My one complaint in this one was how dense Katniss seemed to be. I mean, when Mags ran into the fog, and then Johanna brought Beetee and Wiress, she should have made some connections, although the explanations in her mind made total sense. If I were her, I'd probably be the same way: wary of everyone around me.

Her goal in this games is to save Peeta because she believes that he's the better person, which, if we're all honest, is true. He has leadership capabilities and can gather a following with his words instead of his weapons. He's what a new country would want as a leader. Which, by the way, is my prediction for the next book. With district 13 alive and well and the uprising already underway, I can only guess as to how Collins will sum up this series. And based on the twists in her previous two stories, I'd probably be wrong.

procrastination

2010-07-27T20:06:00.002-04:00

Hello all. This will be a quick note. Yes, I'm still planning on blogging Catching Fire. I finished it weeks ago, but haven't had time to get moving on a blog post. Bear with me.

I'm in the middle of overhauling my manuscript to resubmit to an agent as per her request. Right now, this takes precedence. Continue to pray that God would give me wisdom as I write and especially as I make changes.
Thanks!!!

The Forest of Hands and Teeth--Carrie Ryan

2010-07-07T15:58:00.001-04:00

Zombies are the new vampire. Or so they say. I'm always intrigued by the trends in YA lit--Witches, vampires, angels, and now zombies. Whatever happened to realistic fiction? I'm hoping there's still a demand for it because I can't write paranormal stuff. I'm much to normal for that! :) Maybe by the time my book gets published, realistic stories will be in highest demand.

That said, I thoroughly enjoyed The Forest of Hands and Teeth. With the feeling of M. Night Shyamalan's The Village, Ryan's book sets itself in a secluded town surrounded by fencing. Beyond the fences live the Unconsecrated, who though dead, never fully die. They just continue to deteriorate with bones poking through fingers and skin that is torn until eventually, they lose all mobility. No one knows what truly happens then, but it's believed that they lie on the forest floor staring at the sky for eternity, a muddled mess of rotting death.

Mary grew up in this village with a daily fear of the Unconsecrated placed in her mind by the Sisters, the religious sect of the community. After her mother's "death," Mary is turned away by her only living relative. The man she loves has asked for the hand of another and Harry, her second choice of a husband, didn't officially ask for her hand. Therefore, her option is to live in the cathedral and become one of the Sisters. Unfortunately, she doesn't fit in with the Sisters, especially when she discovers that the Sisters are keeping secrets from the rest of the community, secrets that could cause their doom.

Now Mary must decide if she's willing to risk life and love to follow her passion for what may not exist. Spurred by her mother's stories of their ancestors, Mary is determined to leave the village and find the ocean. No one believes her stories, not even her best friend. When the Unconsecrated breach the borders patrolled by the Guardians, she has to decide if she will fight or flee her village, thus facing the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

I think what I liked most about this story was how quickly it moved. I'll have to say that when I began reading, I was immediately drawn in my mind to the movie The Village. I kept thinking to myself, "I know what's going to happen in this book." Delightfully, I was wrong. (I know, I know, It doesn't happen often, but on occasion, my opinion may be skewed.) It took me down paths that seemingly led no where, but then would surprise me with just the right action. (Path pun intended.-- Read the book. You'll understand.)

I still have one question that is left unanswered, "Why did the sisters do that to Gabrielle? Was it just to keep the secret? Why was it so important to keep the paths a secret? It kind of makes sense, but there's a sense that some actions taken by the sisters were unnecessary. But then again, don't we all do things that have no reason? I know I do.

I'm also wondering if those unanswered questions will be revealed in The Dead Tossed Waves, the companion to The Forest of Hands and Teeth.

Sacrificing life for love is a theme that runs through the novel. Mary's seen it happen before and now has to choose for herself between love and life, even when life could mean death. So I ask you, if the person you loved more than anything in the world became Unconsecrated, would you choose to let him/her go, or to become unconsecrated yourself just to be with him?

The Hunger Games-- Suzanne Collins

2010-06-24T11:22:00.003-04:00

Few books warrant a re-read. After I've read a book once, usually I send it back to the library immediately having thoroughly enjoyed it or thoroughly hated it, but every once in a while I find that gem, the lone shining star that sticks with me continually shining it's light on my mind. I know when I catch one of these that I will re-read it some day. Usually, it's those lingering characters or twisting plot that causes me to actually go out and buy the book. Being a former English teacher, one would think that my shelves are full of books--and they are-- but I only have one shelf... and it's small. It's used for my gems.

As you've probably figured, The Hunger Games is a re-read; though, I don't technically own it yet. So, any of you who'd like to buy it for my gem shelf, feel free.

Honestly, I don't know where to begin with this one. The characters are well developed and unforgettable, the plot gives so many twists and turns, you never know what is coming next. Let me tell you, Collins is a master of giving the reader the unexpected at just the right moment. Even the setting commands attention.

It's a future America called Panem. But this future isn't so bright. After the thirteen districts rebelled against the government and lost, the leaders of the nation though fit to implement a annual reminder to the people proving again and again that they are the ones in charge. Hence, the Hunger Games. Each year, everyone is required to attend the reaping during which one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 from each of the twelve districts are chosen to play in the Hunger Games. Reminiscent of Shirley Jackson's The Lottery, this is not a prize you want to win. Definitely not. You see, it's a fight to the death.

Now, just saying that may turn many of you off. You don't want to read about teens fighting. It's too grotesque or violent. That's what's so amazing about this book. It's the reason I had to read it. How could Collins make this appropriate and still have the kids kill each other? The question had to be answered, and I refuse to answer it here in this blog. Read it. Just know that it was not at all what I had expected. I figured it had to be horribly violent, but Collins is amazing at capturing the story without turning off the reader. (Though I'm sure many a teenage boy would love more gore filled details.) Which brings me to another point: this is a fantastic book for boys and girls alike. Yes, the protagonist is female, but the elements of hunting, survival and fighting could easily suck boys into the story.

The characters are incredibly believable. I had no problem thinking that Katniss was a hunter or that her talent lay in her bow and arrow. Even the little bit of a love story (No, that's not the focus, thank goodness.) wove itself intricately into the rest of the story. From the strange people who live in the capital who don't understand what life is really like outside, to the avoxes--captured rebels maimed for their rebellion.-- to Greasy Sae down at the Hob-- a local underground trading center, to the other children chosen to fight, Collins's characters jump off the page. We feel for them. We don't want them to be punished for hunting outside the perimeter. We love when Katniss forms and alliance with Rue, a twelve year old from District eleven. We hate The Careers-- kids from those districts who have the resources to train their children for the games-- kids who usually win because of their prowess and strength. We even pity Haymitch, the drunk former games winner and Katniss's mentor.

There's so much more I could say. I could go on about the story line, but then you wouldn't have to read it, and I don't want that to happen. I could speak of it's ties to governmental control books like Orwell's 1984. Big Brother is always watching! I could talk of sacrifice for family, young people taking responsibility before their time, unrequited love, or brewing rebellion, but these are all themes you will see when you pick up a copy for yourself.

Don't forget, don't just buy The Hunger Games. It's Sequel, Catching Fire is out as well and the third, Mockingjay, comes out this summer. You can bet you'll see them on my gem shelf eventually.

I think I'll end today with a question or two: What parts of the book made you the most angry? Which character did you identify with most? And lastly, what would be your strategy to win the games if you were chosen? (Note, you can have no special training other than the skills you possess at this very moment.)-- Me? I'd die for sure.

Stuck in Neutral

2010-06-15T10:42:00.002-04:00

At long last... one of the most unique voices in YA literature comes from Terry Trueman's Shawn McDaniel of Stuck in Neutral. Never have I believed the thoughts and ideas of a character more than Shawn's. To make this even more unusual, Shawn has cerebral palsy and no motor control whatsoever. He can't speak to even tell his story, which is why Mr. Trueman does it for him, and beautifully, I might add. These are the voices we need to hear, the ones who can't speak for themselves, the ones who give us insight into all aspects of the human character. Perhaps if young men and women pick up a copy of Stuck in Neutral, their eyes will be opened in a way that will make them more compassionate to those inflicted with conditions like Shawn's. Need I say how books like this could possibly impact the lives of young people? All it takes is an exceptional perspective just like the one Mr. Trueman created.

Shawn describes his own condition on pg 6 and 7 of the text, "I can't control any of my muscles: not my fingers, my hands, my left foot, my stomach, my tongue, my dick, my throat, my butt, my eyelids, none of them. Not a one. So when the psychologist says, 'Who was George Washington?' I can't tell him what I know, from the dollar bill to the cherry tree, from the revolution of the colonists against the British to the father of our country, from his wooden teeth to him knowing Thomas Jefferson to-- anything. When I'm asked about the old, dead first prez, all I can do is sit there and drool if my drool function is running, or whiz in my pants if the pants-whizzing gear is engaged, or go 'ahhhhh' if my vocalizing program has clicked in."

Shawn, a closet genius with a photographic memory, is a fourteen year old boy stuck in a non-functioning body. To complicate things even more, his father, the Pulitzer prize winning poet who wrote a poem about Shawn's condition, might be planning to "put Shawn out of his misery." The problem with that is, Shawn isn't miserable! He loves life; he loves the way his brother slips him treats like potato chips or hamburger; he loves when his sister brings friends over for a sleepover and the girls dance around in their pajamas with their newly developing bodies. He can even read! His sister taught him by playing Special Ed teacher.

Just like any other fourteen year old, he's interested in the female body. One of my favorite passages that made me laugh until I nearly choked is on pages 39 through 41. Here he is describing the aides in his classroom.

" Becky is great too. She has red hair, long and soft. She's only about twenty years old and her body's gorgeous and she's super nice. I love when Becky works with me especially when she wears a low-cut top and has to bend over to load and unload me from this special standing contraption they put me in a couple hours every day. Her breasts are perfect: round and smooth and big. If I could be William (the other aide.), I'd spend every hour of every workday trying to figure out how to score with Becky. Hell, I'm me and I do that already, but you'd have to figure William would at least have a chance. I mean, he speaks the same language as Becky and can walk around and smile and do all of those necessary prerequisites to scoring. You'd figure the guy would at least have a chance....

The zoo is not like any other schoolroom you've ever seen.... First of all, remember that we students are all retards.

We moan, we drool, we takes dumps in our pants. We smack ourselves upside our own heads. We take headlong swan dives into the floor. We eat dirt and eraser dust and hunks of old crayons and chalk, anything, actually, that we can get into our mouths. Those of us who can walk, walk into walls and doors and one another; those of us who can't walk just sit around "ahhhhhhhhhhhhing" all day long....

I actually enjoy the weird irony of the fact that I'm considered the dumbest kid in my retard class. Most of the others can talk a little, some walk a little. All but me communicate at least a little bit. One guy, Jimmy, walks around saying "honey" all the time.... Another guy, Alan, constantly grabs his crotch and says, "Winky" over and over...."

Shawn's dad comes to his classroom to create a documentary type program on kids like Shawn. It's during the taping that the usual classroom stuff happens.

(Pg 44) Sydney McDaniel speaks. "'We've come to visit my son and honestly examine just what your money is buying.'

I sat listening to and remembering Dad's words; in the background I could hear 'winky, winky, winky' and 'ahhhhhhh,' and 'honey...honey...honey.'"

Now, I laughed at this book numerous times because of the personality that is demonstrated throughout, but never once did I lose sight of how real this could be. Perhaps those who are stricken with conditions like CP, really are geniuses. Maybe they look at the world and their lives and think that life really is still worth living.

Perhaps it was not the writer's intention, but this book made me think about all the times that life has been hard, all the times I've complained about not being able to do something I wanted to do. When I read a book like this, it puts life back into perspective. I may not have a big mansion overlooking the sea, I may not be rich or famous, or infamous for that matter, but I can look at life and enjoy every bit, every bite of hamburger, every book I read, every sight I see, or cool breeze I feel on my skin. I can be thankful for my speech, for the fact that my fingers move in ways that I can type this blog or my novel, my eyes can focus when I need them too. I can sit, stand, walk, jump, dance, wiggle, scratch and swallow at will. Most of all, I can communicate. I can tell those close to me that I love them, something Shawn couldn't do.

Most intriguing to me was Mr. Trueman's personal experience with this story. His son, Henry Sheehan Trueman, has CP. It is not his personal story, but his insight as a parent of a child with CP comes through in every word. Thank you, Mr. Trueman for this amazing, funny, unique look into what could be the mind of those many of us would consider "retarded."

One last thing. When I met Mr. Trueman at the Rochester Teen Book Festival, I had the privilege of hearing a few chapters of the yet unpublished next book in the Shawn McDaniel story. I'll keep you all informed as to when it comes out. It will definitely be on my shelves!

A Company of Swans-Eva Ibbotson- Guest Blogger Danielle Raymond

2010-05-24T10:08:00.001-04:00

We've reached a milestone here at Read Between The Lines: our first guest blogger! Cassadaga Valley's own, Danielle Raymond will be reviewing A Company of Swans. Danielle writes for the Cougar Beat, CVCS's newspaper and also attends Writers Ink teen writing group, which I run at the library. It was there that I met Danielle. Without further ado...

A Company of Swans
By Eva Ibbotson

The first time I read a book that completely swept me away into a different world that was as vivid and realistic as the one in A Company of Swans was in the first grade. I was six when the first Harry Potter book came out and my dad bought it for me. Hogwarts was so tangible, so detailed and described that it had to exist somewhere, even if magic and Harry Potter himself didn't. Those kind of books are very rare to find. They completely suck our conscious from our place and point in time to another.

I have to say that's one of the reasons I'm such a huge fan of Eva Ibbotson. Her writing is near flawless – no matter how hard I try, I can never seem to find anything wrong with it. Her plots are always well thought out, with all loose ends tied up at the conclusion and delivered to you in a neat little package. Her characters are deep and distinctly individual – when you walk away from the book, you aren't going to forget about them, simply because each and every one of them is unique and has their own quirks. Even minor characters that flit into the story for a brief second or two have memorable qualities and backgrounds. Her descriptions – be they of emotions or scenery – are simple and perfect.

A Company of Swans is a fantastic book, whether you're looking at it from a reader's perspective or a writer's perspective. I, consequentially, look at it and love it both ways.

The book's main character is eighteen-year-old Harriet Morton. Harriet is a quiet, considerate girl who is stopped from doing a great many things in life by her women-hating father who has the most absurd ideas of what is or is not decent, and by her penny-pinching aunt who is - let's face it - just a giant grouch who doesn't want anybody to be happy because she obviously has some neurological inability that prevents her from experiencing it herself. The one outlet Harriet is allowed is ballet. And she's good – which is why when a scout comes by her ballet class looking for a recruit, he picks her - plain-looking Harriet - out of all the others. Forbidden to go with the company to Brazil by her aunt and father and offending her suitor Dr. Edward Finch-Dutton (what a name, eh?) with the mere mention of such indecent behavior, Harriet feels the need to escape Cambridge (England!) more than ever.

On a forced visit to the historical Stavely Manor, Harriet meets an intelligent little boy by the name of Henry. Henry, looking trustingly up at Harriet through his humongous glasses, confesses to her that his father died recently and that he and his mother are going to lose Stavely because there's no money left. He tells her the story of the boy who used to live at Stavely. He was brave and adventuresome and strong – but he left a long time ago to go to the Amazon, and never returned. If only he could be found – Henry is sure he would be able to help him. Harriet mentions that she was supposed to go to that very place. Henry begs her to look for the boy, find him, tell him what's happening. Harriet can't help but almost instantly love Henry (I can't blame her – he's freaking adorable). So she agrees to search for the boy, and sneaks her way to Brazil with the company.

This boy, it turns out, is Rom Verney. Now a very rich man and an illustrious member of Brazilian society, he owns the opera house where Harriet is set to debut with the ballet company. Harriet has experienced a lot of things since she left Cambridge and her restricted, stuffy life. One thing she can't predict experiencing is Rom. Things kind of go from there – if you catch my drift.

I'm not a fan of romance novels. Ask any of my friends. But that's not all that this story is about. It's about seeing the world, stepping outside your comfort zone, living life to the fullest, making new friends, being passionate about something. Those are philosophies I support one hundred percent. I actually don't mind the romance in this novel so much. It's not as in-your-face as others can be. Overall, this is probably in my top twenty favorite books of all time. And that's a place of honor in my book, ladies and gents.

Rochester Teen Book Festival

2010-05-17T13:32:00.006-04:00

This past weekend, I dragged my friend, Bri, along to the Rochester Teen Book Festival. It was AWESOME! Yes, I know it was geared toward teens, but I'm still young at heart. Yes, I know that all the authors there write teen lit. "Don't you ever read adult lit, Jessie?" you're asking. Rarely!

Teen lit is quick because teens don't have long attention spans. (Apparently, neither do I.) It can be on a variety of subjects and is sometimes more edgy than adult lit, without the graphic sex...most of the time. It's relatively easy reading, and honestly, I get bored with adult stories because I live every day as an adult. I know what that's like. Teen protagonists can be much more interesting, honest, brass, cool, scared, cruel, sensitive, perceptive, thoughtful and knowledgeable than we give them credit for. (I could name many more character descriptions, but I'm sure you don't want a laundry list, so fill in the blank yourself.)

Anyway, I digress. The main idea is TEEN LIT BOOKS ROCK! I love to read them and even more, I love to write them, which is why I attended the book festival. I'm on a mission to surround myself with successful authors. So, I Twitter and Facebook and follow agents and authors to read about their daily lives and struggles in this business. They're very similar to my own struggles, so I know I'm not alone.

The annual festival is held at Nazareth College. I'm an alum there, having received my Masters in Special Education, so I hope when I am published, they will invite me to speak. The best part is, it's open to the public and it's free. Yes, that's right, FREE. So all you parents who think that bringing your teen to something like this would cost too much money, save your pennies for that fancy vacation and bring your kid to this festival!

It began with the authors arriving in limos, heralded by a marching band. Unfortunately, I missed this part since I was too lazy to wake up at the ungodly hour of 4 A.M. to be there right on time. By the time I arrived, we had a few minutes to look over the book table. I had to restrain myself, only buying a few books, but I could have easily spent hundreds. The money here goes to help fund the program and allows it to be free. Yes, that's right, FREE. After a few minutes, the authors were introduced one at a time and gathered on the bleachers where they did a lightning round of Q&A.

This is the entire panel of authors. Top row first from left to right: Laurie Halse Anderson, Holly Black, Coe booth, Robin Brande, Lindsay Cibos, Jared Hodges. Row 2: Marissa Doyle, Simone Elkeles, Ellen Hopkins, James Kennedy, A. S. King. 3rd row: Daniel Kirk, Alisa Libby, Barry Lyga, Lisa McMann, Mari Mancusi. 4th row: Ben Mikaelsen, Alyson Noel, Sarah Ockler, Matt De la Pena, Amy Kathleen Ryan. Bottom row: Lisa Schroeder, Jennifer E. Smith, Terry Trueman, Vivian Vande Velde, Martin Wilson.

Next were the break out sessions. You could choose three, unless you wanted to skip lunch. Then you could do four. (Of course I went to four. I wish I could have gone to more! Who needs to eat anyway?) I chose to see Terry Trueman, author of Stuck In Neutral first. He was in a classroom on campus, and after joining about 20 or so others, we settled in to hear him speak. Mr. Trueman was very laid back and spoke a little about everything, mostly in response to our questions. He even read from his WIP, (Work in Progress) which is a sequel to Stuck In Neutral. For those who don't know, Stuck In Neutral is about a boy with cerebral palsy and the book is written from his perspective! AWESOME book. Below are me and Terry Trueman.

After that, we saw Laurie Halse Anderson. Just knowing her success is inspiring. She was super nice, AND she remembered my blog about Wintergirls. :) Ms. Anderson had a slide show, which she used to discuss her life in writing. I'm jealous of her writing "cabin." I think I need to hire her carpenter husband to build one for me! In case, you don't know her, she is the author of Speak, Chains, Fever 1793, Twisted and many others. Here are a few pictures: The one on the bottom is my friend, Bri with Laurie.

Next was a trio of Super geeks who spoke on what it was like to be outcasts. Each took time to tell their most embarrassing moments and read from their books. Below are Lisa McMann, author of the Wake series; A. S. King, author of The Dust of 100 Dogs; and Robin Brande, author of Evolution, Me and Other Freaks of Nature and Fat Cat.

Lastly, was Ellen Hopkins, who wrote Burned, Crank, Glass, Identical, Impulse and Tricks. Her story is amazing, and for anyone who doesn't know, Crank and Glass as well as a book she's currently writing is based on her story and her daughter's struggle with Crystal Meth. The books are highly controversial due to their truthful look at the world of drugs, which makes them both intriguing and essential for teens. It's my belief that instead of banning books like these, we as parents should use them to our advantage. Read them yourself if you think they're not appropriate! And, as Ms. Hopkins said, come and listen to her speak. Then you'll know what she's all about.

What an amazing weekend. Thank you to the authors who took time to travel to Rochester to meet with a bunch of crazy teenagers and people like me who want some encouragement in the realm of writing. It was an honor, and I hope that one day I can call myself your colleague.

What Happened to Cass McBride--Gail Giles and Born Blue--Han Nolan

2010-05-11T11:38:00.001-04:00

I've been a reading freak lately, so I'm combining two of the books I've read into one post. I'll keep it short and sweet, and unfortunately, that means not getting into very much detail, but sometimes that's for the best.

What Happened to Cass McBride
This story totally freaked me out! In order to discuss, I need to give one major spoiler: She's buried alive.

Now, I won't go into details about how or why or if she gets out. I'll leave that to your own reading to discover the answers, but this book brought up one major point. That is how often we blame others.

For anyone to bury another person alive, there has to be some amount of psychological disconnect. This book takes that to the extreme. Yes, we can all name the horrible things that happened to us in the past, but does that excuse us from acting responsible? Does that give us a reason to blame others or worse, act out on that blame? No, of course not. No matter what trials we endure, we must learn from them. Sure, it's not fair. Life never is. Of course there should be justice for the injustices of this world, but is it up to us to deal out those justices?

I'm continually thankful for a God who I know will bring justice to those who wait on him to act. In the mean time, I'll learn from the horrible things that continually happen in this world, and I'll work hard to make my little corner of it a nicer place to be.

Born Blue
From page one, I was hooked on this novel. First, it starts with such a strong voice I had to keep reading. A young girl in an abusive foster home believes deep inside that she is part African American. (She's not.) Her speech sways with an uneducated slang making it a little difficult to read until you get used to it but definitely adds to the character.

This story traces this young girls life from foster care to being kidnapped by her heroin addicted mother and sold to another couple. She runs away from everyone, including those who try to help. Her life is a series of bad choices and she takes a ride on the stereotypical drug addict, teen pregnancy road. Yet, even through some of those stereotypical aspects, I felt a kernel of truth. It was honest.

The entire time I was hoping that she'd realize along the way that people do care. Not everyone is willing to sell her off, but just as with real people, she was blinded to those who truly care. I think back to the many times that I've seen friends and family members reach out to the lost only to be disregarded, or even worse, attacked. Such is the way with humans. I wonder how many times I've done that. I mean, how many times have I rejected someone who was just trying to help?

On the other side of the story are the people reaching out, knowing that they were taking a chance with this messed up girl. But they did it. They saw in her a talent or a spark of something good. What inspiration for us. They were stolen from, hurt and accused of lies, yet they still were willing to try.

What an amazing lesson for us to learn. No matter what the results, we should still try. It's our job to reach out to those who need it. So I ask you, are you reaching out?

Sunshine Award

2010-05-11T10:15:00.002-04:00

Nike Chillemi niminated this blog for the Sunshine award for creativity and inspiration. I'm accepting and passing it on to the following blogs:

1. http://www.hollygoeslightly.net-- Holly Jennings
2.http://craftyhollylouise.blogspot.com/--Holly Jones
3.http://ruthannemainlovesthings.blogspot.com/--Ruthanne Main
4.http://darkglassponderings.blogspot.com/--Julia Reffner
5.http://whiteplatonicdreams.blogspot.com/--T. Anne

The rules for accepting the award are:
1) Put the logo within my blog or on my post
2) Pass the award onto 12 fellow bloggers
3) Link the nominees within my post
4) Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog
5) Share the love and link to the person whom you received this award from.

I figure since I'm very picky which blogs I follow, I'm only listing 5 here. Maybe that's breaking the rules, but if I follow a million blogs, am I honestly going to be able to read them all? No. So forgive me for my rule bending.

The Good Book

2010-04-28T11:36:00.004-04:00

For those of you who have come to this site after reading Wintergirls and are wondering where the post for that is, look to the right and find my blog list. We can still discuss even though the post is not the most recent. If you haven't read it, get busy and get discussing! I'm still awaiting your brilliant comments. (Thank you Jordan for yours.)

In the mean time, I'm going to post other rambling thoughts.

Since this is a book blog, it would be a sheer disappointment if I didn't at least attempt to discuss the greatest book ever written by the greatest author in the universe. No, really, I'm not joking. Yes, in the entire universe! Obviously, the book I'm referring to is the Bible, the author: God Almighty!

This morning I was reading through Hebrews chapter 4 when I came across verse 16, which says, "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace in our time of need."

I always liked that verse, but I always thought it referred to just asking for what we need. What I didn't realize is that it specifically says that we will receive mercy. When is it that we need mercy the most? It's when we've done wrong. We can still approach with confidence when we are full of sin and dirt. In fact, that's when we should approach.

Our normal reaction is to hide. At least, that's how I respond when I'm in desperate need of God's mercy. But he tells us to be confident. Think about that for a moment. Why would he tell us to be confident? It's because he knows what his response will be-- Mercy!!! In our sin, we need that mercy desperately but are often afraid to ask for it because, admit it, we aren't sure of the response. We aren't sure because in our minds, when we do something wrong, the other person should be angry and punish us. But that's not the God I serve. Sure, there are consequences to our actions, but my God delights in showing mercy. He delights in giving us what we DON'T deserve. When we begin to understand who God is, only then will we be able to approach that throne with confidence.

So, be confident today. You can serve a merciful, grace giving God. I know I do.

Wintergirls-- Laurie Halse Anderson

2010-04-21T11:28:00.006-04:00

In my opinion this book is one of the most important books on the market today when it comes to YA fiction, so thank you, Ms. Anderson, for creating a work of art, one that makes us think and maybe even act to help those who are struggling. Perhaps I loved it so much because I find myself drawn to "issue" books both in reading and writing. Or perhaps it's because I have a heart for young women who are in the process of finding themselves within that black hole called high school. Or maybe it's because I've never before been so in touch with a character of a book as I was with Lia in Wintergirls. Whatever the reason, Wintergirls is a must read.

Let's begin by discussing the writing style. It is not written as a collection of poems, but the words have such a poetic feel that the story floats along like a dream. The emotion it renders immediately sucked me into the story. I was one of the characters. I screamed aloud when Lia continued her downward spiral into the vacuum of anorexia. (Ask my husband. He often would look at me and say, "What?!" when I started talking to the characters.)

The author uses strike throughs many times to show what Lia is really thinking. She calls her mother (Strike through) --mom-- Dr. Marrigan, showing the lack of real relationship between the two. (Sorry, I can't figure out how to actually strike through on this blog.) This device is used to show her true feelings about food as well. (Pg 5)(Strike through.)" --Because I can't let myself want them-- because I don't need a muffin (410), I don't want an orange (75) or toast (87), and waffles (180) make me gag."

I was hooked at the use of this device because of how accurately it portrayed the struggle of the character. I didn't realize how badly anorexics wanted to eat, but Anderson's portrayal made that very clear. It's not the desire to eat that's the problem. It's the control over one aspect of life when everything else seems so out of control.

(pg 121) Lia brings pizza to Elijah. "He asks, "Want some?"

(Strike through)"--One bit, please, and then another and another, crust and cheese sausage sauce another and another--empty is strong and invincible. "I already ate.""

All I can say to that is, WOW!

Never before have I known what it was like to be a character as much as I did with Lia. I was torn, half the time yelling, "Eat, Lia. Eat something, please," and the other half understanding her need to be thin, so much so that she deceives those around her by sewing quarters into her bathrobe when her stepmother weighs her. Don't we all deceive others about our weight? Maybe not to the extreme, but I know I only buy clothes that show off my best features and hide my worst ones. I know that I wear certain outfits because they make me look thin even when I don't feel thin. I've never known a single woman that didn't some time or another struggle with or worry about her weight. I've experienced the yo-yo dieting and wanted more than anything to be skinny. We can all relate. Yet, what is it that pushes some people to the extreme?

It started for Lia and her friend Cassie in high school when they made a pact to be the thinnest girls in the school. The catalyst for the disease in this case was the constant pressures of school and friends. She's put into a hospital, gets a little better and is released. However, after her friend Cassie's death from bulemia, Lia relapses into anorexia again. Again she struggles with self image on top of not knowing how to grieve her friend's passing. The only thing that she feels she can control is her eating, which to my understanding, is often the case in eating disorders. Life seems so horribly out of control, so they control the only thing they can.

Honestly, this book opened my eyes a little. Being a mother, I want more than anything for my daughter (and son) to be healthy, spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically. This novel has set my mind to thinking about what I can do to ensure proper body image, to build self confidence, to allow my children to have some amount of control in their lives so that they don't feel the need to step into the extreme. It's not just our daughters that we need to train. It's all those young women with whom we have contact, the young girls whose mothers may not know any better. So I ask, how are you doing at portraying a positive self image? How are you doing at encouraging young women to make good choices with their bodies? How are you doing at feeling good about yourself?

What can we do to help those young people around us from falling prey to diseases of the mind that constantly tell them they aren't good enough? I know one thing I'm going to do. Excuse me while I walk outside and tell my daughter how much I love her, how beautiful she is on the inside and outside, and how important she is to me.

Will you do the same?

The Wednesday Wars-- Gary Schmidt

2010-04-12T11:01:00.009-04:00

Warning: spoilers

Don't you just love when you read a quality book? I don't know about you, but I get that warm, fuzzy feeling inside that makes me want to head to the library and check out every book in the same section of the book I just read. This is how The Wednesday Wars was for me.

Set during Vietnam, the writing was so authentic, I honestly thought it was one of those books that was written during that time period and reprinted recently, but I found out that is not the case. This was published in 2007 and never before, which just adds to the talent of the author. The language and "feel" of the characters brought me to a place I've never been. I was in Mrs. Baker's 7th grade English class. I sat in the front row as Holling Hoodhood performed the fairy, Ariel from Shakespeare's The Tempest complete with yellow tights and feathers on the butt.

This coming of age story follows the young Holling Hoodhood, heir to Hoodhood Associates Architecture firm. When 1/2 of his class goes to Catholic religious instruction on Wednesdays and the other half goes to Jewish religious instruction, Holling is stuck alone with his English teacher, Mrs. Baker. After cleaning boards and clapping erasers for the first few weeks, Mrs. Baker decides to challenge the young Mr. Hoodhood, a Presbyterian, with the works of Shakespeare. This convinces Holling that Mrs. Baker hates his guts, which, as we know of all 7th grade English teachers, is true. (I can say that; I used to be one!)

It's through these stories of the Bard that Holling learns life lessons. Of course, sometimes life gives him lessons without the literature. One of the hardest lessons to learn is that sometimes the people we look up to, don't turn out to be who we think they are. Holling learns this lesson the hard way when he rushes from his performance as Ariel the fairy (remember he's wearing yellow tights with white feathers on the butt) to meet Mickey Mantle for an autograph. Arriving just as they are starting to shut things down, he's told by Mantle that Mantle won't sign autographs for anyone wearing tights with white feathers on the butt.

He says on pg 93, "When gods die, they die hard. It's not like they fade away, or grow old, or fall asleep. They die in fire an pain, and when they come out of you, they leave your guts burned. It hurts more than anything you can talk about. And maybe worst of all is, you're not sure if there will ever be another god to fill their place. Or if you'd ever want another god to fill their place. You don't want the fire to go out inside you twice."

Though this, he does learn who his real friends are, for when Danny Hupfer sees what just happened, he returns his signed Mickey Mantle baseball and walks away. If only we all had friends like this.

The reminders of the war in Vietnam, in my opinion speak as a metaphor for the war within Holling, himself. When it describes soldiers mere meters from their destination, hunkered together underground waiting and just out of reach of what would be salvation, it reminds me of those times in life when we come so close, but just don't quite hit the mark. The entire time, Holling is deciding what kind of a son, friend and brother he wants to be. His father wants him to take over the family business, and with his sister being a flower child out trying to find herself, Holling feels the pressure from dad even more. The problem is that he wants and needs to figure things out for himself.

It's a good thing he has Mrs. Baker, who quietly, yet persistently guides Holling through the seventh grade. It is her influence that encourages him when he falls. It is her compassion that brings two other Yankee players to play ball and sign gloves for Holling and his friends. It's her influence that gets him a date with Meryl Lee. It's her encouragement that pushes him to beat the eighth graders at the cross country meet. Mostly, it's her insight and quiet nature that teaches him the lessons of life that he won't realize until years down the road. I have to admit that I felt good inside when Mrs. Baker is rewarded in the end. After all, doesn't someone like her deserve a happy ending?

I loved this story because it made me think of all the Mrs. Bakers out there, all the ones in my life who encouraged me and pushed me to be a better person. So, to Mr. Askin, Mr. Morgante, Mr. Schmitt, and Mrs. Edwards, thank you for your influence in my life. Thank you for pushing me to be more than I thought I could be. Thank you for igniting a passion for learning and hard work. Thank you for being the kind of teachers we all want our children to have.

So, I leave you all with this question: Who is/was your favorite teacher and how did they influence your life?

Next book

2010-04-03T12:32:00.002-04:00

Thanks to my good friend, Varsi (Barsi) Peterson, I'm trying something a little different. I will post a blog telling what book is going to be read next. That way you can all get the book, read it and actually have some comments when it comes to discussion time.

So, the next read is Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. By the way, if you live in Sinclairville, don't take the one at the library, I need that one to read first! :)

Sent- - Margaret Peterson Haddix

2010-03-30T11:18:00.004-04:00

Warning: spoilers.

Hello again all!

I'm back to book reviews for the time being. My most recent read was Sent By Margaret Peterson Haddix. It's the second in a new series called The Missing. All in all, it was a good book. I'm always impressed when an author can accurately create another time period or in this case an experience with time travel that seems accurate. If I were writing, I'd get all confused with who was supposed to be doing what and how to explain anomalies and the like that it would be an utter mess. This is why I stick with realistic fiction. I can deal with real.

Haddix does a fantastic job of portraying the 1400s. Her use of the characters that are pulled into the 15th century seems realistic. I especially enjoyed the use of what she calls "tracers." This would be what was originally supposed to happen the first time around in history. Since there are now characters who are essentially messing with time, the reader can often see the tracer doing something different. This ranges from lips moving to different words, to hands coming out of the body in a ghost-like fashion, to the whole tracer (A "copy" of the person) doing something totally different. Haddix's descriptions played easily like a movie in my head. I can see this becoming a teen movie in about 5 years. Not only that, but there is a ton of room for more stories.

In the first book, Found, Jonah, his friend, Chip, and various other children discover that they are stolen children from the past. They don't know who they are, but scientists from the future are now trying to send them back to their original time period so that time won't get screwed up. The problem is that they don't know that they are stolen children and aren't really excited about being shoved back into a time period that they know nothing about, especially ones without Ipods and television and indoor plumbing. Book one ends with Jonah, Katherine (Jonah's sister), Chip and another boy named Alex being sent to the 15th century. Apparently, Chip and Alex are Edward V and his brother Richard. Jonah and Katherine are there by accident and are determined to save Chip and Alex from what is most likely a fatal outcome.

I'll skip the details so you can read it without knowing what's going on, but in the end Jonah and the other kids are back home only to be asked to leave to another time period. Jonah accepts the challenge and is sucked back into who knows when. We still don't know who Jonah really is (in history, anyway) and that is a question that lingers in the back of our minds throughout the whole first and second books. Since there are thirty or so kids who were stolen from time in the first novel, I'm hoping that we don't have to see all thirty stories to see who Jonah is.

For a middle grade book, this is fantastic. If, as you read this, you discover that I seem less than enthusiastic, it's not by any means because of the story itself. It is well written, interesting and complex, yet able to be easily read and understood by middle grade kids. I think my tastes in books has been refining a lot lately, and I need to choose higher YA or adult books. The few middle grade books just don't do it for me any more. I'm sure you'll begin to see those changes in my next few reads. In the mean time, if you have a child in the middle grade age range, especially boys, I'm sure they'd love The Missing series.

I'll leave you at last with a question or two:

1. If you could be anyone in history, who would you like to be?

2. If you could go back in time and change anything, what would it be?

Partial Writing Success

2010-03-12T13:01:00.005-05:00

For those of you who follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you know about my writing endeavors as well as my successes and failures. For those of you who don't, let me take a minute to explain.

It started about three years ago when I was still teaching middle school English. During that time I felt compelled to read what my students were reading, so I dove headfirst into the growing pile of books on my shelves. The more I read, the more I loved YA lit, not to mention the Scholastic Tab book orders that gave teachers free books with student orders. (Thank you Scholastic. I love you. I love you.) Every month, I'd order more books until my bookshelf was overflowing into piles on the floor. Every month, I'd read as many as I could between grading papers, and teaching, not to mention my home duties of being a wife and mom.

A few months had passed and with many books that I read, I found myself saying, "I could write better than that." Then I felt that God was saying to me. "O.k., then. Do it!" So, I immediately shouted back, "You need to give me a subject!" and he whispered back. "Abortion."

Whoa! Abortion? That's a little hefty, God. I've never had an abortion. Actually, I don't even know anyone who has. (Well, I probably do, but it's not like that's the first thing you talk about when you meet someone new.) So, I promptly said, "Choose someone else." You know what he said to me? "No!" He said no! Can you believe that? So, I told him. "Look, you've got the wrong girl, God. I'm not qualified to write this story. I know nothing about what it's like. How the heck am I supposed to write a story like that?" He didn't answer that question, but over and over I heard him say, "Write it. I've given you all the qualifications you need." No matter how many times I told him he had the wrong person for the job, he would come right back with "Write what I've told you to write."

O.k., o.k., so I had no choice, right? I mean, it's not like you can actually ignore things like that. So, I began to write. Not only that, but I contacted the local Choose Life branch for pamphlets or whatever I could get my hands on. (On a side note, God made this very easy for me since about two months prior, my husband was asked to serve on the board of that local Choose Life branch. Tell me that's not a God thing!) Not only did they set me up with brochures and the like, but they also put me in touch with post abortive women who now work with Choose Life.

I interviewed these women to get an idea what it was like to be in their shoes. Let me just say that no one has shoes like these women do. They are amazing people with amazing stories of God's redemption.

Then, after all that work, I decided I needed to write something lighter. I had gotten stuck after a few chapters and didn't know where to turn. So, I wrote another book. (About vampires--Yes, I'm one of those. I can't help it. I've always liked a good vampire story. It had a gospel story undertone to it with one sacrificing life for the other, just as Christ Jesus did for us.)

I finished it. I queried it to editors. I even have some request a partial, but nothing came of it. And do you know why? It was because I had written the wrong book. You may think I'm crazy at this point, but after I had my fun writing that vampire novel, I heard God speaking to me again. It was kind of like this, "So, you got that out of your system. Are you going to do the one I told you to do now?"

I sheepishly walked away from that reprimand with shoulders shrugged saying, "O.k., God."

I got back to work. All last summer, all this fall, I've been writing. About November, I finished the abortion themed book and began querying agents. Most said no. Many didn't respond. Until about two weeks ago when God and I had another conversation.

Me: Look, God, I know that this career is fraught with rejection, but this is getting a little old. I mean, I've sent out about 50 or so letters and not one even asked for a partial. If you really want me to write, if this is what I'm supposed to be doing, then I need a little encouragement. I don't even care if this agent ultimately takes my work. Just give me something. Please.

God: O.k., Jess.

Wow! An o.k.! So that week I get a letter from an agent requesting the next ten pages of my MSS. So, out it went, with a "Thank you, God." and came back two days later with a "No thanks" from the agent. But it didn't matter. I was flying high. God had heard my prayer and had answered specifically. It's funny as I look at that letter because the agent said that she wasn't accepting any new authors and that she didn't want personal growth stories. Why on earth I queried her in the first place, I have no idea, other than it was God's way of telling me I was on the right track.

Now, we are to present: Me continuing to write my next novel and every other day or so going through the Guide to Literary Agents book by Chuck Shambuchino. Two days ago, I got to the 'M's.

Enter Kelly Mortimer. I researched her and found a blog that she had written on, of all things, abortion! This whole time I've felt like I was sending these letters blind. After all, it's not like agents say, "I like YA, Middle grade and children's books, and oh, by the way, my stance on abortion is______." But that's exactly what Ms. Mortimer did. So, I queried her... yesterday... and today I got a response. She said, "I'm actually looking for lighter fare, but I'm going to give you a shot."

Yes! A shot! I'll take it. So, after obsessively going through my first three chapters and synopsis for the umteenth time, I've sent it out to her.

Now, it's waiting time. I wait on Kelly, whose turn around time is about ten weeks with a partial, and I wait on God, who's already been so faithful to me already. Hopefully soon, I'll be able to bring you good news. If not, that's o.k. He'll lead me to the right agent for my book. In the mean time, please pray. I'm hoping that I've already found that agent.

P.S. She was the 72nd agent I queried.

Writing my short story

2010-03-08T12:17:00.002-05:00

As promised, I am taking this blog in a different direction today. Not having finished any new books in the last two days means that I get to write about something new I've done.

After receiving numerous rejections on my novel, I decided that I need to build my publishing history by submitting short stories to magazines for possible publications. Problem-- I didn't have any completed short stories. No, all I had was one small paragraph. In my heart I knew there was some brilliance swimming around in the depths of whatever story would emerge, but do you think I had a clue what that story was? Absolutely not.

Luckily, I've begun to surround my self with writers. Some old, some young, some old with young hearts. Whatever the category, they love to write and thus, being associated gets me pumped to create a masterpiece as well.

So, I sent my single paragraph to a few of my writing friends and said, "I don't know where this is going. I need help. Give me anything: a character, a plot, a setting, a conflict." I didn't care. I could have been one sarcastic remark and I would have taken it. After a few days, a few suggestions came my way, and, by piecing them together, a story burst forth!

"YES!" I shouted in the middle of my kitchen to whatever dust bunnies were listening. (There are many since I prefer to write than clean the fuzzy little creatures.) Immediately, I got to work. Now, two weeks later, I have a full story, and, dare I say it, it's good. Really good. But I'm slightly biased to my own work.

Step 2: find a magazine. I'd been collecting the names of a few magazines that accept short stories for publication, so within minutes of completion, I buried myself in the online search of the right magazine. (The right magazine consists of one that doesn't charge for submissions.) Of my lists and lists, I found two that don't require submission fees and one of those doesn't allow you to submit online. Darn it!

Anyway, I'll have you all know that as of about five minutes ago, I've submitted to the online site, Glimmertrain and plan to send my printed story to the Paris Review. Now, I have to wait and see and hope and pray that maybe someone thinks my story is as brilliant as I do.

I'm having trouble with this one.--Marked--PC and Kristin Cast

2010-03-03T15:31:00.004-05:00

After much procrastination, I've begun reading PC Cast and Kristin Cast's House of Night series beginning with the first book, Marked. I don't think I'll finish the series.

If anyone knows me, they'll know that I love a good vampire story. Way back when Buffy the Vampire Slayer was on, I was a huge fan, even, dare I say it, seeing the original 1980something movie sans Sarah Michelle Gellar, which is horribly entertaining. I mean that literally with emphasis on the horrible. Anyway, I figured that the Casts' book series would be fun to read when I got around to it. After taking a hiatus from vampire novels to read anything different from the main stream for a while, I checked this one out of the library a few weeks ago and decided to give it a try.

Now, I'm writing this without having finished the book, so take this with a grain of salt if you will, but I don't think I can stomach much more. First of all, I'm half way through and though this is supposed to be a vampire novel, nothing "vampirey" has happened. See here, I am all for bending the rules when it comes to putting a new twist on things, but this novel seems more interested in making them to be witchy-type creatures than vampires. They study powers and worship goddesses. I'm sorry, but my interest gets cut very short when you bring in goddesses unless you are purposely writing a mythological story.

So far I've discovered that in the Casts' world, vampires have weird tattoos on their faces, get marked (hence the name), worship goddesses, control the elements. Sorry, but I'm an old fashioned, vampires suck blood and have superhuman strength and speed kind of girl. Vampire rules that can be bent in my book are sunlight and crosses. (See Twilight).

There's not much more to say about it since I haven't finished the book, and I will finish. Even when I hate a book, I have to finish it just to see if there is any redemptive value. Maybe I'm just too picky about archetypes, but I just can't get into anything new agey- goddess worshipping- or mediums. When I read something like that, my spirit goes, "Oh no you don't, sister! That's not the way it should be. You're telling it all wrong."

You may disagree, and that's o.k.. But I'll tell you this: I won't be reading any more of this series. that's for sure.

Rubber Houses-- Ellen Yeomans

2010-02-26T10:51:00.003-05:00

Utterly Phenomenal!

I could end there and let you read the book for yourself, but instead I'll rave a bit more about this fantastic work of literature because, who knows, maybe just maybe I'll have inspired you to read.

First of all, I'm always fascinated and impressed by writers who can tell a whole story through poetry. Many people are turned off by writing such as this. I, however, find it an amazing talent and wish beyond belief that I could do it. My poetry isn't horrific or anything, but to use meter and rhythm throughout a whole work of literature would be daunting for me. The thing is reading this type of work amazes me. There is something about the feeling of the poetry in addition to the words themselves that adds to the emotional experience of a book.

Take that previous thought and couple it with the already emotionally charged theme of a family whose 9 year old boy is struck by tragedy and you have a highly emotional read.

I prepared myself because all the reviews said, "I cried throughout the whole book." This being said, I was determined not to cry. (I did accomplish this goal, but not without stress.) I found myself doing the whole hold-your-eyes-wide-open-so-the-tears-don't-fall deal.

Told from the perspective of the older sister, Rubber Houses trails the family's dealings with grief and loss. I think I was especially touched at how each family member's response to the situation clashed with each other's. It was so true to life. Kit tries to again start living a normal life as much as possible considering the circumstances, but that very act angers her parents, especially her father. How true it is that some children get forgotten in the midst of troubles surrounding other children of the family.

While in grief therapy, Kit meets a girl she calls Save the Whales Girl. Below is a poem found on page 84 called No Lifeguard on Duty.

Save the Whales Girl has a sister,

can't be more than four or five,

bitty baby Eco-Child,

bitty baby grieving child.

Save the Whales Girl kissed that sister,

hugged her head and sent her in

to that room right next to our room,

BGT for kids.

Save the Whales Girl lost a sister

to her Grandma's swimming pool.

left the three as just two sisters,

left them paddling in this hall.

Save the Whales Girl has a sister,

way too young to be so old.

Now she knows that children die,

understands that she will die.

Save the Whales Girl lost two sisters,

one to water,

one to wise.

WOW!!! Powerful stuff. Just that one poem tugs at my heartstrings, and I can feel the loneliness and pain that pervades each poem. Let me warn you, this is a tear jerker, but there is hope throughout. There is healing throughout. There is love throughout. It brings out the humanness that we all want to push aside, the fact that even though we want life to be good and happy and smooth, it isn't. It hurts. It's painful, but we are stronger than we think. We will survive and learn and grow and become better people for it.

I highly recommend this amazing and touching story.

Coming soon: The Unwritten Rule

2010-02-22T13:35:00.002-05:00

Everyone knows the unwritten rule: You don't like you best friend's boyfriend.

Sarah has had a crush on Ryan for years. He's easy to talk to, supersmart, and totally gets her. Lately it even seems like he's paying extra attention to her. Everything would be perfect except for two things: Ryan is Brianna's boyfriend, and Brianna is Sarah's best friend.

Sarah forces herself to avoid Ryan and tries to convince herself not to like him. She feels so guilty for wanting him, and the last thing she wants is to hurt her best friend. But when she's thrown together with Ryan one night, something happens. It's wonderful...and awful.

Sarah is torn apart by guilt, but what she feels is nothing short of addiction, and she can't stop herself from wanting more...

Yeah! More good books. I can't wait to read this one.

Found-- Margaret Peterson Haddix

2010-02-17T12:14:00.003-05:00

I'm going to begin today with a warning. Because my book club girls seem to be refusing to actually read and comment on this blog, which they, by the way, asked me to write, I'm considering branching out from just book reviews. I don't think I can change the name, so we will remain Read Between the Lines Bookclub, but beware that I may write about other things as well.

Because of my lack of writing lately, it may seem that I haven't been reading. On the contrary, I've read quite a bit, but haven't been struck by a book enough to write or simply ran out of time.

My most recent read was Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix. (BTW, I still haven't figure out how to underline using this blog, so forgive me for the lack of punctuation there.)I hadn't read anything of hers, though I have seen many teens grabbing her books off the shelves. Found was an enjoyable read. I felt that there was going to be a little bit of a supernatural element to it, but I didn't expect the explanation of what was happening, which was a bonus. However, getting all the children together was a bit forced. Over all, I'd recommend this book to the younger reader. Age 16+ should probably steer clear unless you are planning to purchase it as a gift for a younger sibling.

One final question for all you readers out there, however many of you there may be. If I'm going to stem out from just doing book reviews here, what sort of topic would you like to see covered?

Prep-- Curtis Sittenfeld

2010-01-26T11:49:00.003-05:00

I hated this book. Let me reiterate. I HATED, H-A-T-E-D this book! By the second chapter, which, by the way, was about 30 pages in, (This was a short chapter, the last was over 60 pages.) I was so sick of the main character, Lee, continually thinking that she couldn't speak to anyone because she didn't measure up.

Now, I know that many young women feel they don't measure up. They feel that they can't speak to boys or really have close relationships with anyone, but this poor girl went four years barely speaking to anyone. It really wasn't realistic. The young women I know, even the ones who have trouble in this area of self esteem still do not seclude themselves to the extent of speaking to no one and never sharing concerns or problems with anyone.

My first complaint: What thirteen year old would actually sign up for prep school on her own, especially a self loathing one? The premise didn't fit the character.
My second complaint: The names. AHHHH. Now, I get that this is a prep school, so the names might be a little different than your average book, but having Aubrey be a guy and Horton a girl just drove me absolutely insane. Among others are Aspeth, Cross, Dede, Ferdy, Darden, Conchita, and oh, I think there was a Jonathan. At least one normal name made the list. My third complaint was that the book moved at a snail's pace. I'm a fairly fast reader and it took me literally three weeks of reading every night to stomach this book. I can usually finish a book in a day or two, but not this monster.

Now I'm sitting here trying to figure out how to even discuss this book. I think I've partially blocked it out of my mind because I'm trying to think of some redeeming qualities to discuss and nothing is coming to me.

I guess I'll begin by trying to trace Lee's four years at Ault School.
Year one: Lee is a scholarship student, which essentially means that she is not of the same class as the rest of the students whose parents are multi-millionaires or CEOs of companies and the like. This immediately sets her apart from the crowd and starts that self loathing she's so desperate to revel in. By Freshman spring, she begins a game of assassin. This game consists of "killing" the other students with stickers. It is here that she could have taken advantage of the game in order to actually try to have a normal friendship with someone, but instead uses her incognito to her advantage. That is until she stabs her one and only friend in the back and is "killed" by her. Ha! Serves her right.

Year two: Her English teacher is a bit odd, and we later find out that she was not first choice by the administration at Ault. The kids torment her. Also notable in this chapter is that Lee starts to cut people's hair. She uses it as a way to get close to people without having to actually have a conversation or real interaction that might, God forbid, lead to friendship.

My favorite quote from this section goes like this: "This anxiety meant that I spent a lot of time hiding, usually in my room after any pleasant exchange with another person. And there were rules to the anxiety, practically mathematical in their consistency: The less well you knew the person the greater the pressure the second time around to be special or charming, if that's what you though you'd been the first time; mostly it was about reinforcement. Also: The shorter the time that had elapsed from your first encounter to your second,the greater the pressure. And finally: The better the original interaction, the greater the pressure."

When someone is so preoccupied by themselves in every situation, as Lee was, it's no wonder that she didn't have the capacity to make friends. She was too busy worrying what people would think or just how she should react in every situation. Some people, I know are that caddy and would judge on what you say or how you act, but those people aren't worth your time. For the most part, humanity is fairly forgiving when it comes to personality flaws.

Oh, yeah, this is also the year that she blows off her parents when they come to parents weekend.

Year three: She meets a guy who works in the kitchen. There is potential there, but now she's so preoccupied with trying to impress people she doesn't even like that she blows him off. Too bad.

Lee nearly fails math, but luckily, her roommate cheats for her and she passes and is not asked the leave the school as a result. I'm amazed that after nearly failing pre-calc, the next year, she surprisingly understands enough of both pre-calc and calc to pass with a B. Wow! Impressive. (Can you hear my sarcasm?)

It is also this year that she begins sleeping with Cross Sugarman. But, don't think that she can actually have a normal relationship of any kind. Oh, no. She asks him not to tell anyone and even goes so far as to intentionally ignore him other than in their secret rendezvous room.

Year four: This year mostly concentrated on her continually sleeping with Cross and then ignoring him. She struggles through the how-do-you-know-it's-love feeling about every other day until I wanted to scream!

The final straw is when she chooses to air her complaints about life and Ault to a reporter and pretty much kills the school's reputation singlehandedly. And just when she was starting to like the place that she's hated for three and a half years.

O.k. people, if I have to force myself to write any more about this book, I might fall into as deep a depression as the main character and sever any functioning relationships that I have out out of understanding of the character. I can't do that, so I'll end my thoughts now.

Let me leave you with one last thought.
If you are a young girl who has anxiety about forming relationships with people or has trouble talking to boys, please don't think that this book is the way it has to be. As I stated before, most humans are forgiving of small mistakes and by golly, they might actually like you if you just give it a shot.

Wrecked-- E.R. Frank

2010-01-11T09:43:00.003-05:00

I've been searching lately; searching for something that will touch me. It needn't be a love story that made my emotions run wild. (I'm kind of sick of those at the moment.) What I wanted was something that made me think, that made me yearn for what the characters desired, that pulled at my heartstrings and make me say to myself, "I know what she/he is feeling!" even if I've never experienced said event in my own life. I found that in Wrecked by E. R. Frank. What a fantastic book.

The premise:
Anna gets into a car accident after a drinking party, though she isn't drunk, and ends up killing her brother's girlfriend, Cameron. This spurs not a chain of events, but rather a chain of reactions. It is these reactions that draw the reader deeper into each character. Everyone is affected, and the reactions range from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) to excessive drinking to denial and anger and broken families. But the broken families are a result only of broken people.

You might think that this book is depressing, and in some parts I felt so much of what the character was experiencing that tears came to my eyes, but over all it is a story of hope and healing.

The first page opens with Anna on her hands and knees picking up leaves one at a time from the front yard and placing them in a grocery bag. This is a creative punishment from her father. Later, after Cameron is killed, Anna comes home to see her brother, Jack picking up those same leaves. For a few days I pondered this. What's with the leaves? They have to be symbolic, my English teacher self told me. I was right, and I believe I now have it figured out. The leaves are the pieces of our lives. Sometimes they fall or get scattered or the wind may blow them this way and that and it is our job to get down on our hands and knees and pick up the pieces. Sure, we could rake them all together into a pick pile, but it's still a messy pile of leaves. But doing it one at a time, by hand allows us to make sure we have every single piece. It takes time, lots of time. I imagine doing just my small front patch of lawn one leave at a time, and the mere thought makes me cringe, but sometimes life is like that. There is a lot to fix and it doesn't happen in a few hours. It takes days and even years to clear the ground enough to plant something beautiful. I think the lesson for me is that no matter what happens to us, we can pick up the pieces.

I won't discuss in detail the elements of the story because it would be much better if you read it yourselves. Do so soon. You won't be disappointed.

Nightlight-- The Harvard Lampoon

2010-01-04T11:42:00.003-05:00

First let me send props to my friend, Tracy Hewitt, for giving me this book for Christmas. Never before have I read a true parody. Some satire, yes, but this was a pleasant surprise.

For those who don't know, a parody is a humorous or satirical imitation of a serious piece of literature or writing. In this case, it makes fun of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, not only that, but it also makes fun of elements of the movie.

For the many Twilighters out there, my advice is this: Yes, we fell in love with Edward Cullen, (or at least in lust). Yes, we were obsessed to the point of staying up till all hours of the night and even buying the merchandise. Even we adults have to admit to being sucked back into our teen years with fondness. But there comes a point when we have to stop and come back into reality. Once we look at ourselves clearly, it's time to laugh and say, "What the heck was I thinking to be so completely overtaken my a book series?!" Once you can say that, you have come to the point of reading Nightlight. We can finally make fun of ourselves!

First, the story of Nightlight is about Belle Goose and Edwart Mullen and is set in the town of Switchblade. Belle is convinced beyond a doubt that Edwart is a vampire, and she loves vampires. Unfortunately, Edwart is nothing more than a computer geek.

Some funny moments include the following:
-Belle drives a Uhaul around and fills it with snow to make slushies for her friends.
-Continually insisting that Edwart wants to drink her blood.
-Her father Jim, who sings to her about vampires, and her telling her father that Edwart is a werewolf, which is o.k. in Jim's book.
-Every time Edwart is described, he looks different, making fun, of course, of the way that Meyer describes in minute detail. First Edwart has dark, wavy hair, then red locks, then blond spiky hair. Sometimes it seemed that way in Twilight

There are so many more, I can't even begin to explain. Maybe some excerpts from the novel will do it better than I. Here are a few:

Let me quote from page 31. "How did he know we were in Bio together? How did he know to walk in front of me at the exact moment a snowball was coming? Why did the snowballs melt off him as if they were made of some watery substance? Most of all, why was he lying to me about his true superhuman identity?"

Another from p 73:
I couldn't sleep that night. I kept worrying there was a leech outside my window." (We are all thinking of Victoria in Twilight.)"I kept worrying it was going to jump from the tree onto my window screen and then worm its way in, using its hemoglobin sensors to find where all my blood was. the problem with having great smelling blood is that everyone is going to want some. I got up and closed the window. But that only caused a whole new slew of fears, because what if the leech were already in my room? What if he and Edward were in cahoots, and the leech was merely second banana to him, hiding under my bed until I fell asleep? One thing was for sure--I wasn't going to stop that leech from doing its job. That's no way to do my part for the economy. I opened the window wide and went back to bed."

And lastly, pg 141:
"The vampires stopped rioting. They all got really quiet and started to lick their lips, closing in on Lucy. I started to lick my lips, too, because it's one of those subconscious, contagious things like sneezing, but then I stopped because it just isn't worth it if you forgot to bring ChapStick.

The drop trickled down her arm and onto the floor. Three vampires lunged for it at once. Another drop trickled down. Three more vampires dove to the floor. That's when her hemophilia kicked in. The blood started spurting from her arm like water from a fire hydrant. The vampires held their faces up and opened their mouths to catch the blood, some twirling around and playing in the crimson torrents like kids on a hot summer day."

What can I say that could possibly add to that? Read it, you won't be disappointed.

Poison Ink--Christopher Golden

2009-11-29T19:04:00.004-05:00

Poison Ink by Christopher Golden had a great concept to start: A group of girls plan to get a tattoo to bond them in friendship, but all goes wrong; hence the title. It intrigued me. I liked the idea of something that we do to ourselves warping us into people we aren't, and for a while, I really liked the story... until the end.

What started out as a fascinating look into the definition of friendship ended in a twisted gore-fest. Now, please don't get me wrong. I have no problem with gore or twisted stories in books. Usually that makes for a more interesting story. This even had a little bit of magic in it, which, though I don't look for it, if it shows up doesn't scare me off or anything. But this went from a story that could have taught a lesson on the true meaning of friendship and what it means to stand by your friends to, well, like I said before and for lack of another description, a gore-fest.

Maybe my problem is that I believe that every book, no matter what the subject, should have some redeeming value in a lesson it teaches. This can come through things that the characters do or don't do and the consequences that come from those decisions or actions. Books should make us think twice about ourselves as people, as friends, as daughters/sons, as mothers/fathers as girlfriends/boyfriends and wives/husbands. If a book in some way doesn't make you question your motives or actions, then in my option it doesn't do it's job.

That's not to say, of course, that a book can't be written for entertainment purposes only. Many are, but still those books can still have something more to give than a basic story. Take a few examples: Green Eggs and Ham-- Lesson: Try something new; you may like it. Circue du Freak 1-- Lesson: Don't steal, don't judge people by the way they look, things may not be what they seem on the surface. Wake--Lesson: Our dreams can often hide our deepest fears or our greatest desires. Do you see where I'm going with this?

No matter what the story, there is always something lying "Between the lines." :) In my own opinion, Poison Ink falls short of this necessary goal.

Wringer

2009-11-24T19:51:00.003-05:00

I know that Wringer is a middle level book, so it's a bit young to keep my full interest, but I have to admit it was really good when it comes to dealing with peer pressure.

I thought the character was realistic in the way he was swept into the group of boys who are bullies. It's either bully or be bullied. He finds that out the hard way. What I found more interesting is the fact that in the end, he was able to stand up to his friends and for himself.

How often do we know what is right, only to hold back our thoughts from others? How often do we know what is right and just plain refuse because of the repercussions that will arise against us? I think about all the times I could have spoken out in different situations, either to stand up for myself or someone else or even just to have done the right thing, but instead I took the coward's way out.

It's taken me thirty years to learn, and I still find myself, again and again, trying to take the easy way out. It's human nature to do as little damage to self as possible. But I've learned over the years that what we see as the easy way out, never is. It always causes more problems in the long run.

So, girls, take advice from someone who knows from personal experience: It is much better to stand up now. Stand up for what you believe in. Stand up for someone else in trouble. Stand up for what you know is right. Do the right thing no matter how hard it may seem at the moment. You'll become stronger women because of it.

The Lovely Bones

2009-11-17T14:10:00.003-05:00

Well, I've decided to use this blog not only to discuss the books you are reading as a group but to also give thoughts on anything I've been reading.

I finally got my hands on The Lovely Bones, which had been recommended to me by a few different people. It was supposedly controversial because of some mature and shocking content. That information didn't bother me one bit. However, I hated the book.

It started off o.k.. Really got into the mystery and murder of one said character, and the conflict surrounded the murder investigation. But by the end, the conflict had changed. No longer was it about finding out who done it and punishing the bad guy (BTW, I do not think that the bad guy always has to be punished to make a good story.)but instead changed directions to follow how the family was coping with the death.

I don't even mind having a sub conflict, but the first was left entirely in the dust until the last chapter where the resolution was a total cop-out. (This is hard to write without giving away vital information.)I was not impressed by this story. It was not a quick read as I had anticipated, nor did the story really move. It almost seemed like there was too much going on, too much of a focus on too many characters.

Maybe I was most disappointed because I stayed up half the night reading and was not satisfied at all with the outcome. I feel like I wasted time and energy.

I'm not disappointed by many books, but this one didn't do it for me. My apologies to the author.

Wake-2

2009-11-13T11:09:00.003-05:00

I'm finding it difficult to post my thoughts because I read it nearly a month ago, so my assignment for you girls is this: Post your initial thoughts. This can be anything while you're reading or even after the book is done. If you write after you've finished, please put a disclaimer saying that there may be spoilers. That way anyone who hasn't finished the book can skip over your comment.

Maybe if I read your thoughts, it will spurn some of my own.

Wake questions

2009-11-06T13:44:00.001-05:00

Hello again all,
I thought I'd start out with a question to get the juices flowing about Wake, by Lisa Mc Mann.
The question is this:
If you were sucked into someone's dream, whose would it be and what do you think you'd see?

Just the beginning

2009-10-28T15:52:00.003-04:00

Hello all. I'm new to this blogging stuff, so bear with me as I learn a thing or two. My goal is to continue the book club Read Between the Lines started at Panama Central school in 2008. Since I'm home now, I still want a way to be connected, so here I am learning how to blog. It's fascinating all the things we will do for human (or not so human) contact.

I'm going to start with a suggestion for next month's book club meeting: Wake by Lisa McMann. If we decide on this or any other book, we can use this blog as a discussion format. I think I should begin with the following question: will you all use this format to discuss the books? I'm not saying this has to replace your monthly meeting, but it should be used in addition to that.

Secondly, please post all book recommendations so we can vote on them. I think I can create a poll option on here somewhere. As soon as I figure that out, we can use it to vote on books we want to do.

Whatever you decide to do, be it blog or meetings or whatever, just keep reading.

Read Between the Lines

Teaser Tuesday #3--Rage

Teaser Tuesday #2--Ship Breaker

Teaser Tuesday--Dark Song

Point of View Poll

I still love you

Disappointed.

Hush Hush--Becca Fitzpatrick

Inanimate object POV

Matched--Ally Condie

Bleed For Me

Rantings on Beauty

Thirteen Reasons Why

And the Winner Is...

A Change of Plans

Christians Can Speak Loudly Too.

Hate List-- Jennifer Brown

Candor--PamBachorz

Reading suggestions-- Help!

The Dead Tossed Waves-- Carrie Ryan

Catching Fire--Suzanne Colllins

procrastination

The Forest of Hands and Teeth--Carrie Ryan

The Hunger Games-- Suzanne Collins

Stuck in Neutral

A Company of Swans-Eva Ibbotson- Guest Blogger Danielle Raymond

Rochester Teen Book Festival

What Happened to Cass McBride--Gail Giles and Born Blue--Han Nolan

Sunshine Award

The Good Book

Wintergirls-- Laurie Halse Anderson

The Wednesday Wars-- Gary Schmidt

Next book

Sent- - Margaret Peterson Haddix

Partial Writing Success

Writing my short story

I'm having trouble with this one.--Marked--PC and Kristin Cast

Rubber Houses-- Ellen Yeomans

Coming soon: The Unwritten Rule

Found-- Margaret Peterson Haddix

Prep-- Curtis Sittenfeld

Wrecked-- E.R. Frank

Nightlight-- The Harvard Lampoon

Recommended reading list

Poison Ink--Christopher Golden

Wringer

The Lovely Bones

Wake-2

Wake questions

Just the beginning