so, i just found this picture, and im finally done reading Little Women, actually a week ago but i forgot. This picture is the part of the book where the family sings together (with beth D:)
This book was about 4 sisters and their troubles (family troubles, person problems...)
This book was okayy

pg200-300

From reading Little Women this week, i read some fun things.
The most special thing i remember from this week (i got to part two of the book)
was Meg's wedding.
Umm, i actually made a blog about this...but i just found out that i deleted it -___-;;
So, after Meg's wedding she moves in with John Brooke into a small house.
After the wedding, Meg acts as a good wife, she always has dinner ready for Mr.Brooke, she sews in her spare time..., but there were times when she got 'crazy' and feels guilty (afterward). For example, when she goes out and buys an expensive dress (she got jealous of ms.moffat. ) Also there is another time, where she tries to make jam but fails miserably, so she gets angry.
But even after all these 'crazy' things, Meg is fine. Later in the book, she gets twins!
Also Amy has turned to a fine lady, someone also supports her to study aborad (i forgot to where).
Jo in the other hand is not married or has a boyfriend. But she is sure that Laurence has feelings for her, but she also thinks that Beth is in love with Laurence, so Jo decides to leave her home.
These were few things i read from the 100 pages.

pg100-200

So, i finally read up to pg200 from Little Women this week.
From these pages i was able to get a lot.
Laurence gets really close with the March family.
The main 'idea' i got from these pages (the moments i thought were the most important),
was that Mr.March (father) got sick, so Mrs. March had to go to the hospital and left her daughters at home for awhile (with Hannah, Mr.Laurence, Laurence...).
While she is gone, Beth goes to tend a sick baby. The baby ends up dying from scarlet fever, and so Beth also gets Scarlet fever (its contagious). Beth gets very sick.
From reading the summary of this book, and watching the t.v show 'Friends' (epidosde where Rachel and Joey switches their books, and Joey is crying at the end because he found out that beth dies) I know that Beth is going to die from it. Which kind of made the book less surprising.
Well I kind of enjoy this book, but its too long.

Few Pages

I wasn't able to finish the whole 100 pages this week, because the book is very long.
But i will still blog the first 80 pages or so.
So the main thing that stuck to my mind, was the party that Meg and Jo attends, and the Laurence boy.
Meg and Jo both attend a party, and Jo ends up meeting the Laurence boy. Jo and Laurence who are neighbors, start to get to know each other more and Jo gets fond of Laurence and wants to be his friend.
Later on, Laurence gets sick and Jo decides to visit him. During her visit she meets Laurence's grandpa. Jo also becomes familiar with his grandpa. Also during her visit she sees all the maginicent things in Laurence's home. Such as a piano, the large library and more. (Laurence is rich) The next time she visits, she visits with her family.
Those parts were stuff that is very rememberable

Little Women

For my next book, i chose Little Women by Louisa May Alcott .
This book is The Marches, a family who has to go through suffering. Mr. March (father) is in the army, and is away, and Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth are living in their home with their mother, Marmee. It is said that this book is about growing maturity and the search for happiness in a family life (enviroment). Some of the events that will happen will be Mr.March's sickness and Beth's terminal illness (scarlet fever). This book was written in 1867 and is a based on Louisa May Alcott and her sister's lives.
Louisa may Alcott based her life into Little Women. As soon as she wrote the book, it was an instant success. So the publisher asked her to make a second volume. (This i didn't know) The second book is called Old Fashioned Girl, made in 1870 about an year after Little Women. Louisa May Alcott wrote these books to alleviate her family's financial problems. These are some things i found out.

Howl's House Moving Castle pg 100-329

Okey, so i got carried away this week, and finished the book.
The book was overall okay.
I kind of feel that the ending was rushed.
So in the end, Howl and Sophie end up together (Howl always knew Sophie was young)
And Ms. Angorian (the beautiful girl that Howl had a crush on for a little while), was the evil
character in the end.
The scarecrow was a messenger of the witch? There was also a dog that was cursed (was a person first-- then went to Sophie to help her)

So i am a bit confused with the book, but it was goodd

Character Profile- SOPHIE

Sophie is the protagonist of the book, Howl's House Moving Castle.
Sophie is a girl, who is cursed by a witch and turns old (i only rad up to pg100 so far).
Sophie is very daring, for example, she kind of 'talked-back' to the Witch of the Waste.
She is also brave, because she even went and lied to a king (in order to help Howl)
Sophie is also adventurous, because after she became old, she went and roamed around her town, and found Howl's House Moving Castle.
In the book, Michael and Howl would describe Sophie as annoying? and nosy.
Howl even calls Sophie, Ms.Nosy, because Sophie always snoops around (she even cleaned the whole castle/house trying to find hints...and she asked many questions of what was behind the doors..etc).
This is a short character profile of Sophie!

Howl's House Moving Castle pg 1-100

The first 100 pages of this book was really good.
I enjoy fantasy books so i think i'll really enjoy this book.
So, the first 100 pages were about a girl named Sophie.
Her sisters are sent away from home, after her father dies (by Fanny-their mother).
Sophie ends up being the apprentice of the hat shop. Later Sophie gets sick of her dull life,
and goes around 'looking for trouble' (thats the way i saw it). Soon, the Witch of the Waste, comes into the hat shop, and Sophie not knowing who the witch was said some thing offending (?) to her, and ended up being cursed by the witch (witch turned her old). Now, Sophie does not want to stay at the hat shop no longer and roams around the town. She decides to go to Howl's House Moving Castle. There she acts as a maid. She also ends up making a contract with a fire demon (who is bound to the fireplace at Howl's House Moving Castle because of a contract).
Some things i didn't understand was...what's up with the scarecrow?

:) this is a very good book so far!

Howl's House Moving Castle

For my fourth book (?) i decided to choose Howl's House Moving Castle.
I chose this book because i saw many people reading it, and they all seemed to enjoy it.
(thank you Lauren, for lending me the book :])
The book is about a girl, named Sophie who becomes old by a curse from the 'Witch of the Waste'. Later, Sophie goes to Howl's 'house moving castle' (literally) and acts as a maid there. She then finds information about Howl and things start to occur...
Anyway, from wikipedia, i was able to learn some things about Diana Wynne Jones (the author of the book).
Dianna Wynne Jones is a british writer who writes fantasy novels for both adults and children. I also read that people compare the Harry potter series with her book a lot. There wasn't much information (interesting?) that i could find.

FINISHED CATCHER IN THE RYE

I finally finished The Catcher in the Rye, somehow, i feel that i kind of didn't understand the book.
Why do i feel like this? Because, after i finished the book, my sister asked me if i knew where Holden was located at the end of the book. I told her that Holden went back home, but my sister replied that he was at a mental institute of some sort.
So i am very confused by this book. I really didn't understand the main idea of this book, because Holden just fooled around throughout the whole book, with no real problems.
Some parts of the book i liked was around page 240..? Holden was talking about how there is no place in the world that is 'peaceful'. He says this because everywhere he goes he sees the 'F' curse on the walls of schools, museums and more.
Well this is the last comment of this book :)

pg100-200 (CATCHER IN THE RYE)

So, now i am up to pg200 in the Catcher in the Rye. I found out that this book does not have any specific plot. For example, this book has no 'main' problem. Just various small problems, such as small fights (maybe the one with Old Mercio? at one of the hotel, when Holden does not want to pay an extra 5 dollars, or the fight with Sally).
To me, this book is kind of boring, because nothing big happens. I noticed the pattern in this book, which was Holden goes to New York, goes to a bar or hotel (and tries to get drunk), then he meets someone he knows, then goes back to drink, smoke few cigarettes and etc.
So, i am not really liking this book at the moment. :/

SYMBOLISM

SO the theme for this week is SYMBOLISM
So, in the book Catcher in the Rye, i found several symbolisms!
Here are some things i found:

-"She'd wear white gloves and walk right between us..." (Salinger, pg89)
In the quote above, Holden is talking about her little sister (10 years old?). I believe that the white gloves symbolizes a grown up lady, because from the context, Holden tells the readers that his sister is very smart and knowledgeable.

-"And she though Buddy Singer's poor old beat-up clarinet player was really terrific when he stood up and took a couple of ice-cold hot licks. She called his clarinet a "licorice stick"." (Salinger, pg97)
I am not sure about this quote. But it seems that the licorice stick symbolizes the clarinet.

- This last quote can be found on page 121. I won't put it up on my blog because i don't think it's acceptable. In the quote a man symbolizes a violin for a woman's body.

I noticed that most of my 'symbols' were comparison. Maybe i did it wrong?

pg1-100

Once again, i read the first 100 pages of The Catcher In the Rye
Nothing special happens, i guess.
Holden (the main character) just gets kicked out from Pencey (his school)
and he decides to go to New York, before returning home to his family.
There also moments in the first 100 pages, where he is talking to the guys from his school.
Holden seems to have interest towards Jane (because when Strager...tells Holden that he has a date with Jane, Holden seems very curious and nosy about it).
Not much happened in the first 100 pages.

NEW BOOK-> THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

For my third book i decided to choose The Catcher in The Rye. I chose this book because I heard this book's name from many places but never had the chance to read it (also the fact that i actually had this book at home helped me).
The Catcher in The Rye was written by J.D Salinger and has about 277 pages. This book does not have a blurb, but from the internet i was able to find some information about this book before reading it. This book is about a boy named holden Caulfield, he gets kicked out of his school (Pencey) and starts his adventure to New York.
From finding the small amount of information, i predict that the book will tell about Holden's experience throughout his 'adventure' to New York. I read from Wikipedia, that the book is only 48 hours of Holden's life.


Where i got my information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._D._Salinger

FINISHED BELL JAR

The Bell Jar was only 242 pages, and i finished it in two weeks.
This book was not my favorite book. To me, it was quite disturbing.
After pg 100, many things started to happen to Esther Greenwood. Esther Greenwood, pretty much turned 'crazy'. She didn't know what was wrong with her, but she turned suicidal.
When she came back home from NYC, she had many thoughts of killing herself, and even made few attempts. She tried to hang herself, and almost one time she was successful, when she overdosed on sleeping pills (she pretended like she was going out to walk by writing a letter to her mother, then went into the attic with the pills and a cup of water...so that no one could find her, but eventually her mother found her and brought her to hospital)
I'm not sure how many hospitals Esther went to, but she went through many treatments. Such as shock treatments, and she got injections often (insulin?-not sure).
Also there was this other thing that was happening in the story, something with a boy named Buddy Willard. Buddy Willard was Esther's crush for awhile, but when they finally went out and did things together (such as dates), she started to dislike him (maybe because he wasn't a virgin?). Soon Esther hated him and she basically wanted to lose her virginity as a revenge toward Buddy Willard.
Anyway, a lot of things happen in this book, and some of these things gave me a headache (i couldn't read this book for a long time, because i got headaches or it was to disturbing for me).
This book is good for those who like 'realistic' books (this book was kind of realistic because it is like Slyvia Plath's mini-autiobiography).
Well im off to find a new book :)

pg1-100 for BELL JAR~

Wow, i can't believe people actually read my posts (especially those who read my super duper long posts):D
Anyways, I just finished reading the first 100 pages of the Bell jar (but i should hurry up and finish the book, because i have to return it to the library in few days).
In my opinion, this book is not as interesting as My Sister's keeper. The Bell Jar is more depressing and confusing. Half the time i was reading the book, i didn't understand what was happening, but there were some few moments in the book where i was deeply in to it.
So, some things from the first 100 pages that i learned was about Esther (main character). Esther is a very peculiar character. At the moment she is at New york, with 11 or 12 more girls who won an internship there. Esther is the type of girl who doesn't know where she belongs. Some times she loves spending time with Doreen (who is like a party girl?) but then there are other times where she depises her and likes to play with innocent Besty.
Overall, Esther makes me very confused.

NEW BOOK!!! --> THE BELL JAR

There wasn't any specific reason why i chose The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.
I just chose this book, because when i was at the library trying to borrow My Sister's Keeper, i saw The Bell Jar and somehow i remembered that the book was on Ms. Faughey's list.
The Bell Jar kind of portrays Sylvia Plath's emotions throughout her childhood (including a mental breakdown and suicide attempt). Ester plays Sylvia Plath who gets a scholarship/internship that brings her to New York, soon she goes back to her hometown and becomes depressed and so on.
I find this book a little scary, because it is said that a month after this book's first publication, Sylvia Plath took her life (by shoving her head into the oven while the gas was on). I think that this book will be too personal and real for a reader.
Anyways, i will try to read this book and learn!

pg 300-423

I loved this book, i was very suprised by the ending though.
After i finished this book, i thought to myself, wow...the author is very mean.
I thought this -spoiler- because the author killed off her main character (through a car accident), when her whole family (Anna's family) expected Kate to die.
But at the end, Kate is alive (because of Anna's kidney, that was donated with other organs when she was brain dead).
I was happy to see that things worked out between Campbell and Julia (they got married).
Also i found out that Campbell's dog was a seizure dog (after Campbell got into a car accident he got seizures randomly)
Overall i loved this book!

Some things i was confused of:
- Did Kate really want to die? (like what Anna said during court)
- Did Kate live a long life?
- How did Anna's death effect the family? (How did Jesse become a police, when he was so
different before Anna's death)
- How did Sara and Brian (Anna's parent) cope with Anna's death?

pg 200-300

I loved reading pages 200-300. The book is a real page turner! Jodi Pilcout is telling bits and bits of Julia's and Campbell's "love history" and still talking about Anna's case. I am rooting for Julia and Campbell, but i don't understand why Campbell left Julia (did he leave her because of his parents?). Anna on the otherhand, now lives with her father (at the fire station). Also her father said that he will be on Anna's side (against his wife) during the case. While reading these pages, I feel the same way about Sara as i did in the beginning. I know what struggle Sara is going through, but i feel that she should be more equal towards her children. For example, she definitely gave up on Jesse (Jesse now smokes, drinks, steals cars and lights up abandoned buildings) and she basically forces Anna to give blood to Kate (like when Anna wanted to go to a camp for ice hockey (goalie), Sara doesn't want Anna to attend there (even if she has a full scholarship) because Sara is worrying about Kate (what if Kate needs more blood? What if Kate gets sick again?...). I can't wait to read the next hundred pages.

Some questions i have:
-What is the real reason of Judge (Campbell's dog)?
-What happened between Julia and Campbell?
-Is Anna going to win the case?
-Is Kate going die?
-What is going to happen to Jesse?
-Is Anna's family going to be ever 'normal'?

pg 100-200

These 100 pages i read, told me more about Julia (Anna's "guider") and Campbell Alexander (Anna's lawyer). Reading about Julia and Campbell, another story is added to the book. Campbell and Julia knew each other when they were younger, but something happened and after 17 years (?) they are now working on Anna's case together. I liked that Jodi Pilcout added another story. The book is now turning very interesting.
Anna is still not giving up her case. At times i don't understand why Anna just doesn't give up (though I believe she made the right decision to keep on going). Anna is never sure that she wants to sue her parents. For example, Anna tells some people (her mom) that she will give up the case, but then she tells her lawyer and other people that she will not quit (at times in the book I am curious of what she is thinking).

pg 1-100

I wasn't sure if I was supposed to start the 100 page homework this week, but here it is!!

PG 1-100

During the first pages of the book, I learn about Anna's childhood and her family.
Anna was basically 'made' by her parents (they go to a special doctor where they can choose the DNA), so that she could help her older sister, Kate (who has leukemia).
In the book, Anna is not the only person who narrates but different characters each tell their own story. While i was reading in Anna's perspective, i read how she felt used, and the fact that she didn't like supporting her sisters (by doing blood transfusion, platelets, bone marrow...). Anna loves her family, but she feels unloved and she feels that if Kate wasn't sick, she wouldn't be alive (for the main reason of her birth was to help Kate), and so Anna finds a lawyer to sue her parents because she is sick of giving parts of herself to Kate (without being asked). Though Anna feels sad that she has to go as far as suing her parents, she can't take it anymore.
While reading from Sarah's perspective (Anna's, Kate's and Jesse's mother), i actually started to dislike Sarah. The main reason that started my dislike, was how selfish she was. I understand that Sarah wanted to save Kate, but she went too far in using Anna. For example, while Sarah was 9 months pregnant with Anna, she was at a salon, coincidentally there were 2 other pregnant women there. So the three pregnant women are talking, and one of the ladies sitting next to Sarah asks her what name she will name the child. Sarah bluntly answers that she doesn't know and that she is going to wait. When i interpreted this, it was like Sarah didn't care anything of her new baby, she just cared that her Kate was going to live! Sarah was NINE MONTHS pregnant and yet she never even thought about a name. Also another example was when Sarah said her favorite date was the 31, because that was when the baby was going to be born, and the sooner the baby is born the quicker Kate can get treatment. Also when Sarah gets the news that Anna is suing her, Sarah attacks Anna, asking Anna why she would want to kill her sister. Though my examples may seem somewhat exaggerated, after reading the first 100 pages, these are the things that i found.
In the other character's perpective (Brian [the father of Anna, Jesse, Kate], Kate, Campbell Alexander [lawyer for Anna] and Jesse [Anna's and Kate's brother]), i learn more about the family's situation. I am liking Brian at the moment. I believe that Brian has good intentions for his whole family, he seems like he wants to pay attention to all his children. For example, Brian was the one who noticed about the locket that was gone from Anna's neck (she never took the locket off). Also when Brian found out that Anna was suing him, he didn't attack her but kind of supported her decision. Kate is Anna's sister who was diagnosed with leukemia (a rare form). Kate was in and out of the hospital since 3 years old, and she is the main reason for Anna's existence. When i hear Sarah talking to or about Kate, i seem to dislike Kate a little, because she gets a lot of attention from her parents (though its not Kate's fault she is sick), a little too much that the other children feels left out. Jesse is just the older brother of Kate and Anna. His actions are reckless ( i believe that Jesse is the one who keeps on starting the random fires), Jesse smokes and always disobeys his parents.
These are some information i have discovered by reading the first 100 pages!!

MY INDEPENDENT READING BOOK 1

I decided to choose, My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult.
I chose this book, because a classmate of mine told me that the book was interesting.
After my classmate told me this, i went on amazon.com and saw the book's reviews and plot. The plot was about a girl who was suing her parents because her parents were using her to save her older sister (who has leukemia).
From reading this book, i hope to learn how the family deals the problem. I bet the family will go through many troubles and problems, because suing your own family takes a lot of gut, and a teenage girl doing that to her parents means that she is serious and upset.
Some things i learned about the author, Jodi Picoult, is that she had many various jobs. She wrote short stories in magazines and edited textbooks and even taught an english class.
An interesting fact i learned about her novels, was that most of them have a civil or criminal case, and if her novels do not consist of this, they always have an attorney character of some sort.