Blogpot #12: Blogpost Review !

     I just read Sophia's post about the book "Deadly Little Secrets".  I wanted to see what her thoughts were about the book since I have also read it.  Reading her post made me think deeper about the book, the feelings' of the characters, and how it relates to all of us.  Sophia's post discusses the social issues that are in the book.  Although an obvious issue was rumors she thought deeper and talked about trust and friendship.  She also talks about what the book made her think.


     One reason I chose Sophia's blog posts out of all the blog posts I read was because I have read the book before before and I can relate to it.  I agree with what she talks about in her post.  I really liked how at the end of her post she wrote "I know I can say how bad it is that people didn't trust this kid, but I have to think not only how I feel as an outside reader but how I would feel in this situation myself and I hate to say it but I probably wouldn't trust him anymore than anyone else did."  I agree with what she said about how she wouldn't trust him either.  As humans, we make mistakes and throughout the book some of the characters made mistakes.


     Another thing that I agree with that Sophia stated in her post is that she talks about how bad rumors are.  I like where she said "Rumors are hurtful to many people. This book makes that very clear, rumors are not something to mess with."  I agree because rumors can hurt people and make a big impact on their lives and how they feel about themselves.  Sophia also talked about friendship and how the main character, Camelia was a good friend to Ben.  I agree with her because Camelia trusted him even though everything she was going through.


     Sophia's post made me think about the world.  Even though we don't see everything that is going on, people around the world are going through these issues that Sophia talked about in her post.  People around the world have had or are having rumors spread about them.  Just because we don't physically see what is going on around the world doesn't mean it's not happening.  Every day people around the world get hurt by these rumors being spread.  Sophia talks about how rumors are a serious issue.  


     I did read other posts that Sophia wrote but I chose this one because I think that she spent time on it and really thought about what she was writing.  Sophia's post is well written, I like that it is in paragraphs and neatly organized.  I think that her post is very engaging and interesting because she puts her opinion into the post.  She talks about what she thinks throughout the post.


     I think that Sophia did a great job writing her post.  I really enjoyed reading it and I thought it was very interesting and creative.  I liked how I got to see another person's opinion on the book that I read.  I realized that I have a lot of the same opinions and thoughts that Sophia talked about in her post.  I agree with what she said in her post.  I think that her post was successful because I could relate to it and readers will be able to understand the post even if they haven't read it.  I think that her post would make someone who hasn't read the book make them want to read the book.

   

Blog Post # 11 *Spoiler Alert*

     So I just finished reading Deadly Little Secrets.  It was a great book and I didn't want to put it down !  I liked how the author never dragged on with something and there was different point of views in the story.  Also, the author talked about a lot of different issues.  I also never expected what happened at the end.  I think that it was a very shocking end to the story, but it was still very interesting.  I think that the author wrote the book to bring awareness about the issues talked about.  I think that the book was great and I would definitely recommend it!

     So it was Matt !  I would have never had expected that.  Matt was Camelia's old friend, but he was also her ex boyfriend.  I had thought that it was Camelia's best friend.  When  I found out it was Matt I was shocked.  I think that Camelia was very trusting with Matt.  Matt ended up tricking her and 'kidnapping her'.  He held her in a room and gave her drugs to make her fall asleep.  Matt at first tricked Camelia and told her that Ben, who Camelia liked and was her friend had gotten hurt and was in the hospital and needed her.  Of course he lied, and brought her to a secluded area and tied her up and left her in a trailer.  I believe that Matt had been planning it because he had Camelia's favorite foods there.  Matt was not a good friend to Camelia, he was obsessive.
   
     If I was Camelia, I probably also would have trusted Matt.  Matt had been her friend for a long time and I don't think she ever even suspected Matt of sending her those letters, pictures and gifts. I think that Camelia was lucky that Ben had followed Mat to her.  Ben followed Matt one day and then he thought it was weird and called the cops.  When Matt was about to hit Camelia for trying to escape the trailer Ben came up and saved Camelia.  Ben saved Camelia' life and she was grateful for that.

     I really liked how the author talked about a lot of different issues through out the book.  At first I felt like the beginning was a little long but now I realized that it wasn't.  I really liked the ending and it was such an interesting book.  I think that the setting was also an important part of the book.  I think that where Matt brought Camelia at the end was an important setting.  A lot of things happened there and Camelia was almost killed there.  Camelia must feel bad for not believing Ben at first.

     I think that this was  a great book and I really enjoyed reading it.  I would like to read more books from this author.  I think I'm still in shock about the ending because I never would have thought that Matt would have done that.  Matt seemed very nice.  I think that the author is trying to teach it's readers not to trust people because you have known them for a long time.  I would recommend this book to other people.

Blogpost #10: Deadly Little Secret

     In the book, "Deadly Little Secret" new issues are starting.  Other then the rumors now there are threats and secrets involved.  Camelia is beginning to receive threat letters.  Those letters are making her act differently and making her act scared.  Nobody knows who the letters are coming from.  The person who the letters are from have also broke into her house and went into her room.  She wants to tell her parents, but she doesnt want to burden them since they are already going through other problems.

     Camelia started receiving the letters once she met Ben and began talking to him.  Before that, she was fine and her life was normal.  Camelia's friends are getting very worried for her.  She has gotten letters that talked about how the person is watching her.  One letter said "I'm closer than you think".  I think that the person who is writing the letters is trying to scare Camelia.  Along with the letters, she has also received gifts.  No one knew that she had wanted a certain pair of pajamas except for Kimmie, her best friend.  The gift was also ripped up when the person broke in to Camelia's house.

     I think that Camelia should tell someone about what is happening to her.  Ben, the supposed murderer of the school, told her that she should call the police.  Camelia didn't want to call the police.  When she was going to tell her parents, her parents told her that it wasn't a good time.  Camelia told Kimmie and Wes, her friends about some of the stuff, but not the most important parts.  Kimmie was home alone and she heard something and someone at the door.  She was very afraid and worried because of all that was happening.  Kimmie came to the door and told Camelia it was her.  But after camelia had entered her room she relized that someone had been inside her room and Kimmie said it wasn't her.

     Ben and Camelia are starting to get closer.  Ben told her that he could see the past and future of people's lives by touch.  That is called psychometric, which is the sense of things through touch.  At first Kimmie didn't believbe him.  But then he touched her and told her something about her past that made her believe him.  Ben said that when he touched her, he saw her laying on the floor, dead.  After that was when Camelia had started receiving the letters.  Kimmie and Wes think that it is Ben who is sending her all the letters and pictures and gifts.  They don't trust Ben, but Camelia does.

     I think that the person who is sending Camelia everything is Kimmie.  Kimmie has been there when most of the things happened.  Kimmie knew which pajams Camelia wanted because they went shopping together.  Also Kimmie wasn't there when all of the pictures were taken of Camelia.  Lastly, Kimmie was at Caemlia's house when someone supposedly broke in.  That is why I think that Kimmie is the one who is sending Camelia the threats.

     This book is still trying to relate with issues in the world.  Now the author is also including threats, friendship, secrets, and family.  All of those topics are very relatable to people.  I think that the author is trying to make the book relatable to all of its readers.  In conclusion, I think that the issues discussed in the book are very important.

Blog Post # 9: Deadly Little Secrets: Rumors

     In "Deadly Little Secrets a major issue is peer pressure.  Camelia's friends are trying to get Camelia to believe rumors about this boy Ben, who saved her life.  Camelia likes Ben but her friends say it is "unacceptable" for Camelia to like him.  Everyone is the school is trying to peer pressure Camelia into believing the rumors and stop talking to Ben.  I think that rumors are a major problem in her school, but also everywhere in the world. 

     Rumors and lies are things that spread quickly, and effect someone and usually in a bad way.  I think that rumors are just cruel and mean.  Rumors are usually fake and make people feel bad.  I think that the rumors that are being spread about Ben are not right.  Someone started a rumor that Ben killed his last girlfriend.  After that rumor started, Ben left the school.  Some time after, Ben returned and the rumors started up again.  In the book it says, " 'And speaking of hostile,' he continues, 'did either of you hear about the new kid?  Word is he's a killer' "  The rumors were created by people who have nothing better to do.

     The rumors make Ben feel bad.  People make Ben feel bad.  They call him names and they talk about him.  People don't even walk in the same hall as him because they are "too scared of him".  In the text it says "It's the last block of the day, and every one's talking about Ben's locker.  Sometime before lunch there was another sign left on it.  Only this time, Ben couldn't just tear it down.  Someone had written the words Killer Go Home down the length of the door in permanent black marker."  As you can see, Ben is treated very badly in the school.  Most of the people don't even really know him and they still treat him the same way and talk and start rumors about him.

     People are afraid of Ben.  But I think they're not.  The rumors make Ben feel like he can't go around people and hang out with them.  Rumors can be very bad for people's lives.  In the text it says, "He makes a beeline for our table and butts in his sweaty self between us as Ben releases his grip on my forearm.  'Did he hurt you?' Sweat-man asks."  As you can see, students and teachers think that Ben is dangerous because of the rumors that were spread about him. 

     In conclusion, rumors can be very dangerous.  Rumors can make people do dumb things and make people treat people differently.  I think that rumors are also life changing for some people.  I think that this book can relate to people because it is about rumors.  Almost everyone can relate to the book because the have either spread rumors or have had rumors spread about them.  Rumors are not always forgotten, sometimes they stay with people forever.

Blog Post # 8: Looking For Alaska: The Conflict

     In the book, "Looking For Alaska" I think that the major conflict right now would be the death of Alaska.  Alaska recently died in a car accident when she snuck away from school late at night.  Now her friends are trying to figure out why she died, was it an accident or was it suicide?  This conflict is causing many problems.  The conflict is causing all the characters to act differently.  Miles is the main character and it was his first year at Culver Creek, a boarding school.  There he met some friends, such as the Colonel and Alaska.  But now that Alaska is no longer alive, Miles is starting to act very differently. 

     Since everyone found out that Alaska had died, no one has been the same.  I think that her death impacted many people and shocked them too.  Miles and the Colonel are spending all of their time going around and trying to figure out why Alaska died the way she did.  They visited a cop that witnessed Alaska's death and they have called and met with some people. 

     I know that they all must feel bad for Alaska and must be depressed, but I think that they are spending too much time trying to figure out what actually happened to her.  Miles and the Colonel feel guilty because the allowed her to leave that night when she got into the accident.  It's not their fault, Alaska was the one who crashed into the cop car. 

     I think that the conflict has a major effect on all of the characters.  Everyone is acting differently and some people are trying to ignore thew fact that Alaska is no longer alive.  I believe that the conflict is a bad conflict because of it's effect on all of the people.  Some people aren't even going outside because they are depressed. 

     I think that the conflict is very relatable.  I think the author chose to add it in because people can relate to it.  Also the conflict is kind of mysterious, since no one knows why she crashed into the car.  I believe that the conflict was chosen by the author for a reason.  Maybe the author can relate to the conflict.

     In conclusion, I think that the conflict has a great effect.  I also believe that the conflict is very emotional and very suspenseful and mysterious at the same time.  I believe that the author incorporated this conflict in the story so that people can understand how it feels to lose someone close to you.

When You Reach Me (by Rebecca Stead): Conflict

     "When you reach me" has many conflicts.  Some are major, some not so major.  I think that during the rising action and climax of the book is when all of the problems started coming up.  The book is written in a weird way.  It's a letter to someone, but we don't find out who the letter is for and why Miranda is writing the letter until the end.  This book touches on so many issues.  Some issues that occur in the book are death, friendship, fighting, stealing, and a lot more.  This book seems like a bearing witness book since it talks about issues and tries to bring light and show the importance of those issues.

     One of the important issues are death.  At the end of the book, a man who was homeless and lived on the street corner where Miranda's house was died.  The Laughing Man is hat everyone would call him.  Everyone would fear him, but really, there was nothing to fear.  In the end, the Laughing Man risks his life to save Miranda's friend, Sal who was about to get hit by a truck.  Instead, the laughing man pushed Sal out of the way and he got hit and died.  In the book this part of the book shows how the laughing man took his life to save another.  "Sal is going to die.  Suddenly, the laughing man was in the street, his right leg flying out in a mighty kick.  The laughing man's foot hit Sal's body.  Sal flew backward and hit the ground, hard.  The truck hit the laughing man."  I think that that section of the book had a lot of emotion and feeling.  The laughing man, who everyone wanted to stay away from, was actually a good person.  He did what many people wouldn't, he risked his life to save another person that he didn't even know.  I believe that everyone judged the laughing man and didn't give him a chance to see what a good person he really actually was.  I think death is a major issue in the book.

     Another major issue in the book is friendship.  Miranda and Sal were great friends at first, but then Sal just stopped talking to her.  They slowly grew apart and Miranda tried to work it out, but Sal just tried to avoid her.  Miranda really wanted to befriends with Sal, but he kept pushing her away and making excuses why he couldn't hang out with her.  In the book, it says "So do you remember why you don't like me anymore?"  Miranda asked Sal that because she wanted their friendship to continue and be as it used to.  Sal was not being a good friend to Miranda.  Miranda made new friends, but she always thought about Sal no matter what. 
 
     An issue in the book is fighting. At the beginning of the book Sal was punched by a kid he did not even know.  That kid was Marcus.  After Sal was hit was when he started to separate himself from Miranda.  In the book it says, "He made a fist that came up like a wave and hit Sal right n the stomach. Hard."  Marcus, who hit Sal didn't do it on purpose he just wanted to see what Sal would do.  That wasn't the right thing of Marcus to do because he was bullying Sal.

     The fourth issue was stealing.  One incident was when Miranda went home and found her apartment door open. She knew something was wrong, someone had been in there.  All they stole was 1 shoe, but they still stole.  Another incident was when Annabelle, Miranda, and Collin were at Jimmy's and Collin stole rolls from Jimmy's shop.  Although that issue wasn't as big as the others the author still incorporated it for a reason.

     In conclusion, I thought the author talked about all those issues to bear witness on them.  I think that she talked about them for a reason, she wanted readers to become more aware of those issues.  I believe that those issues affected the characters.  The issues made the characters change and experience new things.  I think that the author wanted to teach the readers the importance of the issues talked about.

Blog Post # 6: Invitation Only- Justice

     This week I finished reading "Invitation Only".  I think that this book was very relatable to justice.  Justice is fairness and in the book there was not a lot of fairness.  For example, people who got scolarships to the school were not treated the same as people who could afford to pay to go to the school.  In the end of the book I do not think that justice was served.  I thik that justice would have been served if the billings girls would have apologized to Reed or if they would have gotten in trouble.  I think that Reed, the main character represents justice.  I think that the billings girls are the ones who blocks justice.  Their motivation is that they want to see if Reed can really "be one of them".  I don't think that in the real world if this had happened it would have ended in the way that it had ended in the book.

     I think that  justice would have been served if something had haooened to the Billings Girls.  I think that they are the ones that caused there to be no justice in the end.  I believe that they should have been punished for what they had done to Reed and what they had made Reed (and not only Reed) do.  I believe that justice would have been served even if the Billings Girls had just been caught in their act and what they were doing.  I feel like they deserved to have something happen to them for the pain that they caused in others.  They can what ever they want so quickly and they make others do their stuff for them.  The blackmail people so that they could get what they want.  Blackmailing is not justice.

     I believe that Reed is the person who represents justice.  Reed is like the person in the middle, she's nice to everyone and she's friends with the popular kids and the not so popular kids.  I think that she is the one who represents justice because she is the main one that the harm is really done to.  Reed is probably the typical person that everyone would think represents and symboliozes justice.  Reed does not do anything to harm anyone, but people do things to harm her.  Harming people and mis treating them is not justice.

     I think that it is the Billings Girls who block justice.  I think that because they are the ones that are causing all the harm to Reed.  Their motivation is that they want everything done their way and they want everyone to follow them.  Reed doesn't follow them and they saw that they could take advantage of her.  they took advantage of that oppurtunity and they took advantage of Reed.

     In conclusion, I think that justice is not served in a lot of places and times.  A lot of times justice is also not rewarded to the right person.  Situatations like thius would probably not come out the same way.  The people who did the wrong things (in this case the Billings Girls) would probably get in trouble for blackmailing and making someone else do their chores and work.  The world is very different than books, in some cases the world is better and in others it's worse.