The End of the Virals Series and the School Year

So... this is the last blog post of this school year. I'm actually kind of sad. I'm gonna miss doing these almost every weekend. I'm definitely going to miss all my freshman classes and teachers. I'm happy that summer is coming, though. Except for the fact that I signed up for summer lessons for PE and Financial Literacy, so I don't get to sleep in then either... That was a really bad choice.
Anyways, this post is about the next book in the Virals series. In one of my older posts, from a very long time ago, I told you guys about the book Code by Kathy Reichs. Well, now I'm reading the next book, Exposure, it's the fourth book in the series. In my last post, I talked about hoping the next series I read would be a consistently good one, and this series is perfect. I LOVE IT!!! It has been filled with lots of action throughout the entire book series. it also has a little romance in it, but it hasn't overwhelmed the actual story line at all! It actual ignores it for a lot of the book. I'm really happy about that, because most books just let the romance overwhelm the story after it gets introduced, then the story becomes very boring.
Sadly, there is only one more book left in this amazing  series. I'm almost done with this book (Exposure) and then I'll go find the next, and last, book, Terminal. I can't wait to read it! The book came out on March 3rd, this year. But I'm gonna to miss the series and the characters once the series is over. Do you guys ever get emotionally attached to a fictional character, and then when the book/show ends, you get really sad and miss them a lot? Well I do. It sucks...
So many things are ending, it just seems so sad... I hope Kathy Reichs decides to write more books in this series. I really like this series.
I'm really reluctant to finish this book, because I know it's going to take me a long time to find the next book in the series, and I want to make this one last until I find the next one. But, I read the last page of the book, because I had to know what would happen, and I read the line, "You're not the only Virals anymore." So now, I really want to know what happened, and if the "new" Virals are good or bad, because the Viral powers are very dangerous. I think she'll talk about this in the last book, which seems like a lot to fit into only one book. I really don't want the series to end on a cliffhanger (like this book did) because all the questions that won't be answered will probably kill me...
 Kathy Reichs writes another series called Bones and it's also a television show. So, maybe I'll read that next, because I really like the TV show.
Click on this Link-This is a link to an interview by Kathy Reichs, and it summarizes the virals series, I think a lot of you would like this series.

White Rabbit Chronicles

So, just a warning, this blog post is probably going to end up as another rant. I've noticed that all my posts, somehow end up as rants about how much The book didn't live up to my expectations, or how I have nothing to read. Never mind, I know this post will end with how much I disliked the book. It will also most likely talk about how I have nothing else to read after this... I never have anything to read anymore. It's really sad...
Anyways, if you've read my previous blog posts, you know That I read the book 'Alice in Zombiland' a few weeks ago. And I really liked the book. It was the first book in a series, called the 'White Rabbit Chronicles', so when I didn't have anything to read, I decided that I would find the next books in the series. So I went online, and found a website with the next two books, and I could read them for free. I don't normally do this kind of thing, I was desperate. But anyways, so I was reading the next book, it was called 'Through the Zombie Glass' and this book was okay. It wasn't as great as the first one. But it was good enough to make me want to read the next one. But when I read the next book, which was called 'Queen of Zombie Hearts,' it was terrible. The plot was overtaken by the romance side of the story. Or at least, that's what it felt like to me.
I feel like this happens to a lot of book series. They start of great, but just keep getting worse as they go. It happened to the Hunger Games and to the Maze Runner series, too. I feel like after the first book the authors don't put as much effort into making the book as entertaining. Or they let the love story become the main subject of the story. Honestly, what I really want is a book series that stays great throughout the whole series. Kind of like the Series of Unfortunate Events books. Those were great. I hope the next book series I read is consistently good. This is a link to an interview Kathy Reichs did, in which she talks a little about her Virals series.

Delirium By Lauren Oliver

So I've wanted to read the book Delirium by Lauren Oliver, for a long time. When I finally managed to get my hands on a copy of the book, I was delighted. I got really far into the  book, I managed to reach chapter 24, but I couldn't finish the book. Honestly, after the first few chapters, the book started to fall apart. It seemed like Lauren Oliver was focusing more on the "love" part of the story, than the actually "story" part. After the love interest, Alex, was introduced, the main character, Lena, seemed to become more dependent. Eventually, Lena just stars acting very lovesick, and that stuff really bothered me.

One thing I should probably have mentioned before, is that the main idea in this book is love. In  the book, love is illegal. It's classified  as a disease called amor deliria nervosa, and the people in the society have managed to create a vaccine to make sure people don't catch the love "disease." People are given the vaccine once they turn eighteen. Some people, however, resist the vaccine, and if the government finds people (who are over eighteen) showing symptoms of love, these people are thrown in prison, or given the vaccine until it works on them. Children showing love is okay, but girls and boys are separated. So they almost never see each other. If two people fall in love before they reach eighteen, and the love gets too serious, they are given the vaccine early. However, giving the vaccine before age eighteen has caused problems for the people before, so it is dangerous.
People are assigned a wife or a husband to marry after they are given the vaccine. These two people would get married after both the husband and the wife finish college, and get a a job. The couple is also assigned a number of children that they have to have. This number is chosen by calculating how much money the couple makes, and how healthy they are.
I think this society sucks. I would not want to live there. They outlawed music, there are people who have illegal music partites in abandoned houses, so some people manage to hear music. There are also people who live outside the city, and they aren't allowed inside, they're called Invalids. These people haven't had the vaccine, and are considered dangerous by the government.
One thing I really want to know, is why the government made love illegal. I think if I'd read a little further, I might get an answer. Maybe the book said something about it earlier, and I just skipped over it. Maybe I'll try to finish the book. I guess I knew it was a book that had a lot of love in it, but I just didn't expect this much love in the story. It would be a good book if you really like love stories, and I like love stories, but only when there is a strong plot line. I'm probably never going to finish this book...

Pages 1-14 in the Columns Packet

The stories in the packet were all about different topics, but one thing I found that was really similar about the articles, was that they were all written with a very clear voice. It was like someone was actually talking to you. It was amazing how the author was able to do that. The authors also used a lot of rhetorical strategies to enhance their writing. They managed to get their point across without writing a dull article.
The rhetorical appeal they was used the most in the articles was  "Pathos." I think this might have been because using "Ethos" would have made the article have a more bossy tone, and using "Logos" would have made the articles seem like an essay. By using "Pathos" the author was able to grab the reader's attention by using emotions to keep their attention.
The rhetorical strategies that were most used were "personification","word repetition", and "figurative language."  Figurative language was  used the most out of all of them. The authors used a lot of similes and metaphors to add color to their writing. Which allows a reader to stay interested and not lose interest.

Fahrenheit 451 Theme

Fahrenheit 451 Theme: Technology can be dangerous in the wrong hands.

Bell 3: Jacob, Joey, Grace, Ishani, and Kayla

First Event: Mobile surgery is used to save Mildred’s life.

        Quote: ...starting a few years ago we had the special machines built. With the optical lens, of course, that was new; the rest is ancient. You don’t need an M.D., case like this; all you need is two handymen, clean up the problem in half an hour” (Bradbury 13).

Second Event: The activation of the Mechanical Hound.

        Quote: The Hound half rose in its kennel and looked at him with green-blue neon light flickering in its suddenly activated eye bulbs. It growled again, a strange rasping combination of electrical sizzle, a frying sound, a scraping of metal, a turning of cogs that seemed rusty and ancient with suspicion” (Bradbury 23). 

Third Event: Bombings and Atomic war.

        Quote: A bomber fight had been moving east all the time they talked and only now did the two men stop and listen feeling the great jet sound tremble  inside themselves (Bradbury 83). 

Fourth Event: Faber’s creation of the bluetooth.

        Quote: If you put it in your ear Montag I can sit comfortably home, warming my frightened bones, and hear and analyze the firemen’s world, find it’s weakness, without danger. I’m the Queen Bee, safe in the hive. You will be the drone, the travelling ear. Eventually, I could put out ears into all parts of the city, with various men, listening and evaluating” (Bradbury 87).

 Fifth Event: Montag is almost killed by teenagers driving the Beetle.

        Quote:The driver of that car, seeing Montag down, instinctively considered the probability that running over a body at such a high speed might turn the car upside down and spill them out. If Montag had remained an upright target…?(Bradbury 122)

Sixth Event: Advanced Programming in the Mechanical Hound

        Quote:-Mechanical Hound never fails. Never since its first use in tracking quarry has this incredible invention made a mistake. Tonight, this network is proud to have the opportunity to follow the Hound by camera helicopter as it starts on its way to the target-” “-nose so sensitive the Mechanical Hound can remember and identify ten thousand odor indexes on ten thousand men without resetting. (Bradbury 126-7)

How is this theme important to the story?: This theme shows how the advancement of technology can be dangerous, especially when in the wrong hands, such as when Montag was being chased by the Mechanical Hound who was trying to kill him.

How does this theme connect to our lives today?: The theme shows how our advanced technology can cause many negative changes to our society, and how even if they are supposed to be used for good, in the wrong hands it can cause a lot of damage.

Alice in Zombieland By Gina Showalter

So this weekend I had a friend from Iowa over at my house. She got me a book called Alice in Zombieland. I was really excited about it because, as I had said in my last post,  I really needed a new book to read. I haven't started reading it yet, because I've been planning to start  reading it at school.
Anyway, last week, when we had no school, I read a book called Always a Witch. Which was the book had said I wanted to read, my previous post, "New Books." I finished it in a day, which was sad, becuase I wanted it to last longer, but it was a great book. I'm really happy I got to read it.
Basically, the book was about  how Tamsin, the main characters, saved her family from another evil family of witches. The book was filled with all kinds of magic, so if you like  books with magic in it the  Once a Witch and Always a Witch books are really great choices for you. It was nice to finally finish the series after waiting for what feels like forever.
Anyways, I can't wait to start reading this new book! I looks really interesting. This is a link to a Goodreads page about it: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11300302-alice-in-zombieland

Narrative on what happens in Mrs. Phelps' life

As Mrs. Phelps walked home, she thought about what had just happened at Montag's house.  Guy had read her, Mrs. Bowels, and Mildred. Mildred had told them that it was okay, and that all firemen were allowed to take a book, but something felt wrong. Perhaps she shouldn't have encouraged Montag to read the poem. Why would the government let someone read them things that brought sadness to people. It didn't seem right. Mrs. Phelps wondered if she should call Chief Beatty and ask him to change this.
After she had heard that poem, Mrs. Phelps had started to have more emotions. It seemed to bring out her more human side. She wondered about her husband, Pete. She wondered if he would be okay. She'd started to worry about him. This had never happened before. What if this time, it was her husband who died. What if it wasn't someone else's husband this time. She knew that they had an agreement to not mourn each other, because it was their third marriage. He'd told her to get married again and not cry for him if he died at war, but it didn't feel right. She felt like she should care more for him. They were married, after all. She loved him, didn't she? Why would she marry him if she didn't? You were supposed to cry for those who you loved, right?
She had started to question the things that she was taught since she was born. She and her husband didn't even have any children. She knew she had said that she didn't want any chldren, but maybe she was changing her mind. She had some doubts about children, though. Mrs. Bowles had told them about only having her children home for three days a month. What was the point of having children if you only had three days a month to spend with them? Mrs. Beatty had also said that she just left her children in the parlor when they were home. So, even on days when the children weren't at school, she didn't spent time with them.
She didn't know why, but this made Mrs. Phelps very sad. Why didn't people talk. Maybe Montag was correct. Maybe people should have talked more. Maybe she should care about her family more. As she reached her house, she laughed. What was she thinking, the world was fine as it was. The poem must have just messed with her head a little. The government had made the right choices. Why should she question them?

New Books

So, I really need some new books to read... I've finished ALL of the books I have at home. I wish the library here was a little larger. When I lived in Iowa, we had a really big library,with lots of options. So, because I didn't have any more books, I moved on to my sister's bookshelf. I found a book called One False Note by Gordon Korman. It's part of the 39 Clues series. I thought it was an okay book, but it didn't really capture my attention. I wanted a book with more of a story line and a faster plot.
I wouldn't read this book, normally, but I really need something to read, and this was all I had. If anyone has any ideas about good books for me to read, feel free to comment. I really want to read this book called Always a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough, but most libraries I go to don't have it. They have the first book though, it's called Once a Witch. I've read it like a million times... I really need the second book. I think I'll just go buy it from Half Price books, and if they don't have it, I'll go to Barnes and Nobles.
Anyway, for right now, I'm just going to read the book Code again. I've read it a lot though, so it's probably going to be a little boring now. Maybe I'll look for any other books that I can find at my house. I think that I can find a few new books. I normally like reading books over and over again, but it gets really annoying after a while. I hope I get a new book soon.