The Fault in Our Stars

My book club and I just finished reading The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. For those of you who have not joined the growing group of people who have read this book, it centers around Hazel, a 16 year old three year survivor of stage 4 thyroid cancer. For the past three years, her lungs had been alternately filling with and draining out water, causing a slow and inevitable drowning. She had been living a life of watching television, going to a support group, and going to school, in a steady circle. But her life was soon drastically altered by the appearance of the dashingly handsome, charming, witty, and one-legged Augustus Waters. He himself was now FOC (free of cancer) after his leg had been amputated. Upon meeting at support group, Hazel and Gus immediately formed a connection, and the connection brought a whole new phenomenon to Hazel's life: love.

A question my book club brought up prior to reading this book was "what obstacles do the characters face?" I think that the obvious major obstacle Hazel faces, cancer, which holds not only death but the destruction of body and mind, actually aplies to almost everyone in the book. Hazel and her friend Issac, are affected by cancer because it is currently invading and destroying their bodies, leading to the inevitable blindness of Issac and death of Hazel. They have to cope with the facts that their lives and sight are on time limit. Augustus faces cancer in a different way; he sees it as something that has destroyed his physicality, his talent at basketball. what Gus wants most, live the majority of people, is to be special, to leave a mark on the world. But ***SPOILER ALERT*** when his cancer returns, he has to face that he will never be famous, or make a world wide impact, he will just be Augustus. These all examples of the direct affects of cancer and its physical destruction.

Cancer, however, destroys indirectly as well, affecting those who watch it overtake someone—namely, Hazel's parents. While perfectly healthy themselves, they have to overcome the obstacle of cancer affecting their daughter. This is difficult, because they do have to deal with all of the effects of cancer vicariously through someone they love, not able to stop it. Here, the obstacle is not cancer, but helplessness, a side affect of the disease. All of the parents featured in the book must deal with the fact that they can't stop cancer from claiming their children. Even Peter Van Houten, the author, living in Amsterdam, of An Imperial Affliction, who's daughter died at amoung age of the disease.

In conclusion, I think that cancer, with all of the emotional side affects it entails, touches everyone in the book. It shows how interconnected everyone is, both in and out of the book. It shows how if you care about someone, you live with them, not as a bystander. I thought that this was an amazing book, and while I don't recommend this to those who dislike sad endings, I do to those who want an honest, emotional, and clever read.

Why We Broke Up

I recently finished the book Why We Broke Up, written by Daniel Handler. I must confess, I initially bought this book because (please withhold all judgements) of the beautiful, beautiful pictures. You may be put off due to the fact that the book comes only in hardcover, and weights about 25 lbs, but this is beacause the thick, glossy pages are sectioned off with full page, full color, gorgeous paintings documenting the story. The book follows Min, a unique and clever and, despite her hatred of the word, artsy junior, and her relationship with universally revered Ed, a jock if there ever was one. It's strange format is as follows; the book itself is a 300+ letter to Ed, from Min, explaining to him why they broke up. It is attached, as she originally states, to abox filled with seemingly insignificant items that are in fact all related to the epic tale. These are the items (including two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a box of matches, a folded origami note, a rubber band, a high school pennat, a toy truck, a recipe book, an egg cuber, a comb from a motel room, and a pair of ugly earrings) that are depicted in the photos.

I ended up liking this book more than I thought I would. I could relate to Min, and though the book wasn't the most intellectually stimulating, I enjoyed it none the less, and it made a fair few thought provoking points. It is written believably, a stream of words lacking grammar but bursting with emotion and (obviously) angst. I also liked how Min, despite being mind-numbing lay infatuated, didn't drop her brain off sometime in the middle of the relationship, as I have seen many do in my time as I reader. She wasn't so easily pushed over. Now, this is not to say that she remained levelheaded and practically intelligent throughout the book— the reason they broke up was clear to me far before it was to Min. But I think it is especially hard to be objective in situations involving People you know and love.

Overall, I thought this book was highly enjoyable, and I recommend it to anyone. Also if you love coffee (or as Min more accurately refers to it, Life Giving Brew) you will find a character similarly in love with it in its proper state: drowned in cream and sweetened with at least 3 packets of sugar.

The Secret Cellar

The Secret Cellar, by Michael D. Beil, is the forth installment of The Red Blazer Girls Series. I recently reread the series, and found it—if possible—to be even better than my first time through. If I was pleasantly surprised by the first one book I was astounded by the second, and the third, and the fourth.. The plot in this book was much more interesting, with richer and more believable character development, a wider variety of settings, and a plot filled with surprise and intrigue. An added bonus was the codes and riddles the girls had to decipher; they were extremely fascinating, and it was fun to try to decode them before the characters did. The writer also has a great sense of humor—the main character, Sophie St. Pierre, is hilariously honest in her narrations, and is such a funny, relatable character that more than once did I have to make an effort to not start laughing in the middle of a crowded subway car. I also love the books portrayal of the city, with its diverse and odd variety of people and places, from the small, musty violin shop run by a kind, aged Polish-man and to a small coffee shop who's one floor is partially submerged below street level, hosting a mixture of dilapidated couches and banged-up tables, arranged artfully on a sticky floor, commonly frequented by schoolgirls in vermillion blazers, who are served by baristas with oversize glasses or pink-streaked hair.

The series follows the escapades of four teens—Sophie, Margaret, Becca, and Leigh Ann—who attend St. Veronica's School on the East Side of Manhattan. After accidentally stumbling on a decades old mystery involving a famed ring, the girls find themselves presented with multiple cases. The case the girls are working on in The Secret Cellar began with Sophie attempting to find a Christmas gift for her father. She thinks she has found the perfect one in an antique fountain pen she wins at the auction of a recently diseased old man. When she finds a message hidden in the pen written by the man shortly before he died, the girls investigate. At his large house they find a vast and magnificent room where the basement should be, empty except for a large round table depicting a perfect map of the stars, with a ceiling hand painted with the planets and zodiac constellations, walls and floors tiled in blackest granite and marble, and decorated with golden medallions set in the walls and floor that are etched with designs that they discover, when turned in the right direction, unlock a hidden door to a secret cellar holding untold riches. I cannot WAIT for the next book—I'm excited to see how the story continues. I recommend it to everyone!

Messy

After finishing Messy, a book written by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, a duo famous for their   snarky and hilarious celebrity fashion blog, I was in a state of shock. The book followed Spoiled, in which after the death of her mother, sixteen-year-old Molly Dix must go live with the father she never new she had: world-famous movie star Brick Berlin, and her gorgeous, spoiled half-sister Brooke. While at first Brooke attempts to do everything in her power to sabotage Molly, Molly endures her sister's siege, and the two become close. Along the way, Molly befriends Max (Maxine) McCormack. Messy follows Max, mainly secluded and slightly cynical, attempting to get a job to raise money for the NYU summer writing program. Desperate to get away from the notoriety-seeking people of LA, she believes she has found the perfect opportunity when an anonymous request for a blogger to write under the name of an up-and-coming teen It Girl appears online. She soon finds out that the "It Girl" is none other than Brooke, who she loathes. Both girls are shocked when the blog becomes huge, and find themselves becoming friends the more time they spend together. But it isn't long before the lie threatens to blow up in both of their faces. The who,e situation becomes very, very messy.

I read Spoiled, and thought it was entertainingly enjoyable, but I was blown away by Messy, which exceeded all of my expectations. Told from Max's perspective, It was hilarious, and brutally honest, with ironic observations about the outrageousness of Hollywood. The writing was descriptive, and I especially enjoyed the various references to and commentaries on pop culture. What really made this world of fame-fueled, image-obsessed people relatable were the desires shared by people world-wide—to be noticed, to be liked. The unique and rich personalities were the touch that enhanced the entire book. Brooke and her demanding charisma, Max and her smart snark. I think that this book appeals to a lot of people, and I highly recommend it as a future read.

Bright Young Things

Recently, I was pleasantly surprised by Bright Young Things, by Anna Godbersen. Similar to her first series, the Luxe, which followed the interweaving stories of the high society residents of New York City in 1889, the series's three books center around three friends and their exploits in the NYC summer of 1929. In the book, Cordelia Grey and Letty Larkspur have just escaped from the stifling confines of Union, Ohio, the small town the girls grew up in. They are heading to the city, Letty with dreams of being a singer/actress, Cordelia with hopes of finding her estranged father, Darius Grey, now an extremely rich bootlegger, profiting off the market of illegal alcohol in the age of Prohibition. When Cordelia seeks him out at Dogwood, his colossal estate on Long Island, he welcomes her. There she meets Astrid Donal, the gorgeous and vivacious girlfriend of Cordelia's brother Charlie. The girls soon become friends, but the life Cordelia has just discovered, and the life of her father, is soon threatened by Darius's rivals, the Hales.

I really enjoyed this book, much more than I thought I would. The plot was engaging and surprising, and I thought Godbersen did a great job balancing going back and fourth between the events happening to each girl. It was fast-paced without being confusing. The writing was descriptive, and I especially loved the details that were specific to 1929.  The book was also chalk full of dramatic irony. In the prologue it talks a bit about the 1920s, and the lats sentence is "at the end of the fateful summer, one would be famous, one would be married, and the other would be dead," which stays with you thought the entire book. Another piece of dramatic irony was the whole time period. I know that the stock market crash that started the Great Depression took place at the end of 1929, so I know that after this last summer, things are going to change dramatically. Overall, it was a great book, and I can't wait to see what else she has written.

A Fiery Tide

It is bittersweet with a dark, rich tang.
Sometimes light's blinding; it seems you can't miss,
When overwhelmed with life's boisterous bang,
Then you're pulled in a despair-filled abyss.

It ebbs and flows in a varying beat.
Like the tide, lead by a glowing beacon,
A pounding heartbeat like feet on a street,
The beacon hope; refusing to weaken.

But we continue, despite obstacles.
Choosing to work for the beauty, the light.
Finding joy in a simple popsicle,
Hoping to find happiness after plight.

Do not be deterred by life's chill bite,
Its fire will warm you, red, burning, and bright.

Martin Espada

In class we have recently read the poems "The New Bathroom Policy at English High School," "Revolutionary Spanish Lesson," and "Two Mexicanos Lynched in Santa Cruz, California, May 3, 1877," by Martin Espada. They all share a central theme—discrimination, prejudice, and ignorance towards another culture.

In "Revolutionary Spanish Lesson," a principal overhears a group of boys conversing in Spanish. He doesn't understand the language but recognizes his own name. He shows prejudice by making the assumption that the boys were speaking negatively about him, and banning Spanish in the bathrooms. He didn't bother to talk to the boys about what they had said. This is discriminatory towards all Spanish-speakers in the school, not just the boys in the bathroom, as he generalized the entire Latino/Hispanic population in the building instead of focusing on the boys. He assumed that all Spanish-speakers were in the wrong when it was only a few boys who may not have been speaking negatively about him in the first place. The discriminatory connotation of the principal's actions are central to the text.

In  "Revolutionary Spanish Lesson," The narrator says "whenever my name is mispronounced" implying that it is mispronounced often. While it is understandable that a name, especially if it is uncommon to the person saying it, will be mispronounced, continuing to mispronounce it after being corrected a number of times shows disrespect and flippancy towards the culture of that person. this is an example of discrimination, because it shows the unjust and prejudicial actions of not bothering to pronounce the name of an individual of a foreign culture. My name, Selena-Alicia Martínez, is often pronounced 'Sah-lee-na Ah-lee-sha Mart-in-ez' rather than 'Sah-lay-na Ah-lee-see-a Mart-een-ez.' While I know that usually it is purely accidental, I can understand the feelings of exasperation in Espada's poem. Continued mispronunciation is a form of disrespect, which is a form of discrimination, which can inspire the angry emotions present in this particular poem. The common mispronunciation of the narrator's name is a major theme in the poem.

The poem "Two Mexicanos Lynched in Santa Cruz, California, May 3, 1877," is about a group of men who lynched two people for the 'crime' of being native to another country. The "gringo vigilantes cheered the rope that snapped [the necks of] two Mexicanos," states the poem. This is a huge example of discrimination because it shows people judging others by ethnicity, something that no one can control about themselves and no one should be persecuted for, to an extent where they go so far as to kill them for their race. The abhorrence towards a person based on their origin is a huge main idea in this poem.

In conclusion, unjust and prejudicial treatment of people based on their ethnicity is a theme in all of the Martin Espada poems we read in class. Whether clearly stated or underlying, it is always evident.

The Vanishing Violin

I recently finished the second installment of The Red Blazer Girls Series, by Michael D. Beil. If I was pleasantly surprised by the first one I was astounded by the second. The plot was much more interesting, with richer and more believable character development, a wider variety of settings, and a plot filled with surprises and intrigue. An added bonus was the codes the girls had to decipher; they were extremely fascinating, and it was fun to try to decode them before the characters did. The writer also has a great sense of humor—the main character, Sophie St. Pierre, is hilariously honest in her narrations, and is such a funny, relatable character that more than once did I have to make an effort to not start laughing in the middle of a crowded subway car. I also love the books portrayal of the city, with its diverse and odd variety of people and places, from the small, musty violin shop run by a kind, aged Polish-man and and ex-convict who's favorite companion is the shiny button he carries everywhere to a small coffee shop who's one floor is partially submerged below street level, hosting a mixture of dilapidated couches and banged-up tables, arranged artfully on a sticky floor, commonly frequented by schoolgirls in vermillion blazers, who are served by baristas with oversize glasses or pink-streaked hair.

The case the girls are working on involves a twice-stolen missing violin, estimated to be worth tens—maybe hundreds—of thousands dollars. They are left a string of clues, each disguised in a different code, that will eventually lead them to the valuable instrument. I cannot WAIT for the next book—I'm excited to see how the story continues. I recommend it to everyone!

Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters

I was completely blown away by Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters, by Lesley M. M. Blume. It tells the story of Cornelia S. Engleheart, the lonely and, music-wise, untalented daughter of two world famous pianists. She lives in a beautiful apartment in Greenwich, and sees more of her French maid and cook than her mother. Having no interests in common with her classmates, Cornelia spends her time sleeping, eating, going to school, and—of course—reading. Her room is filled with shelves overflowing with an over abundance of books, arming her with a vocabulary she uses as a weapon—large words, she finds, generally ensure that people leave her alone.

That is until Virginia Somerset elderly and vivacious, accompanied by Patel, her friend and caretaker and tiny black French Bulldog, moves into the apartment next door, a masterpiece in itself with rooms themed after places she has visited–a silk hammock piled with elaborate pillows next to a large fountain placed between two palm trees rooted into the white marble floor serves as her Moroccan front hall. She invites Cornelia for tea. During this meeting Virginia tells her first story about her adventures traveling the world with her four audacious sisters when they were young. This visit kindles the spark of what grows to be a close friendship, involving daily visits where tales and tea are shared, between a isolated girl starving for affection and desperate for a friend, and a lively woman pleased by the companionship of the lonely intelligent girl who lives in the apartment next door. It was beautifully written and portrayed how friendship can transcend age and *Spoiler Alert* death.

Masterpiece

Earlier this year I read Shakespeare's Secret, by Elise Broach. I really enjoyed it, so a few days ago I chose to read Masterpiece, by the same author. Masterpiece tells the story of Marvin. Marvin is a beetle, living with his family in a hollowed out corner of the cupboard in the kitchen of James, son of Mrs. Pompaday and step-son of Mr. Pompaday. When James, who is constantly ignored and under-appreciated by his family, receives a fountain pen and ink from his artist father, he is exasperated. Marvin finds the art set and, by dipping his front legs into the ink, discovers that he can draw. The result is a breath-taking two-dimensional version of the outside view. Mrs. Pompaday sees the drawing and thinks her son is the artist. Soon James finds himself being compared to Albrecht Durer, the famous Renaissance artist, and becomes involved in a plot to help the Metropolitan Museum of Art recover several Durer masterpieces that have been stolen.

I didn't love the book as much as I did Shakespeare's Secret, as it wasn't as thematically or linguistically advanced, but it was a light, fun, easy to read story. I also happen to be a huge fan of books relating to museums and art heists, so I did especially enjoy those aspects of the book. I think people looking for a break between heavier, more advanced reads would particularly enjoy this.

The Red Blazer Girls

The book was refreshing—it had a unique plot and a host of engaging, interesting characters for whom the reader immediately is empathetic to. The characters were diverse, and the book showed many of the wonders of the city. Overall, it's perfect for a bit of light reading. I can't wait to get the next one in the series, and look forward to seeing how things develop for this team of intelligent, vivacious students.The Red Blazer Girls, by Michael Beil, is the kick-off to a series that has so far pleasantly surprised. It features a group of scarlet-clad thirteen year olds (Sophie, Margaret, Becca, and Leigh Ann), who stumble upon their first case while in the vast, drafty old church directly next to their school—St. Veronica's. they meet and elderly lady living alone in an apartment next to the church. She recently found, tucked inside a dusty, leather-book, a note. From her late father to her estranged daughter, Caroline, the note contained the first clue to a treasure hunt meant for Caroline when she turned thirteen. The woman enlists the girls' help in following the clues. Their chase will lead them to a prize grander than they ever imagined—the only problem is, they're not the only ones searching for it.

The Lucky Ones

I initially picked out The Lucky Ones because it is by the same author who wrote The Luxe series (which I read earlier this year), Anna Godbersen. This book is similar to her other series, in the way that it focuses on the rich, beautiful, and important people and their numerous scandals, and is set in an earlier time period. In her first series it was the 1890s—in this book, it is the 1920s. They seemed to me renditions of Gossip Girl, the difference being the time period. They are well written, fast-paced, dramatic, and full of detail, so I was very much entertained. Upon finishing the book, I realized that it was not, as I believed, the first in Godbersen's second series, but the the third. Which in retrospect explained why they talked of huge plot developments that had happened before the beginning of the book. Though this disappointed me, I still enjoyed the book, and have a feeling that the first two should be at least as good as the first.

The books are told in third person, buts the events alternately relate to three best friends—Astrid, Cordelia, and Letty. The book is set in the time period of prohibition—and  alcohol being banned hasn't stopped people from drinking it. Cordelia Grey is the daughter of a deceased bootlegger (an illegal alcohol salesman and owner of various contraband clubs and bars). She and her brother Charlie have been left in charge of the illicit business. Charlie has recently married Astrid, who is quickly realizing that her husband is not who she thought he was, and is spending more and more time with her bodyguard, an employee of Charlie's, than her husband. Letty has recently moved to New York City to become an actress, and is being generously taken under the wing of Valentine and Sophia, two famous movie stars. But Letty finds herself developing feelings for Valenine, she moves into the dangerous field of pursuing a married man.

The Heist Society

I just read The Heist Society, by Ally Carter. The protagonist, Katarina Bishop (Kat),  is the fifteen year old daughter of Robert Bishop, a world-renowned thief. The Bishops and their extended family have all worked together to pull off some of the biggest heists in history. Their life is crime. In Kat's family, children knew how to pickpocket someone before they learned to tie their shoes. She was no exception. But she realized it wasn't the life she wanted. Three months previously, she managed to con her way into the best boarding school in the world. Once admitted, she left the world of thievery behind. But when Hale, a rich (and gorgeous) sixteen-year-old friend of the family, pulls Kat out of boarding school to tell her that her father is being blamed for stealing five priceless paintings residing in the private collocation of Arturo Taccone, a very wealthy, very dangerous man, she has to leave to save her father. The deadline to return Taccone's paintings to him is in two weeks. If Kat  doesn't succeed, not only does her father die, but so does Hale, as well as other members of her family. The problem is, she doesn't have the paintings. Neither does her father. She knows, however, that the reside on the opposite side of five paintings in the Henley—possibly the greatest and best protected museum in the world.

I expected this too be an okay book at best. By the time I finished it, it had pretty much risen to my Top Ten list, which most books don't even get close too. The writing was dramatic and descriptive, and kept me entertained the whole time. I also loved the wide variety of locations—the book was organized so that after each section was a page that stated the number of days until the deadline and the particular place they were in. It made the book more exciting, and allowed for a glimpse into the world of an elite class of thieves. Despite this, the story was still relatable. Kat is struggling between loyalty to her family, and doing what she wants. And all while the main plot is developing, characters and their relationships are developing, common issues are arising. The relationships are also very realistic; in other words, complicated. The author also shows the desirability of this glamorous, high-risk, high reward, and frankly unimaginable world. It is a world where normal rules and expectations don't apply, where you visit four countries in a day, unaccompanied by anyone over eighteen She also shows a world where you must be completely dependent on yourself, where you spend about ten days a year with parents bust blinds potting cameras and forging masterpieces. I loved this book; it was amazing, and unlike any I've ever seen. I highly recommend it.

Looking For Alaska

When I first started reading the Looking For Alaska, by John Green, I was immediately sucked in. The writing is fluid and vivid, and the characters so charismatic that the book is almost physically impossible to put down. The book is about Miles, nicknamed 'Pudge' an ironic comment on his thin figure. The book follows him as he, friendless and alone, moves to Culver Creek Boarding School. Here he meets his roommate, Chip (the Colonel), and Alaska Young, among others. They immediately pull him into a tidal wave of pranks, contraband, and fun. Nothing is ever the same again.

This has become one of my favorite books I've read this year—emotionally riveting and intense as well as clever and philosophical, it is both endearing and heart-wrenching. Through the changes in Pudge's life he retains his voice and personality, which enhances the reading experience greatly. I also love the way the characters and their lives are portrayed honestly, without being made unrealistically dramatic or glamorous. The story is well written while also being probable, which helps you to see yourself in the protagonist's shoes. It's wide cast allows for diversity in personalities, which keeps the book interesting. The books is amazing—it's a great book for everyone, and I strongly recommend it.

The Name of This Book is a Secret

I just finished reading The Name of This Book is a Secret, by Psuedonymous Bosch. The book tells  story of Cass and Max-Ernest, two lonely students with very distinctive personalities who find each other by chance. They hear about a mysterious fire that supposedly killed a retired magician, leaving behind an odor of rotten eggs and a mysterious box labeled The Symphony of Smells. It contains 99 vials, each filled with a powder, liquid, or object containing a specific smell. Upon breaking and entering into the house of the dead magician, they meet the evil Ms. Mauvis and Dr. L, leaders of the Midnight Sun, people who have kept themselves young for as long as hundreds of years, striving for complete immortality. After  this encounter, they find themselves caught up in a deadly struggle between two secret societies for the Secret—the key to eternal life.

I enjoyed this book for many reasons, one being that the characters had really rich personalities that enhanced the readers experience. The plot was interesting and unique, but what really fascinated me was the style of the writing. I love how the author himself is an actual character separate from the plot but involved in it as well. While the story follows Cass and Max-Ernest and their growing involvement with the secret, some chapters are devoted to the author. He is often being chased by the Midnight Sun, or is involved with characters from the book. I liked the parts were the author portrayed himself as involved in the plot—it makes it seem as if the book has been brought to life. The book bears many similarities to Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. Both authors publish their work under pseudonyms—Bosch goes as far as tho include the word Pseudonym in his first name. They both include sections separate from the text with the authors perspective, and use layout creatively. They also both include hidden patterns or messages in their writing, such as Pseudonymous Bosch and Max-Ernest being altered versions of Heronomous Bosch and Max Ernst, two famous artists. I really enjoyed this book, and thought it was written very cleverly.