Summary of The Pursuit of Happiness by Tara Altebrando

Summary: 
This book is a love story between a boy and a girl who must both overcome many obstacles to reach what they want most: each other. The person narrating this book is Betsy, a teen who has just lost her mother and whom is growing apart from everyone she loves, her boyfriend, her best friend, and her remaining family. It is the beginning of summer and she starts working at a colonial museum/house. There she finds unexpected friends and new experiences that help her rebuild her life. She also meets James and they soon fall in love. After overcoming many obstacles such as James' suicidal girlfriend, her mother's death, her best friends betrayal, and her boyfriends break-up James and Betsy are finally able to be together. All the while she is able to finally find herself and find out what makes her passionate. It is a story of love, strength, and self-discovery.

What was your personal reaction to this reading?
I loved this book! It had me in tears in the very beginning and it had me jumping with joy when Betsy finally got her life together and began to date James. It pulled me in entirely and got me sunk in Betsy's story. And I think it was a very good portrayal of how strength is important in life and how you need to be strong no matter what life throws at you.
What do you believe the author's intent was, and what patterns of organization did you observe?
I believe that the authors intent was to entertain readers with an emotional plot and memorable characters. I think the author also meant to portray messages of love, strength, and passion. This was all portrayed in a chronological organization.

Paper Towns by John Green

Summary:

Quentin Jaobsen is a normal teenage boy who fate just happens to place as a neighbor to Margo Roth Spiegelmen. She is a popular, rebellious, crazy, and famed for her genious pranks and dissapearences and Quentin is totally in love with her. After she shows up one night at his window and they go on a crazy all-night journey for revenge on some of Margo's ex-friends she suddenly dissapears again. But this time Quentin thinks something bad might have happened. He follows the clues she left behind for him and ends up tracking her down in some made-up city (also known as a paper town) Agloe. She left a note saying she would leave Agloe at noon the next day and the drive is approximately 24 hours so Quentin must skip graduation and ride across the country to try to make it to Agloe before she leaves. With the help of his three best friends he makes it just in time and finds her in a forgotten barn. In the end, although she won't return home with them she agrees to keep in touch and they part ways, her fixing things with her family, and him realizing things will never happen between them.

What was your personal reaction to this reading selection?

I thought this book was pretty fun and very interesting. The whole idea of this girl getting this guy to be some dangerous, rule breaking, rebel is pretty cool. Also just the plot was very different  in the way it portrayed teens although I'm not so sure that it is realistic but maybe thats just because I don't hang out with those type of people or because I'm not old enough to have experienced that yet, being only fifteen.

What do you believe the author’s intent was, and what patterns of organization did you observe?

I think the authors intent was just to give people an entertaining story to read, something that would peak their interest in the beginning and give them feelings of suspense for what would happen to one of the main characters. The pattern of organization I observed was chronological as it told the story as a timeline of events, as things happened.

The Last Song Chapter 1 Summary/ Questions

Summary:

In this chapter a car ride is taking place to along with a heated debate about the destination of the car ride. In the car there is the main character (Ronnie), and her mother and little brother (Jonah). In this chapter Ronnie is trying to convince her mother not to make her stay at her fathers (the destination) for the summer, whom she extremely dislikes for leaving them years ago. This leads to a discussion about the "incident" and her conduct and grades in school.  Later in the chapter Jonah reveals that the "incident" was the arrest of Ronnie  and this is just one way her mother enforces the fact that Ronnie will be staying with her father, along with the bad behavior in school.

What was your personal reaction to this reading selection?

I was very shocked about the main character's words towards her mother. I myself would never in my wildest dreams be able to get away with how she spoke to her, and even more than that I would never want to speak to my mother like that.

What do you believe the author’s intent was, and what patterns of organization did you observe?

I think that one of the author's intents was to show the relationship that Ronnie has with her family. Also to really allow the readers to get a feel for  her attitude in the story and to better see her point of view about the situation she is placed in. This is all through the use of chronological sequence.

My Familiar Stranger- Romancing the Vampire Chapters 1-4 Summary/ Feedback

Summary:

This story seems to be, at least so far, about a love that can extend beyond dimensions. It begins with the arrival of Elora into a strange new dimension (the human world) after having to make a quick departure from her dimension because of the murder of her family. She arrives inches away from death, as a result from her inter-dimensional travel, and is mended back to health while befriending the man who took her to help and saved her life, Storm. It also just so happens, that the place she arrived in was a top secret military order that specialized in paranormal threats and that Storm works for this facility. Now Storm and Elora seem to have a crush on each other but their positions, his being his line of work, hers being her alien viewpoint might create some barriers in their foreshadowed love. Elora is literally an extraterrestrial being, and her fate is to be decided by the order. As of right now she cannot be sent back... but what will occur if she stays?

Feedback:

The characters are very interesting and the story line is not one I have heard of yet which is very good. And the author mixes a good amount of action and mystery together to create the basis for the novel. But honestly.... it's predictable. Maybe it's just that I read too many books like this or maybe that I just analyze everything and think too way ahead. But I am pretty sure I already know how the book is going to end. It is a common boy meets girl, they fall in love, they face an epic obstacle, but in the end love conquers all and they end up together. Although, I don't think I really mind, I am a sucker for reading about the epic obstacle and following the endless wave of couples who end up together after facing the impediment, and winning of course. Anyways, so far it seems like it will be a good book with some refreshing characters and an interesting take on the common love story.

If you were to create notes to help you remember the most important points from your reading, what style of notes (lists, outlines, thought bubbles or webs, etc.) would you use and why?

Thought bubbles, no doubt about it. They allow me to come up with questions and branch off from that question or it allows me to keep several notes on one event in the story or a character.

Last book I enjoyed "the Perks of Being a Wallflower"

Ever read the Perks of Being a Wallflower? It is only about one of the best books to ever be created! Okay so I might be exaggerating... BUT it was still pretty amazing. It is one of those books that get you thinking about life in general. I think the way to differentiate a great book from a good or bad one is the aftermath of reading it. Are you in tears? Do you have this weird urge to laugh or smile at random people? Maybe you feel like going outside and just looking at the world. In my opinion a great book makes you do crazy stuff, feel crazy stuff. So I totally loved the Perks of Being a Wallflower because it was a go outside and inspect the world kind of book. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone I know.

What kind of reader am I?

So I took a quiz: What kind of reader are you? and these were my results:

"Fiction is your favorite genre. You like to escape when you read. You enjoy stories that tell you about something other than your normal life. As long as it's not real, it's up your alley. Consider picking up books and short stories.

Drama is your second favorite genre. You like to be serious when you read. Sitting on the edge of your seat or shedding a tear or two for your favorite characters is not out of the question. Consider picking up a dramatic novel or short story."

Now the big question.... Is it accurate? And the answer is DUM DUM DUUUM... YES, this pretty much describes my relationship with books although I would have to add romance and comedy. Who doesn't like a good laugh? But anyways fiction books are right up my alley. I'de say 84% of the books I've ever read have been fiction. It offers up an escape and with my hectic life I definitely need it.