Beastly (pg. 20 - 149)

Kyle did a horrible, mean thing to the un-pretty, un-popular girl. He asked her to the dance, then went with someone else. Well this was a mistake, because that girl just happened to be a witch. A witch who now wants to show Kyle what her truly is...a beast. So he gets turned into one. He has fur, claws, fangs...all that stuff. He freaks out, of course. So the curse is that he has two years to find someone to love him despite his looks, and he must love to. They will prove the love with a kiss. After two years, if he hasn't found his true love, then he must stay a beast forever. Well his dad, who is all into beauty, fears his own son, or is just ashamed. He takes him to a bunch of doctors, with them all saying the same thing, the can do nothing to help. So his dad takes him and they move into this big castle thing (whats a fairy tale without its castle). However, his dad doesn't move in. Hi guardian, well shorta, is the maid. He also makes his dad get him a tutor. His dad finds him a blind one, named Will, and they are good friends now. But then theres this girl. He met her once at the same dance with the witch, and because he showed her kindness, that's why he gets a chance. Anyway, he uses his magic mirror to watch her. He watches her read, but he also watches he take care of her drunken father. Later on he discovers that he can go out at night, all he has to do is look like a homeless person and everyone acts like your invisible!! He is really into Will's garden, and enjoys the roses because it is perfect beauty, and everyone needs some beauty in their lives, no matter how ugly.

Review: Aww, at the beginning of this book, you would cheer that the witch put him in his place. But once you really get to see the character, you fall in love, and feel bad for him. A part of me wants to yell at him to get off his butt and at least try to find someone, but another part of me just wants him to stay put so he can't face those nasty people of the world. I can't wait until he falls for the girl, cause those parts are always my fave!! :)

Word Count: 149/300

Pretty Little Liars (pg. 1 - 20)

Allison is the girl everybody wants to be like. There is just something about her that makes people love her. In 7th grade, she decides she wants three girls to be her friend. Aria, Hannah, Emily, and Spencer. Of course they want to be friends with her! So they become the best of friends. One night, the girls have a slumber party. Nothing abnormal about that. Allison says something that upsets Aria, which happens often lately. You see, Allison may seem like a really good friend, but she tends to tear her friends down. She also is the knower of all their secrets. So during the sleepover, Alison makes her friends let her try hypnotizing them. They don't want to, but listen to her anyway. Spencer back outs last minute, I think she got scared, and has a fight with Ally. Ally storms out, and Spencer feels bad so goes to find her. The others girls snap out of whatever trance they were in, and are scared. They each had a dream about Allison. It is then three years later, with still no sign of what happened to Ally. The girls all miss her, of course, but deep down they think it might be a good thing, because now the secrets are all safe.

Review: What made me want to read this book is the TV show, Pretty Little Liars. I heard the books are really good, and since I watch and like the show, I thought "why not?" The way this book started out was a before it all happened. It showed us how the girls were friends, and what their friendship was like. Ally, we see right away, isn't a good friend. She says mean things to her friends, and makes them do stuff.

Word Count: 20/286

Sucba Diving

Everyone has that one thing they really want to do at least once in their life. That one thing for me, is swimming in the ocean under water will all the life of the sea (just hopefully no sharks or sting ray). I think I would be amazing to scuba dive off the Great Barrier Reef in Australia!! I will say that this is something that would also be pretty scary for me. I'm not scared of water, or swimming or anything...but the ocean does kind of freak me out a little. Don't get me wrong, I think it is obvious by my blog that I

love the ocean, but some of the life that lives in the sea, scare me. Plus, you don't know completely whats out there....

To solve my little problem, but still do what I want, I came up with a little solution. A few episodes back on the Amazing Race, contestants had to go scuba diving in this huge tank full of real ocean creatures. Fish, the worlds largest sting rays, and sharks (not even the friendly ones). So, it was like scuba diving in the ocean, only...not in the ocean. See, it would feel the same, and I would be with all those creepy animals doing what I want, only, as long as the zoo keepers feed the sharks, it would be safe, and I wouldn't be scared. I doubt I would ever be able to do that, however, I do want to be a zoo keeper in the future, so you never know. ;)

Doesn't It Look Awesome?!

Beastly (pg. 1 - 20)

Kyle is on of those guys that thinks he is the best. He has the good looks and the body, so of course all the girls want him and the guys want to be like him. He is on the ballad to be king of the school dance. Basically, Kyle believes only the good looking people will go far in life, and looks are important. These thoughts aren't only because he is full of him self and shallow, it's also because his dad is too. He keeps telling us about the things his dad tells him about how looks are so important. I think the Kyle try's hard to be popular is because he just wants his dad to love him. Anyway, even with all the people that love him and envy him, there is one person that doesn't, Kendra. Kendra is the witch in his English class, who get this, isn't attractive. She is described as chubby and like a goth because she wears all black. She is basically the only person to stand up to Kyle, and for that, she creeps him out. She really creeps him out because she tells him that he is ugly inside, where it really matters, and he would be nothing without his good looks. For some reason, the way she said this just really freaked him out.

Review: This book is great. It's kinda of like a classic fairy tale. There's a witch, and hot guy that turns into a beats, and then later we know there is a girl to possibly save him? I haven't gotten that far, but that's my guess. I can't wait to see the movie they made to the book, but I think I am going to finish the book first. I also can see the good looks of Kyle...blond hair, blue eyes...so cute. hehe. Except the witch is right, he is ugly on the inside, and this kinda takes away from his good looks. So bottom line is, I'm not very far into the book, but I am already in love with it!

Word Count: 20/300

Spellbound

In the film Spellbound, it shows different students competing in the national spelling bee. It shows the hard work they put into studying, and their family life. Two characters that stood out to me was Neil and Emily. Both students spent a great amount of time preparing and studying for the bee. It seemed to me Neil worked non-stop, and was drilled by his father to learn everything. He had a long 10 step process to spell words, and was all around motivated and good at spelling. However, it seemed to me he didn't enjoy studying or the pressure his father put on him. He did want to win though. Emily on the other hand works hard too. She works with her parents and makes flash cards. Emily also knows that spelling and studying isn't the only thing to do in life, and can't wait for when she can stop studying. She also doesn't believe she will win, and is just going out there to do her best. Her parents don't pressure her as much as Neil either. Both students work hard for the same reason, and they both did well in the bee.

Two Way Street (pg. 105 - 120)

We are still on Day one of the trip, at that rest stop. Courtney is in the bathroom, not feeling very well, so Jordan comes in the check on her. She throws up in the sink, and he holds her hair for her. The women in the bathroom are giving him nasty looks, but come on, hes helping his sick friend. I think this is a pass for going into the girls bathroom. haha. Anyway, so 10 minuets later they are outside at his truck, and they both hop on their cell phones. Courtney talks to Jocelyn, while Jordan phone rings, and he has to talk to Courtney's Dad. We find out that something is up with Jordan and her dad. We find out that there is some secret Jordan knows that Mr. Brewster doesn't want Courtney to know.

So they are back on the highway, and Courtney still doesn't feel good. She throws up a couple times, luckily Jordan pulls over in time so she doesn't do it in the car. So since she is sick, they check into a Days Inn. Awkward is the word Courtney describes the situation, and I couldn't agree any more. They argue whether to have two rooms, or just one. Jordan wins so they get one room, but Courtney makes sure it has two beds. While in the room, we see one of the funny sides to Jocelyn. She is following B.J. because I guess he is keeping something from her, and she thinks he might be cheating. It's pretty funny the conversation her and Courtney have. After the phone call, Courtney falls asleep. When she wakes up, fifteen hours later...Jordan is lying next to her, and they are in each others arms.

Review: Yuck. If there is one thing I hate, it's throwing up. So I could totally relate to Courtney here. She says she pretty much has a fear of throwing up, and I do too. haha. So gross. I also loved how sweet it was of Jordan to take care of her. I love this book so much. I will say one thing that bugs me is they cuss a lot in this book. Not so much in the dialog, but in their little thoughts and narration.

Word Count: 120/288

3.1 Diction Exercise

Invitation to Love By: Paul Laurence Dunbar

Representative Words: mellow, golden, hay-field, twilight, nesting, blossom, gleams, glows

Elevation: Medium - colorful, elaborate

Connotation: Poetic - beautiful, pleasing

Claim:
Paul Laurence Dunbar's poem Invitation to Love's peaceful, empathetic, and dreamy colors enhances the romantic and sentimental feeling of welcoming love in one's heart.