As I continue to read...

As I continue to read Sisters Red, I can't help but make some comparisons to what the sisters go through in their own relationship. Scarlett is the oldest of the two and she feels as though she is the ultimate weapon in which to protect her little sister, Rosie, even though Rosie is completely capable of taking care of herself. I can relate to this because, as a big sister, there were many times when I felt that I needed to protect my baby sister, even when she was big enough to take care of herself. Like Scarlett, I can't help but blame myself sometimes for the mistakes that my little sister has made. Rosie often makes bad decisions because she doesn't have the same type of experience as Scarlett does. Scarlett can't help but wonder that maybe, if she allowed Rosie more freedom when hunting the wolves, then Rosie would develop the skills that she needs in order to truly be self reliant. It is difficult to relinquish guardianship over someone that we care about and it often feels like a double edged sword.

Sisters Red is a fantastic book so far because it is very fast paced and it tells the tale from the perspectives of both sisters. This helps because, being only a big sister, I too have often lost perspective of what it must feel like to have someone constantly look over your shoulder and judge your actions as to whether they are right or wrong.

Another New Book

I have finished Monster High and, although I still read COUNTLESS brain candy books, my new book for reading in class is Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce. I picked this book because as I was looking at the cover I was really intrigued by the cover. I also enjoy when author's take a classic fairytale and retell it adding their own imaginative spin.
Here is the synopsis:
Sisters Red is the story of Scarlett and Rosie March, two highly-skilled sisters who have been hunting the Fenris—werewolves who prey on teen girls—since Scarlett lost her eye years ago while defending Rosie in an attack. Scarlett lives to destroy the Fenris, and she and Rosie lure them in with red cloaks (a color the wolves can't resist), though Rosie hunts more out of debt to her sister than drive.

But things seem to be changing. The wolves are getting stronger and harder to fight, and there has been a rash of news reports of countless teen girls brutally murdered in Atlanta. Scarlet and Rosie discover the truth: wolves have begun gathering in the city in search of a Potential Fenris—a man tainted by the pack but not yet fully changed. Desperate to find the Potential to use him as bait for a massive werewolf extermination, the sisters move to Atlanta with Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax. But the clues to finding the Potential aren't adding...

I think that this is going to be a really intriguing and facinating book.

Learning Question Response

Betty asked:

Msluthey,
How can you describe the relationship between Frankie Stein and Dr. Frankenstein's daughter

Frankie Stein is actually the granddaughter of the actual Dr. Frankenstein. The relationship between Frankie and Dr. Frankenstein's daughter is that Frankie's mom IS Dr. Frankenstein's daughter-in-law. Dr. Frankenstein made his bride, they together made Viktor (Frankie's dad) who, in turn, made Frankie's mom, Vivika, and they together made Frankie. Their relationship was typical of a mother and daughter. There were often disagreements and times when they didn't see eye-to-eye, but their relationship was a good one.

I have finished the book and it was really great. There was a very upsetting cliff-hanger (which I hate because that means that I am going to have to read the next part when it comes out) but the book was very funny and contemporary.

Connection to what I am reading

As you all know, I am reading Monster High by Lisi Harrison. I believe that I told you that I chose this book because of some toys that I say at Target one day. Now, you all know that I'm a HUGE vampire fan and I'm really digging my book because it is really funny, very much set in the present and, well, as references to all my favorite silver screen monsters. I happened to be just surfing the web and came across this website:

www.monsterhigh.com

I don't know why, but I find this really funny and I wanted to share it with other readers because it is often cool to find websites and other miscellaneous connections to what we are reading. Especially if they include games!

New Book

I just started a new book this evening. It is called Monster High by Lisi Harrison (the same author of The Clique). Since I am only on page 3, the only things that I can say about the setting is that it appears to be in a labortory of some type. The reason why I say this is because the character - Frankie Stein - is listening to her parents talk about her being able to "wake up" and that her bolts are charged enough yet for her to do that. This, without a doubt, is a reference to Frankenstein by Mary Shelly.

I picked this book up mostly because when I was looking through the toy department with Adian, I came across some dolls that were great fun because they were the kids of famous horror movie icons. I totally wanted one almost immediately! I know that there are many more characters to come; Dracula's daughter, the Wolfman's daughter, obviously Frankie Stein (Dr. Frankenstein's daughter), the Creature from the Black Lagoon's daughter, the Mummy's daughter, and the son of someone else whom I can't remember at this time.

Week 6 9.29.10

It is important for readers to understand what is happening in their books, who the characters are and what the theme is. In your response, outline the following: Plot, Setting, Characters, and Universal Theme. Provide evidence to support your thinking from your book.

In Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer, the main character is Vladimir Tod, who is half human and half vampire. Two side characters are Vlad's aunt Nelly and his best friend, Henry. Henry is a human and the only person Vlad's age that knows Vlad's true identity. Vlad, who is 13 and currently an 8th grader at Bathory High lives in the small town of Bathory. (I find this particularly funny as this is a story about vampires and ther was a female "vampire" named Elizabeth Bathory. She was known as the Countess of Blood).

So far, in my book, the plot appears to be clouded in mystery. There are very short chapters in which a dark dressed man is hunting people who are associated with Vlad. (Again, I find humor in this because one of the characters that is mentioned in my book as a bit character is a young man named Edgar Poe - as in Edgar Allen Poe...that's just really hilarious).

p. 29 "The man smiled, careful to keep his fangs hidden behind closed lips. 'It's quite all right. Edgar Poe isn't it?'"

For the main story, Vlad is trying desperately to hide what he truly is. However, there is a new teacher at his school is requiring Vlad to explore who he really is in the form of a "research" project as part of a mythical creatures class.

p. 49 "Vlad's jaw dropped, and as if on command, the letters stopped moving. Vlad read the new word they'd formed aloud.'Vampire?'
He couldn't do vampire! Fear of the sun, craving for blodd, inability to enjoy Italian food, everything that he really was? This was going to suck."

There is very much a mystery about Vlad's history and these shady characters who involve themselves in Vlad's world.

Since I am still relatively early in my book, I can only see the beginnings of a Universal Theme in the story. Vlad is a young man who is questioning who he is, trying to determine which path he wants to explore about his true self...this, to me, comes across as human nature. This is because it is often within humans, especially young adults on the precipice of deciding who they want to be, to attempt to discover who they really are.

Week 5: 9.24.10

In your book, what are some of the ways that your character expresses themselves through their emotions? How do they show love? Anger? Hate? Why is this important to you as a reader?

In my book, Eight Grade Bites by Heather Brewer, the main character, Vladimir Tod shows his emotions through his actions. Although I have only begun this book and am on page 47, I can tell this by the way the author is describing Vlad's behavior. Earlier in the story, on pg. 12, Vlad begins to act to his try nature of being a vampire:

"Touching the tip of his tongue to his newly exposed fangs, he leaned forward until his feet slipped from the branch. Wind brushed his hair back from his face as he descended and then, with a flicker of concentration, Vlad willed his body forward. Arms outstretched, his fangs exposed, his throat releasing a low, guttural growl, he floated closer to the boys until he was just above their heads, and screamed."

This tells me, as a reader, that Vlad is using his vampiric nature to his advantage, to scare some little boys on Halloween out of their candy. That, in my opinion, makes him a bit of an opportunistic jerk. He's not taking into consideration how he could be hurting those little kids, only that he is willing to scare them to get their sweets. It is a selfish thing to do and irritates me as a reader. This is important because if I wasn't interested in my character, whether they are entertaining or irritating, the author is still drawing me into the story.