Silence of the Blog

At this point, I’m hoping you’re all safely home or wherever you’re spending the holidays, the exams and papers and stresses of being a student replaced by sleeping in, hanging out with friends, or (in at least one case) working hard at Target while the last minute shoppers hunt for gifts.

I’ve really enjoyed reading this blog over the semester. I know there must have been times when it was hard to think of something to write about - but you rose to the occasion. What I particularly got out of it was a much better sense of what it’s like to be a first-semester student, so thanks for those insights. And for giving me a chance to get to know you all better.

Have a great break! And see you later in the library.

Silence of the Grave

I know this is a little late, but better late than never, right?

The second book I chose to read was Silence of the Grave by the one and only Arnaldur Indridason. Not only was this book filled with suspense, but it found ways to connect with your life and your own personal experiences. Silence of the Grave also focused on families and how the relationships within families change over time. Of course there is some scientific work dealing with dead bodies and detectives, making this book quite an interesting read. While reading, it was great to be able to picture Arnaldur writing this, as we actually met him and had a chance to ask him questions about his writing style and the novel itself. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Kiss the Girls

The second book I chose to read for class was Kiss The Girls by James Patterson.  I had enjoyed James Patterson novels in the past so I figured this bestseller would be a safe bet. As it turns out, I was correct. James Patterson once again displays a tremendous writing style as he leaves readers on the edges of their seats with this brilliant page turner. Alex Cross, the main detective in numerous Patterson books, is put to work on a case that hits extremely close to home. His niece, Naomi, appears to have been abducted in direct correllation to a string of similar disappearances. What ensues is a high-tension race against time to find his beloved niece. One things for sure, once into this book, it’s extremely hard to put down! I give it an 9 out of 10 stars and pat James Patterson on the back for yet another great novel!

Friday Night Lights

The first book that I chose to read for class was Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger. Extremely interested in the sport of Football, I guess the decision to dig into this one came pretty naturally. This highly acclaimed account of a teams’ journey through a season surrounded by huge expectations provides nothing but non-stop suspense and excitement. Through set-backs and hardships, the Permian Panther football team rises to every challenge as it viciously fights for it’s ultimate goal: A Texas 5A State Championship. Out of 10 stars I give it a 9, and recommend it, as well as the movie, to anyone who has yet to experience this story based on true events.

Finished

Well the semester is coming to a close with the last day of classes today and finals only days ahead. Also CHRISTMAS BREAK is just around the corner. I am very excited. I get to go back to the good side of the border. Just kidding both sides are great. I am so looking forward to break Canada, then Switzerland, and Italy. It will be a memorable break, something else that has been memorable has been the Common Readers FTS class. I have enjoyed our class and strongly recommend it to any freshman entering the school. I would like to thank all of the members as well as Barbra for an enjoyable and always entertaining first year class.

The Hobbit

I also took the time to read the hobbit. I had read some of the Lord of the Rings and wanted to get the full background on the books. It is really quite amazing how the story comes together. The ring in the hobbit is not as big of a center piece as it is in the rest of the series and it is really quite amazing how it is just something Bilbo kinda of comes across and in the end turns into a giant adventure. If you have seen the movies and are interested the Hobbit is a very good read. It does require imagination but if you have that going for ya you’ll love it. PS: I know the dragon from this book personally we hangout all the time….. hes a good friend.

The Client

One of the books I read on my own was John Grisham’s The Client. If you have the chance I invite you to read the first chapter. Really I invite you to read the entire book but if you just want an example of a really good hook read the first chapter. The book begins with two boys Mark, who is 11 and Ricky, who is 8 walking into the woods behind their trailer park for a smoke. The two boys and their single mother get trapped in a deadly web including the mob, FBI, a murder and a suicide. This book is a great read to say the lest and I recommend it to all.

Next Year

So, the end of our first semester is right around the corner, and while this is shocking I am also trying to think about next year. After all, we get to pick our roommates, and have to explore the options for housing. I am extremely lucky as my roommate and I get along really well (we are almost the same person which is a little scary and probably annoying for other people), which is good news. Now we just have to investigate other houses; as far as I can tell, Complex is a bunch of buildings and people crowded together, Uhler is old, and Rundstom is good but haunted (which sort of freaks me out). I am anticipating next year with a lot of excitement, as I will get to live with friends I already know.  Hope to see our wonderful FTS class too, and good luck with finals everyone!  Maybe a reunion will be in order next semester?

Ideas Don’t Always Translate

I had this grand idea to finish up this really good book entitled Five People You Meet In Heaven, yet my plans didn’t seem to work to my advantage. During this busy time of year, I have not had the opportunity to finish the book in order to do it justice in a book review. So instead, I am upstairs in the 2C study lounge trying to make my last post a good one. Who knows if I’ll just continue writing just for fun, making this more of my journal than an actual blog, but only time will tell. I can’t believe that our first semester of college is coming to a close, and that Christmas is only 12 days away! The point is that sometimes ideas don’t always translate into reality. I could plan to write out a couple of my papers, study for a few finals, and e-mail a few professors for future activities or courses, but time passes right by, never giving you a moment to relax. Yet, it’s with that same feeling of business that I manage to find purpose. Although, I have to admit, 14 days off does sound really good. Merry Christmas!

The Pact

For my second individual reading, I read The Pact by Jodi Picoult. It was a really intense book! Let me just say that within the first paragraph one of the characters, Emily Gold, is shot in the head and killed! The book continues at this pace as the author reveals that her best friend and boyfriend is the one who pulled the trigger as part of a suicide pact. Chris and Emily had been friends since infancy as their parents were best friends and next-door neighbors. Emily’s death creates a huge controversy between the two families. And once Chris is accused of murder and jailed things between the families get even worse! Chris, at age 17 is put on trial for murder, is disowned by his family and looses the love of his life.

 

Suicide was obviously a huge part of this book; this is a sensitive topic that many teens have to deal with. I was very impressed with the way that Jodi Picoult handled and addressed this issue.