Reading: “Prime Choice”…

Right now I’ve been reading a book a friend let me borrow, called “Prime Choice” by Stephanie Perry Moore. The book is about a teenage boy named Perry Skyy Jr., who’s a senior, popular, and the best football player in his state. His girlfriend, Tori, is also one of the popular kids at school but the one problem he has with her is what she won’t let him do, which is to take the “next step” in their relationship. Tori’s reason for reason for not going to the next level is her religious values and the fact that she wants to save herself as well as she doesn’t feel ready. Perry on the other hand thought he felt the same way but he slowly sees himself submitting to peer pressure, and this leads to him giving her an ultimatum of them either taking the next step in their relationship or breaking up. So they break up but he still feels love for her afterwards but doesn’t know whether to do what physically feels good or what feels spiritually right.

                My personal reaction to this was that too many teens feel the need to do things whether they feel ready or not, or if they feel mature enough for the responsibility. I believe the authors’ intent in this story is to make teens realize they don’t have to do what they don’t feel is right and that you should stay true to yourself and whatever beliefs you feel is right for you and your life.

Reading: Ripped at the Seams by Nancy Krulik

               Currently, I’m reading a novel called “Ripped at the Seams”. So far from what I’ve read it’s about a young, eighteen-year old girl, named Sammi Granger aspiring to make it big in New York as a fashion designer. Her father didn’t want her to go speaking of unpleasant things that he’s heard has happened in the Big Apple but she follows her dream and goes to find her way. But when she gets there her first hopes at becoming a designer is corrupted when doors start to close in her face, she gets a job as a receptionist at a design house. She falls for a junior designer at the design house named Bruce, and he breaks her heart by leading her on just to steal her work and pass off as his own.

                My personal reaction to this was that Bruce, the guy who Sammi falls for, is a totally deceptive man. I see it as him taking advantage of the youth and naivety of the girl when she believed he was trustworthy. I believe the author’s intent was to set a scene for the main character to fall in love with one of her best friends but feel like she can’t trust him. As for organizational patterns she uses a lot of cause and effect throughout what I’ve read in the story. There’s some spatial organization thrown in there also.

Reading: Liar by Justine Larbalestier

       I read a book called “Liar”; it involves a girl named Micah, who tells her story of being a compulsive liar. She’s gotten away with years of lying to her teachers, parents, and classmates and all are clueless to her fabrications. Her father is also a compulsive liar and apparently it’s a family condition that he never told her mother and was passed on to her.  She’s been lying all her life, but it’s when her boyfriend, Zach, mysteriously dies she decides to tell the truth and promises to tell the whole truth. She says she wants to change but lying is a second nature to her so she doesn’t know if telling the truth is possible. Ironically, the fact that she’s a compulsive liar is the one thing she’ll tell honestly.

       While reading this book I felt empathy for the main character because she doesn’t know how to stop or control her lying. But on the other hand she doesn’t seem to feel at all guilty or any shame for what she does. Also the fact that she is a compulsive liar makes me question if what she says is actually true.

       If I were to create notes to remember key points in the book I’d use the Double-Entry style. I’d use it because putting my thoughts and connections with what I’ve read seems like it would help me have a better understanding of the story. Also the way the book is written it isn’t sequential, so list or thought bubble notes wouldn't really work on the way I see it.