Book Genres

 Finding a book genre that you really like and want to continue reading is hard, and something I struggle with a lot. There are so many to choose from and even then you don't know if you will like that exact book. Sometimes I read a book in a completely new genre that I've never read before and I love it. And then I read a book in my usual genre and I hate it

One example of this is  Susan Collins's  "Hunger Games". This book is a futuristic, science fiction book. I normally don't like books like that because I don't care to learn about someones perspective about the future and I really don't like science either. But this book was so well written it didn't even matter to me that it was sci-fi. Overall it was really good. This shows me that sometimes you find a book in a genre you hate.
  

 All in all, you never know if you will like a book even if it's in your favorite genre of all time. One day you could be reading historical fiction and the next you may be reading a completely different book about realistic fiction. You don't have to have a favorite genre. I Don't. I found a book that outs of my comfort zone and it ended up being one of my favorites.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

  "Looking for Alaska" by John Green is compelling, brilliant, and absolutely insightful. It is one of my new favorite books. The author takes you through the exciting journey of three friends, Miles "Pudge", Chip "The Colonel", and the utterly fascination Alaska Young, who steals Pudge's heart and pulls him into her crazy world. 

  Miles Halters entire life has been one big nonevent. He is obsessed with finding his "Great Perhaps" (Francois Rabelais, poet) and is willing to try anything to get it.  He leaves him home and heads off to the crazy, unstable, and anything but boring Culver Creek boarding school, and his life turns upside down when he meets Alaska Young and Chip. They teach him about the complicated rules of Culver Creek, and what not to do. He falls in love with Alaska, who is an event in herself, and finally lets him live life to the fullest, launching him into the Great Perhaps. 

  This is one of the most interesting books I have ever read, it's simple yet complex plot, it's intricate characters and relationship, and it's elaborate details. It is amazing to go inside the world of Culver Creek and its students, you feel like you're a student yourself, and most importantly, you feel the agonizing pain that the entire student body and faculty experiences when the amazing Alaska Young goes missing. 

(YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS!)

Sold by Patricia Mccormick

In Patricia Mccormick's "Sold", we follow the protagonist of the story who is a thirteen year old girl from Nepal, who travels to the city assuming she will become a maid, but  is instead is sold into the popular industry of child prostitution. Throughout her journey she goes through many things and experiences things that most 13 year old do no experience. She is cheated of her earnings and is lied to over and over again, but at the same time she is cared for by her new friends. She shows the reader that no matter what your going through, you need to have hope and be courageous
 The protagonist is put into the "Happiness House" and faces things that she would have never expected. She spent days without food and water locked in a room while she is beaten over and over again for not wanted to have sex with men. Throughout everything, she try's to remain hopeful. She dreams of her family being happy, freedom and sometimes even death. Which sometimes seemed like the best option she had.
 All in all, Patricia Mccormick teaches her readers that no matter what you're going through, being hopeful and positive is all you need to get through it. Never give up no matter how hard it gets, stay optimistic and things will get better. The protagonist of this story, gives an excellent example of perseverance through her hardest times.

Drums Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick

In Jordan Sonnenblick's "Drums Girls and Dangerous Pie" we follow the main character Steven as he learns to cope with middle school life, classwork, drums, and girls of course. One thing that separates Steven from most other middle schoolers, is that his brother Jeffery has cancer, throughout the book, he learns to deal with his brothers illness and challenges in school. At the end of the book, and Stevens 8th grade year, we see that he has matured greatly, through the sacrifices he willingly makes for his brother Jeffrey.
Steven shows a lot of maturity when he leaves his All City Jazz Band concert to rush Jeffery to the hospital with his mother. Steven had practiced all year and also had a solo, the concert was even a benefit for Jeffrey! He had been looking forward to that concert all year long, but when Jeffery had a fever, Steven dropped everything to be by his brothers side. He thought about what his friend Samantha, that he had met at the hospital had said about being with his brother no matter what. He wouldn't even let the most important day of his life so far stop him from doing just that. Steven made sacrifices for his brother even though it meant he would miss his concert.
Steven shows the reader his maturity when he shaves his head for Jeffrey.  Steven is usually a very self conscious person , I was shocked when he actually did, it was very selfless and kind of him to do that, even though it probably made him feel uncomfortable. Jeffery had been feeling very embarrassed about having to shave his heat and be bald, Steven did it too, so that Jeffery wouldn't feel alone. Steven was willing to make sacrifices for his brothers and not think about himself in the process. 
When Steven didn't let Renee Albert, the love his life since 3rd grade into his house, because he knew she was sick and Jeffrey couldn't be around that, the reader saw his maturity shine through once again. Steven had liked Renee for a very ling time and knew that any boy would do anything to have her come to their house. But Steven knew a virus would be a great threat to Jeffers health, he once again, thought about his brother instead of himself, so he turned her down even though it meant that he wouldn't get one on one time with Renee Albert!
In the end, Steven went from being a  selfish boy who only cared about himself and what people thought of him, to an amazing young man who cared for others and most importantly his little brother. He matured a lot from beginning to end by making many personal sacrifices for Jeffrey and not thinking about himself. That's why Steven is such a remarkable character. 

Complex Plot

I love books like Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl that have very complex plots. What I mean by this is they're constantly being added to and more secrets are found out which make it more complex.

For example, in Pretty Little Liars, you're trying to find out who the mysterious person called "A" is. As you're reading you're hinted that it is someone but then something else happens or someone shares a secret and you're suddenly convinced it's someone else.

To me, these are the best types of books.  I like them because they keep you interested in it throughout reading it. They very often are part of a series too, an throughout the series, you're usually trying to figure out who did what, or what happened and how. Also, in these kinds of books, I can usually imagine everything very well. It's like a movie is playing in my head and I can see perfectly what is going on.

I often struggle with boring books, I just can't seem to get into them, but with books like these with complex plots, I'm always left wondering.

Memoir

Heart beating, heads aching from the tight, high buns our mothers gave us. The smell of sweat, hairspray, and deodorant overwhelm me. I can't breath. My throat feels tight and I'm sweating. I think I might pass out . Daniela grabs my hand before I do and snaps me out of it.

“Are you nervous?” She asked.

“Me?” She nodded, “Um no, just excited.,”I lied, I'm an eight year old girl about to perform with the Mark Morris Student Company. “Not nervous at all,”

The 14 of us stand crowded in the unfamiliar tech room, reserved for performers only. We watched the older girls on the small T.V. They were amazing,

“I hope to dance like that when I'm older” I whispered into Layla's ear.

The purple and blue lights from their dance flash through the tiny windows on the door. Layla and I held hands, our way to give each other good luck, we were too anxious to speak. My leotard was making me irritated. It was itchy and I couldn't wait to take it off. It was ugly too, light blue and green velvet leotard and blue water colored chiffon skirt, with a butterfly sewed to the hip. Yeah. I hated it. We apparently looked “cute” and “so adorable”, and thats all that really mattered, so I guess we were stuck with it.

“Ready to go,” Misty and Sarah said in unison. “Break a leg!” Their faces were red and tired, like they just ran 5 miles and hadn't slept for days. They've been anticipating this moment for months.

So were we. All our practice would finally pay off and we would perform.

We walked on stage. You could hear the quiet pitter patter of out feet prance across the floor. We took our places. The first dance was fast, the “Texas Wildflower” dance, or the hoedown, as we liked to call it.

I danced the best I could, we all did, we danced for Misty, what she told us earlier was going to change us forever.

I felt betrayed and angry but I wanted to cry and hug her and never ever ever ever let go but I knew this day was coming but it could wait right she didn't have to leave? She did, we all knew it. In the middle of dance, I looked and saw her crying, I missed my music que, I was late, she's not crying anymore.

The dance teacher I've had since I was 4 years old, was moving to texas to take care of her mom after her dad died. I didn't know how to feel. All these thoughts screaming to come out.

I felt guilty for even thinking I was mad at her, everyone did. But we weren't mad, we were just confused. I didn't want to be selfish so I put on my happy, brave face.

At the end of the show, when we went to do our bows, everyone was crying, even our parents and especially Misty and us. We ran up and hugged her, one big crying circle. It was out last dance together, ever. The bright stage lights stung our red, puffy eyes.”I'm going to miss her so so much” I said to myself, “We all are.”

To this day, I remember Misty so well. The way she taught, and danced, her loud country accent, and cheesy jokes, the way she owns every room she'll ever walk into with her fun personality. How she loved to sing along the piano and sing old themes songs from ancient TV shows. Shes the teacher that taught me how to dance, she taught me all the fundamentals, she sparked the fire, and she did it so well. I miss her, but I know how shes owning up the whole state of texas.  

Tweak by Nic Sheff

In the book "Tweak" by Nic shelf, the author invites you to read his story about his painful and emotional journey and his drug addiction. The author does a great job of describing his experiences, to the point when you feel like you're going through it not him.

The main character Nic, started his addiction when he was 12 years old. At first he was just stealing liquor from his parents, but each day he did it, he realized he couldn't stop drinking. Not too long after, he started doing crystal meth, heroin, and many more drugs. By the time he was 17 he had already been to many rehabs and 12 step programs, but couldn't seem to stay sober. He started running out of money and stealing from his parents and even little brother and sister. His fun thing had turned into full on addiction that he couldn't stop.

I always wondered what it was that kept on making him relapse, and why he couldn't stay sober. I asked myself that every time I read, towards the end of the book, when he is in his final rehab, I realized it was because of his girlfriend Zelda. He always felt like she was so much better than him. And being high made him feel like they were equal. He loved Zelda but he couldn't be with her if he was gonna stay sober.

 All in all, the book shows you how much trouble you can get into and how hard it can be to stop bad habits. It took Nic a really long time to realize he couldn't stop his addiction on its own. It's amazing that Nic Sheff was able to figure his situation and stay sober.