The Shawl

I read The Shawl. This book is about a woman, also a Jew, who gets sent to a concentration camp with her daughter, cousin and her family.

Her daughter ended up murdered by the soldiers. After a few years she ended up moving to Florida and her cousin moved to New York. This woman has problems with people but she wants this shawl. This shawl is the thing that saved her baby. This might sound crazy but the shawl kept the mother and daughter in tact.

I liked this book but it was awfully sad what the soldiers did to her baby. I also liked that it had a beautiful ending. I am really suprised that I finished this book because Andi had said that this is a college read. With that some words were difficult to understand.

I look forward to reading more short stories because I am acctually writing a book of short stories. I am planning on sending it into a writing competition with a chance of getting it published. If it does not win I may just self-publish it. Either way, hopefully you guys are able to read my short-stories.

I have to admit though, this author may have me beat seeing as I am younger and have way less experience than her. Wish me luck!! I NEED IT. :P

BRUISER

Andi recieved BRUISER in the mail and I decided to read it.. Of course I would never give up the chance to read a diffrent book.

I read this book because it sounded awesome but not only that it also caught my attention on the first page.

In this book there are four main charachters, Brewster, Cody, Tennyson, and Bronte. Brewster is a teenage boy that starts out with no friends. He lives with his uncle and his little brother Cody. Brewster has a secret only his family knows about. Throughout the book Brewster takes in other peoples' pain.There is a tragic turning point when something happens to Brewster's and Cody's uncle.

Cody is only eight. Near the beggining Cody grieves over a dead pet bull, TriTip, with his brother. While Cody tries to help his brother in parts of the book, he ends up hurting him instead. (Not on purpose.)

Tennyson and Bronte are sisters; Bronte is Brewster'ss girlfriend and Tennyson is Brewster's friend. When they find out Brew's secret they label it the impossible.

After things happen Cody and Brew have to live in Tennyson's and Bronte's parents' house. They end up regreting it. They end up regreting it because they find that they have been using Brew without knowing it.

I love this book because there was a lot of emotion going through me at different times as I read it. The feelings were, of course, for the characters. While reading the book, before reading the next part, I was like "No don't do that!!". I think that is what authors like to hear. That their readers are getting into the book. This Neal Shusterman book is amazing. I need to read more of his books soon.

The only thing that I hate about it is that I had to finish it. Also that, I don't know where Cody and Brew end up living.

Of All the Stupid Things

I was roaming the bookshelf looking for something to read when I stumbled upon the book Of All the Stupid Things! I read this book within two days because it was so good. The book is about three best friends: Tara, Pinkie, and Whitney Blaire.

Tara is an athletic girl who has to train for a marathon coming up in a few months. After hearing a rumor about her beloved boyfriend, Brent, having an affair with a boy cheerleader, everything starts to go downhill. While Tara was away on a trip with her mother she ran into her father and his new family. Which made things even more difficult . When this new girl, Riley, comes to town they become best friends. Pinkie and Whitney Blaire's friendship with Tara gradually fades away because of anger. It only makes things worse when Tara's assumption about Whitney Blaire and Brent together gets into her head.

Pinkie is like the glue in the friendship. She is the one that is happy, huggy, and is pushed to the side when there is a fight. Whitney Blaire ends up forcing Pinkie to choose sides. She ends up running to her best friend, David, for some guy advice after Whitney Blaire assumes something horrifying to Pinkie about Tara. Yet she has different problems; Pinkie is dating, or she thinks she is dating, the after school teacher when he invites her to an assembly. When she's not dealing with friends, family, and teachers, she's visiting her mom's gravestone, giving her letters, and telling her everything that goes on.

Whitney Blaire tries to stop the relationship from ending but also is trying to stop the new girl, Riley, from stealing Brent from Tara. When Whitney Blaire overhears Riley talking to some friends she tries to step in but is at the wrong place at the wrong time. And then Whitney Blaire runs into trouble with David, the guy who's had a crush on her for years.

I love this book because it teaches you lessons in different ways. One is you can't assume anything because if you assume wrong it will end up in chaos. In this novel, it's all about trust in others, friendship, loyalty, support, and being there for others.

However, I'm not a big fan of the misspelled words. Sentences that were missing words, or words that didn't belong, and some sentences where words needed to be switched.

Overall, with those adjustments the book was great.