Grade 10 - Blog Post TWO

Winter Girls
The book I would like to introduce is "Wintergirls". This book is a power and touching story. It's about a girl named Lia whose best friend died recently. Lia and her bestfriend Cassie, had gotten into a fight and haven't talked for months. When Lia heard the news, she decided to listen to the voice mails Cassie had left her before she had die. These messages haunted her, and made her feel as if she were the cause of her death. Devestated, Lia finds herself deep into depression and continues to carry on their pledge. Even if it may kill her.

Anderson, Halse Laurie, Wintergirls, New York : Viking, 2009

1.Identify five elements of your novel.

• Conflict
• Plot
• Suspense
• Foreshadowing
• Setting

2. Sort the elements from most important to least. Place your most favorite at the beginning.

1. Suspense.
2. Plot.
3. Setting.
4. Conflict.
5. Foreshadowing.

3. Describe how the element is used.
I believe the element of Suspense is used a numerous of times throughout the whole book. It was effective and It got me hooked. It was used mostly whenever she was depressed or alone. The element of " Plot " has been used quite well in this book. I find that the story was easily to follow because of the plot. The plot of this book is quite interesting, different, and I enjoyed reading it. The element of " Setting " was used wisely. The author chose lots of unique and different areas to give the story the feeling we were all to expect. " Conflict " was used a numerous of times as well. Lia found it was hard to get through life without her friend Cassie. She was depressed, and ran into many problems. The last element is " Foreshadowing ". I noticed that this element occurs mostly when Lia goes to do things that would hurt herself.

4. Use a quote from the book as evidence.


....When I was a real girl, with two parents and one house and no blades flashing, breakfast was granola topped with fresh strawberries, always eaten while reading a book propped up on the fruit bowl. At Cassie's house we'd eat waffles with thin syrup that came from maple trees, not the fake corn syrup stuff, and we'd read the funny pages...

(Page 7)

I chose this quotation to represent Suspense even though it does not seem like it holds much suspense. After reading this book, this book holds alot of meaning once you think about it. To know how much pain and suffering Lia and Cassie had been through. This shows me suspense, as to where you know later on in the story Lia and Cassie are heading into danger.

Grade 10 - Blog Post ONE

Three Qualities I expect from a good book;

Detail within the writing - For a book to be considered good, a detailed story is needed. I love lots and lots of detail in the books I read. It helps set the mood and helps you settle yourself into the story. As if you were there, watching everything happen in the story behind a line.

Relatable Characters - When reading a book, one thing I love about it is when you have that one favorable character that you can relate to. It helps the story get across to the readers, help them feel what they are trying to make them feel.

Proper Puncutation and Grammar - Spelling and grammar is deffinatly important. When I read a book, I expect to see proper Puncutation and grammar. It just makes the whole story a whole lot better and more effective.

From books you have been reading so far throughout this school year (2011-2012), have they contained these qualities? ;

Yes. Out of this whole year, I have read about eight or more books. Most of these books are from the very detailed and brilliant series of "The Vampire Chronicles" by Anne Rice. I have read several books from this series, and now going onto the 8th book. The other one being "Kiss The Rain" by Kevin Brooks. Anne Rice is an excellent author, and she details her books thoroughly. This series contains a numerous amount of characters, all which are quite relatable, also it's grammar and puncutation is swell. As for "Kiss The Rain", the book contains great puncutation and grammar except for the parts of when the author types their words as if they are speaking in their accents, which I find amusing and interesting. The characters like Moo are relatable when it comes to his past issues and personality, and the detail in the writing is well written.

MLA the books from 2.

• Brooks, Kevin. Kiss the Rain. New York: Scholastic Press. 2009. Print.
• Rice, Anne. Interview with the Vampire. New York: Ballantine Books, 1991. Print. (First book of the series)