My Summer Reading

     Personally, I'd have to say that this summer went by WAY too fast. Attending dance camp which was held daily from 9:00 a.m. to around 8:15 p.m. (pretty hardcore, but fun), going to Chicago for vacation, getting ready for school, and doing a summer reading assignment that was given to me at the "last minute" gave me little time to read as much as I wanted to. Anyway, I managed to finish a few books. Here are some I've read over the summer.

      First off, I read Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer (for the second time, because I forgot what happened). I strongly disliked it, even though I think it was the best out of the four other books in the series. The book was like the others-- Bella's having "relationship problems", Edward and Jacob aren't accepting each other, and someone's after Bella. It's a "huge mystery" that the Cullens can't figure out, although you could easily tell who's after her.. I would tell, but that would be spoiling the book for anyone who hasn't read it (even though no one would want to read anything of the Twilight series). I'd recommend not reading this book more than once, because it's just a wast of your time.

     I have also read Deep Down Popular by Phoebe Stone. This book is okay, rating probably a 6 out of 10, MAYBE 6.5 out 10. It's about Jessie Lou Ferguson, who is the type of girl who sits alone at lunch everyday and is very tomboyish. She, of course, has an enormous crush on the most popular boy in town, Conrad Parker Smith. When he injures his leg, Jessie Lou is assigned to help him get home after school. Because he can't play soccer anymore, he gradually loses his popularity, so he and Jessie Lou start to hang out more. Andd, you'll have to read the book in order to find out if they ever become true friends, or if they loose their friendship entirely.

     Next, I have read A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly. I'd have to say it was slow at first, but as you get deeper into the story, it gets a lot better. Overall, it was pretty good. I actually enjoyed this one. The story is set in 1906, and is about sixteen-year-old Mattie Gokey. Mattie loves to read and write stories. Every day, she learns one word from the dictionary for the "word of the day" and uses it that day. If there is no word for something (like a feeling), Mattie would make one up. She has big dreams of going to a prestigious university to get an education. Desperate for money, Mattie takes a job at a hotel called the Glenmore. There, a hotel guest named Grace Brown asks her to burn a bundle of secret letters [which Mattie doesn't, and hides them]. Later, Grace's drowned body was found in the lake, and Mattie discovers that the letters held the truth about the murder.

     Another book that I've read is Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, which is about a boy who is in a stereotypical high school, which everyone must fit in, and out of "nowhere", some girl who called herself Stargirl waltzes in with strange outfits and is just different. She gives gifts to strangers, and sings to people on their birthdays. It's a huge shock to the school, and to find out how they react, you have to read the book.

     Two other books I have read over the summer were Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements (about a boy who becomes invisible) and A Dog's Life by Ann M. Martin (An autobiography of a dog who has been a stray most of her life).

     Most of the books I've read were pretty good, and I'm glad I was able to get in at least a little reading over the summer.

     'Til we meet again!

               Soy Kim