Wherever Nina Lies

My parents bought me this book for Christmas and I read it in only a few hours because I was so addicted to it. Wherever Nina Lies is the Story of a teenage girl named Ellie who is searching for her missing sister Nina. Nina disappeared two years ago and no one has heard from her since. After finding an old drawing of Nina's with a phone number on it, Ellie ends up at a party and meets a boy named Sean. Sean and Ellie instantly connect and Sean is desperate to help Ellie find Nina. Ellie thinks this is great because no one else is on her side. Her best friend and her mother think there is no hope of finding Nina ever again. Ellie and Sean get in Sean's car and the two of them go off on an adventure in search of Nina. They face never ending roads, scams, murderers, lies, clues, betrayal, and a shocking ending. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery and adventure.

One Fifth Avenue (my favorite character)

I read this whole book while I was away in Spain. It was so good. The book focuses on the many people who live in the apartment building at the address of One Fifth Avenue, New York, NY. This book is full of so many characters, but my favorite is Mindy Gooch. Mindy is a middle aged woman who is always longing for something she doesn't have. She sees the glass half empty. Mindy is always criticizing others for things that the majority of people wouldn't even notice. She and her husband and son have the smallest apartment in One Fifth. It's kind of dark and dingy, so it influences Mindy's mood alot. Mindy is constantly yelling at her husband James to do everything better. I feel so bad for him, having to put up with Mindy's nonsense. Despite all of this, Mindy is my favorite. When the reader looks past all of her annoying habits, Mindy's true character comes out. She really means well underneath it all. She's not all that bad, and at the end of the day, everything she does is for her family. She always has the best interests of her family at heart.

The Emperor's Children (beginning thoughts)

I love to read books that take place in New York City. I feel like there is so much to do in the city, so it gives characters more opportunities to go on more adventures. This is the first reason I picked up The Emperor's Children. The Emperor's children is about three friends and their slowly evolving lives in New York City. The three friends went to Brown together and still remain close. They are in their 30's and are struggling with family and careers. When I opened this book, after only about three pages, I was hooked. From page one, the reader is able to tell that the characters are so well developed. I feel like I'm in the pages right next to them. The book begins in Australia. Danielle Minkoff, a producer, is attending a gathering and catching up with old friends. The way the author describes the characters here is so amazing. I hope this book keeps getting better.

Middlesex (a reflection)

I just finished Middlesex, my final book of the quarter. I enjoyed this book a lot. At times, I would get slightly confused, or bored. However, the intensity of the book kept me going until the end. During this book, I sometimes felt that I didn't connect with the characters. Understanding what it is like to be a hermaphrodite is a very difficult concept to grasp. Although, this book does teach certain lessons about what it is like to be very different from the people that surround you. The author's words demonstrate this feeling very well. I learned a lot from this book. The book also teaches many things about family and growing up. I found some of these scenes easier to relate too. I could connect some of the issues in this book to other books I have read, and to issues happening in my own world. Overall, I learned a lot and liked the book very much. I would recommend this book to someone who would like to read about tough social issues and growing up.

Middlesex (thoughts so far)

Middlesex has been an interesting read so far. The narrator, Cal, describes her life as a hermaphrodite. The story is so incredibly moving. I could not ever imagine living the way Cal lives. The pain she has to endure must be very hard to handle. During the beginning of the book, Cal talks about her family before her birth. Cal's grandmother has always had a talent for predicting the sex of an unborn child, using things like a spoon to work her magic trick. Cal's birth was the only time her grandmother had ever been wrong about the prediction. I thought that this was a very intriguing way to begin this book. It really got my attention. Cal also begins with describing various events of her life, such as being the specimen of a gender study program. She then proceeds to say that these incredible events all occurred before her 16th birthday. I cannot wait to get further into this book.

Girl With a Pearl Earring (how the setting shapes Griet's life)

The main character, Griet, is working as a servant for the artist, Vermeer, and his family. Griet's life is heavily shaped and influenced by the setting of the book. Griet lives in the poor area of Delft. When she goes to work for Vermeer, she doesn't know exactly what to expect. She feels slightly odd around the Vermeer's family because they have more money than hers. For example, when Griet goes to their family's butcher to get meat, she sees that even the butcher is of a higher class than the butcher that Griet's family gets their meat from. The setting of the Vermeer household is also important. For example, it influences Griet's chores. They live right on the canal, therefore one of Griet's main chores is to fetch water. Griet also lives in the basement of the Vermeer household. It is dark and muggy down their which sometimes influences how Griet feels.

Girl With a Pearl Earring (first impression)

I've only read the first 12 pages of Girl With a Pearl Earring, and I already can't put the book down. The language is so incredibly descriptive. I can see every scene happening in my head as I read through every sentence. So far, Vermeer and his wife have come to see Griet (the main character) to see if she is fit to work for them. Griet is supposed to go live with Vermeer and clean his studio. From the authors descriptions, I have already learned so much about Griet. Just from the opening scene, I can tell that she is very attentive to detail, she's organized, smart, shy, a hard worker, etc. I could tell all of this just from a few pages describing Griet cooking in her kitchen, arranging sliced vegetables on a table. While reading this book, I am interested to learn about Vermeer and his paintings, and his twisted relationship with Griet. I can't wait to keep reading.