Personal Essay: My new books!

I got a new series of books for my birthday and I only read the first few sentences and already love it!! This series includes:

1. Gone
2. Hunger 
3. Lies 
4. Plague 

The new book is out for sale now which is Fear, these books are by Michael Grant and I just started reading them. They are already amazing books and I recommend them to teens.

The Gone series is about everybody except the teens and kids disappearing. Harperteen.com has the summary of  Gone:

   "Except for the young.Teens.Middle schoolers.Toddlers. But not a single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Gone, too, are the phones, internet, and television. There is no way to figure out what's happened. And no way to get help. Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents - unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers - that grow stronger by the day.It's a terrifying new world.

    The first in the breathtaking saga about teens battling each other and their darkest selves, Gone, is a page-turning thriller that will make you look at the world in a whole new way."

In the blink of an eye everyone seems to just disappear before all the teens' and kids' eyes.

 Gone                                                         Fear             

Compare/Contrast

Twilight VS. Vampire Academy

    Twilight is about this teenage girl, Bella Swan, who lives in Forks, Washington, and she meets these vampires at her new high school who are very beautiful beyond words. She is introduced to them, they are: Edward Anthony Mason Cullen, Alice Cullen, Carlisle Cullen, Emmett Cullen, Esme Cullen, Rosalie Hale, and Jasper Hale. They all end up in this huge fight with other vampire's with the Werewolves on their side (the Cullens' side). 

    Vampire Academy is about a vampire princess who needs to be protected at all times from the dangerous vampires who NEVER die. The princesses friend is dedicated to a life of protecting her best friend from the dangerous vampires. After two years of freedom the princess and her friend are caught and dragged back to Vladimer's Academy where they have to finish their education.

Similarities- These are both about vampires who have other vampires that they don't get along with, also they are similar because they both have sexy vampires in them. (Vampire Academy's  guy's are better in my opinion!)

Differences- They differ a lot, Twilight has vampire's that sparkle for Pete's sake!! Vampire Academy at least has REAL vampires that don't sparkle!! Vampire Academy doesn't have werewolves like Twilight does, and Twilight's vampire's have special powers.

Librarian Interview

I interviewed a librarian at Gaston County Library in Gastonia, North Carolina  to ask her questions about her job at the library, here is the conversation:

Question:"Who/What influenced you to become a librarian and why?"

Answer:"Having a positive relationship with grade school librarian's and I lived close to the public library and visited often. Also, when I was a Graduate student I worked in the library."

Question:"Do you like to read and what do you like to read?"

Answer:"Yes I love to read non fiction the most but I read a little bit of everything."

Question:"How can reading help people achieve goals in life?"

Answer:"If you are a good reader you generally have high verbal skills which means you would be able to understand comprehension."

Question:"Who is your favorite author and why?"

Answer:"Charles Dickens because he writes about history and I also enjoy Barbra Kingsolver."

Question:"Do you like being a librarian and why or why not?"

Answer:"Yes because no day is ever the same, there is lots of variety in what I do and I enjoy helping people."

Question:"What kind of books would you suggest to teenagers?"

Answer:"The Hunger Games, Books by Rick Riordan, G.P. Taylor,and Cornelia Funke."

Question:"Do you think that The Hunger Games is too gory, why or why not?"

Answer:"It can be a little bit but you don't have to read every detail and people get into the book so much that they don't pay it any attention."

Question:"Does a librarian get paid a lot and if not is it worth it?"

Answer:"No we don't get paid a lot because we work with the government but I believe it's worth it."

Question:"Is being a librarian fun, why or why not?"

Answer:"At times it can be but it is also a lot of hard work."

This interview was a lot of fun because I am a book worm and love to read and write, she also loves to read so I talked to her about books afterwards and also mentioned that I was writing a book, she asked me what my name was so she could buy my book! I have a video below that you can watch but it isn't my interview.

Top Ten Best Books for Teenagers!!

I discovered that the Top Ten best books for teenagers are:

1. City of Lost Souls By: Casandra Clare
2. Insurgent By: Veronica Roth
3. Clockwork Princess By: Casandra Clare
4. Pandemonium By: Lauren Oliver 
5. Rapture By: Lauren Kate
6. Twilight By: Stephanie Meyer
7. The truth about forever By: Sarah Dessen
8. The Hunger Games By: Suzanne Collins
9. Just Listen By: Sarah Dessen
10. City of Bones By: Casandra Clare

I have only read two out of these 10 books, I think I need to get to reading! Please comment and tell me what you think about these books and what they are about. I love to read!! I am such a book worm when it comes to reading, what do you think about reading?? A book that I absolutely LOVE is Vampire Academy. What about you??


I think that the top ten best books for teenagers are:

1. The Hunger Games By: Suzanne Collins
2. A Child Called "It" By: Dave Pelzer
3. The Lost Boy By: Dave Pelzer
4. The Vampire Academy By: Richelle Mead
5. Ruined By: Paula Morris
6. Un Lun Dun By: China Mieville
7. Shiver By: Maggie Stiefvater
8. The Chronicles of Vladimer Tod By: Heather Brewer
9. The Chronicles of Narnia By: C.S. Lewis 
10. The Spiderwick Chronicles By: Tony Diterlizzi and Holly Black

I also enjoy the author Darren Shan, he wrote The Vampire's Assistant series and I have read almost all of them.

City of Bones available at,
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=City+of+Bones&f=hp

How to choose a good book

This is a How to choose a good book blog post. I am going to give you 7 steps that you can follow to choose a great book.
7 Easy steps to choosing the right book for you

1. Look at the cover and cover illustration.
2. Read the first page and use the five finger rule.  Five finger rule: If there are five or more words on the page that you don't know or cannot read, the book is probably not for you. (this isn't always true)
3. Read another book by an author you love.
4. Read another book from a series you really enjoy.
5. Ask someone you trust for a recommendation.
6. Look at the size of the print.
7. Choose a book that is about a theme, topic, or subject you are interested in.

I am going to add a step to this that a website missed: 

8.  Look for something that you can relate to.


The word BLIPA is a good way to remember how to choose the right book. Each letter stands for a way in a process, for how to choose YOUR book.


B: Read the BLURB.
L: Look at the LENGTH and the size of the print.
I: Read a few pages to see if it INTERESTS you.
P: Look at any PICTURES or illustrations.
A: ASK a friend, your teacher or the librarian for help.

I hope these 8 steps  and BLIPA will help you choose the best book for you.

Picture of book with a worm in it available at,
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=Cartoon++book&ex=1

Catching Fire

I am currently reading Catching Fire but I'm not completely done with it so I can't really spoil it for some people who haven't read it. Catching Fire News says:

On April 10th, Ross announced that he would not directCatching Fire; in result, Lionsgate went on the hunt for a new director. After several days of calling and searching, the studio narrowed their options to two directors — Francis Lawrence and Moneyball director Bennett Miller. Now a hot commodity amongst Hollywood’s most elite , the chance of Lionsgate nabbing Miller was slim to none; Miller’s Oscar nomination for his second big screen feature, Moneyball, increased his directing opportunities.

     I picked this quote because it was very interesting to me to read about who the director of the book was and what was happening with the movie and to know that he was working with someone.

    Catching Fire is a truly an attention catching book that makes you want to read it and never put it down. What surprised me the most so far is that Gale got caught hunting by the new peacekeeper   and he whipped Gale 40 times before Katniss and Peeta got there to stop him and when she tried to stop him he hit her and a big whelp came up on her cheek. I am not done with the book but if you would like to learn more I encourage you to read Catching Fire. 
    
     At first I thought that The Hunger Games series would be the most boring books ever, but I was so wrong! The Hunger Games series is awesome and I can't put the books down. What are your favorite books?






    

How I became a REAL christian...

    I would like to tell everyone about my church because I want you to know more about how I became a real christian. I go to First Wesleyan church of Bessemer City North Carolina, yes the one with the walking track, and the first day I heard the youth pastor, Amanda Fowler, something hit me hard in the face and I talked privately to Amanda and she rededicated me! That night I cried and cried till I couldn't cry no more and I prayed to God and asked him to forgive me of my sins. 
     Right before Christmas, I was washing dishes and all of a sudden I stopped drying and dropped the towel in the floor, I felt amazing! It was like God reached down and took my "sins" away from me and I no longer wanted to do those things, my exact feelings were: Freedom, relief, and love for God. I want EVERYBODY to experience what I experienced with God's miracles.
     I am going to try my very best to spread God's word to everyone. The pastors at my church played a huge part in my faith: Pastor Matt Mitchel, Pastor Amanda Fowler, and Pastor Wes Brown.  Here is a picture of my church.

Property of Amber Jolly.

P.S. If anyone needs any advice just let me know.

Thirteen Reasons Why

    A book that I have recently read is Thirteen Reasons Why , this book talks about suicide and the reasons why this girl, Hannah Baker, chose suicide. Thirteen Reasons Why is a heartfelt story that makes you want to cry, it is very heartbreaking but also very happy in a sense.
    Some reasons people commit suicide are: abuse, parents, friends, stress, school, peer pressure, bullying and more. Suicide is very wrong, look at the things that you will miss out on such as spending time with your family and friends, going to college and getting your dream career/job, having fun and other things. 
      According to Dr Pareira, the telltale signs that someone is ready to commit suicide are:a sudden change in behavior,  self-cutting and reckless behavior. Books can help people who are seriously thinking about suicide by giving them hope and reassurance. With a book you can see things from a different point of view and it can show you how great life can be if you use your imagination and look to God for guidance and reassurance.  
      According to Suicide Prevention " most people who commit suicide don't want to die- they just want to stop hurting." Suicidal people just want the pain and agony to go away and want help with their crappy life. So, when you see the signs of suicide please tell an adult and/or try helping that person- you might save a life!

The book Thirteen Reasons Why available at, http://www.flickr.com/photos/35105699@N06/4038118814/in/photostream/

Dear Readers...

Dear Readers of all types, 
    Hello and welcome to Book Talk! This is a place where everybody can talk and comment about books that people like or love. I love to read an write, I am currently writing a book and I am on chapter 5! It is turning out to be a great book and would love to share it with you when I finish.
     Anyways, the reason why I love to read is because it is interesting and fun, and plus the more you read the more you learn! Reading is great for you because it helps you develop skills in anything. If you want to you can sign up for my website and be able to sign in any time you want.
     I hope everybody likes my blog and has fun talking about different books, giving other people opinions on good books. 
    
~Yuna B. ~


HAVE FUN!!

Katniss Everdeen from Hunger Games, available at 

http://www.zoo-m.com/flickr-storm/.