Tuesday, December 8, 2009

The House of Night Series: Book Review

My friends got me hooked on the House of Night Series books. I'm not going to lie; I didn't pay much attention when Mrs. Huff was talking about how good the book was because all I could think was, "vampires are overrated!" Boy, I was sure wrong!

(Each counts as 2 books.)

Marked: I started this book off thinking I was not going to enjoy it. As I got into it, though, I could not stop! I read the book in two days. It is written in a simple manner that is in modern language, so it was easy to understand and relate to. I really liked the fact that it brought vampires, or as Cast writes, vampyres, into a new light. She made the classic vampire into a more civilized creature, one that is more like a human than a monster. Cast incorporated the typical cliques: the good friend, the gay friend, the somewhat annoying friends, the evil girls, the hot guy. Plus, I'm always up for the good girl winning and getting the hot guy in the end :).

Betrayed: I had to read this book after reading the first one because it left me hanging, wanting more of my new-found love for vampyres. This book upset me, though. I did not want her friend to die! The best friend is not supposed to die! She is supposed to be there until the end. I did like the fact that it allied the evil girl and good girl together, but I was still mad that the one mother-like women to Zoey became an enemy. Plus, I could not stand the fact that Zoey was hurting the sweet Erik for a human and an adult vampyre, who I could tell was not good news! The way it ended, though, had me craving more!

Untamed: I read the 3rd book, Chosen, but I want to tell about the 4th one because the books get better as you keep reading, and Untamed has been my favorite (although, I am reading Hunted right now, and it's really good so far!). This book puts a whole new twist into the fantasy by bringing in some horror which I just love because I'm a fan of scary movies. I never thought a book could creep me out, but this book definitely succeeded in doing so. The book somewhat stressed me out, though, because of all of Zoey's stress and drama, all of which made me hurt and feel sympathy for her, while at the same time made me mad at her for causing it. As always, the ending keep me wanting more, so, of course, I immediately got the 5th book and started reading!

I would recommend these books to everyone because girls would love them, and guys might learn a thing or two from them. Beware: They are addictive! :)

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Abortion: Breaking The Silence

Abortion. Everyone knows about it, but very few people care to express their opinions on the issue for fear of causing disagreements and heated arguments. It's a silent issue that needs to be brought out into the open to discourage people of the practice.
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Everyone knows the consequences of their actions, and when they can't handle those consequences, they immediately look for an easy way out. Abortion offers a quick fix for those who are not able to accept their mistakes or the possibilities that come with the birth of a child. Those people do not understand the damage they are doing not only to the baby, but also to themselves.
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Abortion is selfish. Most people only use it to protect themselves from a hard life or to protect their status in life. Some, mostly young people, use it to protect their reputation and innocence; some use it to protect themselves from a child with disabilities; some use it to protect themselves from having to spend money on someone other than themselves; some, who get numerous abortions, even use it for birth control! The baby has no chance to even live its own life.
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Abortion is murder. People try to convince themselves that what they are doing is right because they believe the child is not yet a person until a certain week in pregnancy or even until birth. The truth is, though, that a child becomes a living person when conceived. Abortion kills that baby. If you kill someone, it is murder whether that person in fully developed or not.
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Abortion is harmful. Of course, the baby suffers death in an abortion, but the mother is also harmed. Usually, after an abortion, a woman may suffer from a life of perpetual guilt. Abortions can damage a woman's reproductive system making it impossible for them to ever conceive a child again, and, even if they do, it can increase chances of miscarriages, stillbirths, and other birthing complications.
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People always try to argue that abortion can help protect the baby from a bad life of poverty, drugs, crime, etc. The women should have thought about the consequences before they acted and brought a baby into their life. If they did not take the time to think, there are options like adoption to help give the baby a better life because many people are not able to conceive and would be thankful for that baby.
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Other people say abortion can protect a mother from death during birth. Today, doctors offer many test which can predict future birthing complications. Every woman who is ready to conceive should consider getting tested before they put their own life in danger and have to end the life of another.
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There is only one exception. Abortion is only okay in certain issues such as rape where a woman cannot help the fact of conception and the complications that may follow. Even in this case, though, they should consider adoption rather than ending an innocent life.
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Women need to consider all consequences before they act and damage their life and the life of an innocent, little baby. Ignorance is the only thing keeping a woman from this. Women have the choice to protect themselves and others, but they must stay informed and make the right choices. Abortion is selfish; abortion is murder; abortion is harmful. Abortion is NOT right!

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Homework Hurts

"It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?" ---Henry David Thoreau
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Work, work, work. Many children spend hours and hours doing their homework each night. Homework is supposed to help---right? Therefore, the more children do, the more positive effects it is having---right? Actually, excessive homework forces many negative effects on the shoulders of not only children, but also the families of those children.
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Excessive homework hinders the proper development of children. Today's school children spend numerous hours completing the ridiculous amounts of homework distributed by their teachers which eventually strips them of their needed sleep and exercise time. At a young age, children need this time for not only proper brain and physical development, but also proper emotional development. Supposedly, homework's goal is to help mature the brain, but when it is given in excess, it only hurts the brain.
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Not only is homework hurting children's brain, but also it is an unknown cause of obesity in children. Spending so much time on homework, children are deprived of the beneficial amounts of exercise time needed to stay healthy; therefore, becoming what Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish call "homework potatoes."
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Children's families are also hurt by excessive homework. Family time becomes inferior to the homework. Most children feel compelled to finish their homework; therefore, they miss out on time that could be spent at the dinner table, on a family trip, or bonding with family.
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One might argue that family involvement is a benefit that results from homework. Usually, though, excessive homework sparks family arguments and fights over the issue of the amount of homework and time spent laboring over the work.
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One might also try to argue that homework itself is beneficial for children giving them the self-discipline and work ethic needed to survive the world. According to Bennett and Kalish, the truth is, however, that there is "absolutely no proof that homework helps", especially when given in excess. Almost every child can tell you that, as they try to avoid the unnecessary load of work, procrastination becomes a favored habit.
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I understand that homework has been around for a long time. I understand that teachers are not going to stop giving out homework. There are things, though, where more is not necessarily better. Homework is one of those things. Excessive homework does nothing but hurt children and their families. Why give so much homework out when it goes against every goal that schools strive for students to achieve?

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Sentence 12

Their sentence:
They weren't watching TV--they weren't in the computer room or the library, and they weren't in the kitchen, either.
from Marked by P.C. & Kristin Cast


The anaphora emphasizes the fact that Zoey is looking in many different places for her friends, and she still cannot locate them. The dash sets apart the failed continuity of her search after looking in the first location.


My sentence:
Dogs were lingering outside--dogs were in the car and the garage, and dogs were in the house, too.

Sentence 11

Their sentence:
Sure, they were nice-looking--interesting actually, with their crescent moon outlines, and their uniforms that looked more like runway designs than school clothes--but they didn't have the glossy, inhumanly attractive light that radiated from inside each of the adult vampyres.
from Marked by P.C. & Kristin Cast


Set apart with dashes, the descriptive phrase describing how nice-looking the young vampyres are--which also signals a subconscious break in thought--further heightens the unique beauty of the adult vampyres compared to that of the already amazing-looking young.


My sentence:
Yeah, we were smart--advanced actually, with our Pre-AP classes, and our calculators that looked more like huge computers than simple machines--but we didn't have the annoying, terribly repulsive arrogance that glowed from within each of the older students.

Sentence 10

Their sentence:
But remember, darkness does not always equate to evil, just as light does not always bring good.
from Marked by P.C. & Kristin Cast

The antithesis within the sentence contrasts the balanced phrases while, at the same time, use them as a comparison of similarities to help Zoey, the main character, relate darkness to her knowledge of light in her initial life.

My sentence:
And think, wealth does not always lead to happiness, just as poverty does not always create sadness.

Sentence 9

Their sentence:
He's calling in our family shrink, the Incredibly Expressionless Man.
from Marked by P.C. & Kristin Cast

The appositive phrase sarcastically describes the family's shrink by labeling him.

My sentence:
She's summoning up their dead grandpa, the Unforgettably Fearless Guy.