22-23 English 9 Hour 8 Independent Reading Project by Lindsay Zimmerman https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg en-us 2022-09-18 19:37:43 UTC 2022-12-07 14:56:54 UTC hello@padlet.com DEADLINES & REQUIREMENTS: lindsay_zimmerman https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2301852281 (Note: Deadlines subject to change if needed.)

Before Monday, 10/17: 
  • At the top of your column, add a new post. Type your topic in the subject, and your list of linked texts in the body of the post. (Feel free to copy over from the proposal.) 
  • Keep this post at the top of your column. If you need to change texts later, indicate that you are doing so by replying to this post. 

Monday, 10/17: Book 1 finished and posted on IRP Padlet before the start of class. 
  • In a video or in writing, give a summary and a book review for your first book.
    • Summary: (at least one paragraph, labeled "Summary") 
      • What was the theme? Who were the characters and what were the key events? When and where was the setting? 
      • Be sure to avoid spoilers, or label them clearly so we can skip them if we want. 
    • Review: (at least one paragraph, labeled "Review")
      • To earn full credit, you MUST use at least 3 literary terms! PLEASE BOLD THEM.
      • What was good about the book? What made it valuable? What did the author do well? What could have been better? BE SPECIFIC!
      • Would you recommend this book? What audience would enjoy it? Try to make your review as precise and useful to a potential reader as possible. 
    • Your entire post should include proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. You may use first person, "to be" verbs, and contractions. Otherwise, you should follow the 20 Style Guidelines. 

Monday, 12/5: Book 2 finished and posted on IRP Padlet before the start of class. 
  • Summary: (at least one paragraph, labeled "Summary") 
    • What was the theme? Who were the characters and what were the key events? When and where was the setting? 
    • Be sure to avoid spoilers, or label them clearly so we can skip them if we want. 
  • Review: (at least one paragraph, labeled "Review")
    • To earn full credit, you MUST use at least 3 literary terms! PLEASE BOLD THEM.
    • What was good about the book? What made it valuable? What did the author do well? What could have been better? BE SPECIFIC!
    • Would you recommend this book? What audience would enjoy it? Try to make your review as precise and useful to a potential reader as possible. 
  • Comparison: (at least one paragraph, labeled "Comparison") 
    • To earn full credit, YOU MUST MEANINGFULLY COMPARE this book with your first book!
  • Your entire post should include proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. You may use first person, "to be" verbs, and contractions. Otherwise, you should follow the 20 Style Guidelines. 

Monday, 2/20: Book 3 finished and posted on IRP Padlet before the start of class. 
  • Summary: (at least one paragraph, labeled "Summary") 
    • What was the theme? Who were the characters and what were the key events? When and where was the setting? 
    • Be sure to avoid spoilers, or label them clearly so we can skip them if we want. 
  • Review: (at least one paragraph, labeled "Review")
    • To earn full credit, you MUST use at least 3 literary terms! PLEASE BOLD THEM.
    • What was good about the book? What made it valuable? What did the author do well? What could have been better? BE SPECIFIC!
    • Would you recommend this book? What audience would enjoy it? Try to make your review as precise and useful to a potential reader as possible. 
  • Comparison: (at least one paragraph, labeled "Comparison") 
    • To earn full credit, YOU MUST MEANINGFULLY COMPARE this book with your first two books!
  • Your entire post should include proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. You may use first person, "to be" verbs, and contractions. Otherwise, you should follow the 20 Style Guidelines. 

Monday, 4/24: Book 4 finished and posted on IRP Padlet before the start of class. 
  • Summary: (at least one paragraph, labeled "Summary") 
    • What was the theme? Who were the characters and what were the key events? When and where was the setting? 
    • Be sure to avoid spoilers, or label them clearly so we can skip them if we want. 
  • Review: (at least one paragraph, labeled "Review")
    • You MUST use at least 3 literary terms! PLEASE BOLD THEM.
    • What was good about the book? What made it valuable? What did the author do well? What could have been better? BE SPECIFIC!
    • Would you recommend this book? What audience would enjoy it? Try to make your review as precise and useful to a potential reader as possible. 
  • Project Wrap-Up: (at least one paragraph, labeled "Project Wrap-Up") 
    • Summarize what you learned, what you recommend, and what you'll read next. Wrap up any final overall thoughts about this project, and make any last meaningful comparisons among your fourth book and the previous three. 
      • Will you read more on this subject? Do you have new opinions on your topic that you didn't have before?
      • Would you recommend the texts that you read? Did you have a favorite? 
      • Do you think this project was rewarding for you? If so, why? Should we continue to do this project in the future? 
      • Your entire post should include proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. You may use first person, "to be" verbs, and contractions. Otherwise, you should follow the 20 Style Guidelines. 
]]> 2022-09-18 19:37:43 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2301852281 TOPIC: books that are thrillers or mystery salmaweng https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346045258 TEXTS:
Verity by Colleen Hoover
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
214 Palmer Street by Karen McQuestion
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson]]> 2022-10-19 00:13:54 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346045258 Summary of Verity by Colleen Hoover salmaweng https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346119391 Summary: 
Lowen Ashleigh is a new writer who struggles to find the big break into her career. At a meeting, she meets Jeremy Crawford.  His agents offer Lowen thousands of dollars to complete the last three books in bestselling author, Verity Crawford's series, which she is unable to finish due to a serious injury. Lowen takes the job, which causes her to temporarily move in with the Crawford's to sort through Verity's abundance of notes and outlines. Upon her arrival to their home in Vermont, Lowen senses an odd feeling through the empty home, wanting to get out as soon as possible. She soon finds a hidden autobiography manuscript written by Verity that shows her thoughts over multiple years. Lowen is shocked and disgusted because of what she is reading, unaware this woman could be so despicable, without raising any suspicion. 


]]> 2022-10-19 01:11:29 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346119391 Review salmaweng https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346169834 This book was a major page turner. It gave me chills numerous times while reading. It took me maybe two separate times to read, only because it was just too hard to put down. It was so suspenseful and there were many plot twists that I wasn't expecting. Written in first person, from Lowen's point of view, it felt like I was there, and that she was talking to me like a friend. While she was reading the manuscript, the book would shift entirely, cutting to the autobiography. And after reading a section from her book, it would come back to her reading, and we would both have the same reactions on what we just read together. It really amazes me how I got two versions of the text, Verity's unhinged thoughts and personal life, and Lowen, who was in Verity's house, practically living her life. It was mind blowing to read and worrying to see how Lowen would handle her time there. I personally think Lowen was an unreliable narrator at times. She would occasionally have her fear get the best of her which would make her over react, or act like things were there, when they really weren't. The theme of his novel would definitely have to be secretive, crazy in love, and suspenseful. I really enjoyed this book, and I would definitely read it again. ]]> 2022-10-19 01:42:42 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346169834 GENRE: FICTION alyssaledezma https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346180946 TEXTS:
-Every Last Word: Tamara Ireland Stone
-Girl in Pieces: Kathleen Glasgow
-The Way I Used to Be: Amber Smith
-My Heart and Other Black Holes: Jasmine Warga

]]> 2022-10-19 01:51:21 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346180946 Literary Villains ethanjiang4 https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346205888 The texts:
-American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

-Misery by Stephen King

-The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

-The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith]]> 2022-10-19 02:09:10 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346205888 TOPIC: horror books alexshachtman https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346216946
TEXTS: 


]]> 2022-10-19 02:17:45 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346216946 Horror mariyakhan https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346227664 Texts:
Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson ]]> 2022-10-19 02:25:34 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346227664 Summary of Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow alyssaledezma https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346229655 (Warning: this book, summary, and review can touch a very sensitive topic to some.) Our main character Charlie Davis, a 17 year old quiet girl, has suffered from many losses. The book opens up with her waking up from being unconscious after trying to take her life. After her father committed suicide, she starting spiraling down. Her best friend suffers from severe brain injuries due to an unsuccessful suicide attempt. Charlie has been physically and mentally abused by her mother too, all of which leads to the suffocation of her mental health. She was officially diagnosed with PTSD, impulse control disorder, selective mutism, and non-suicidal self-injury. Her lack of guidance and help, makes her resort to self harm as a coping mechanism. She joins a group in Creeley Center, a place for girls who self harm. All of her trauma led to her being mute so at Creeley she learns to use her voice and drawing to improve. She had to leave the center because of an insurance issue. She has to live with her mother but her friend Mikey sent her a bus ticket to live with him in Arizona. (SPOILERS: towards the end of this summary, it starts to spoil the end.) Charlie started to get better and stopped the cutting. She met a man named Riley and they got together. Riley did no good for her, because he had many issues of his own. Her friend Blue from Creeley came to stay with her but Blue had a very negative impact on Charlie due to a drug addiction. Charlies apartment gets ruined because of Riley and Blue's mess with a drug dealer. After this disaster, Charlie falls right back to the start of her recovery and covers herself in wounds. Her coworkers saved her from making it worse. Charlie heads to New Mexico and visits her grandfather, who also shares a passion for art. He gives her the guidance she has been needing. She returns to Arizona and all of her friends are clean. Ending the novel, she returns to New Mexico for a fresh start.]]> 2022-10-19 02:27:06 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346229655 summary of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley alexshachtman https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346235289 An explorer named Robert Walton searches for a new route from Russia the Pacific Ocean by going across the Arctic Ocean. While out at sea, the people on board spot Victor Frankenstein, nearly dead and floating on a sheet of ice. 
Victor grows up fascinated with science and brings a "monster" to life. Out of guilt and fear, Victor runs off. A kind man named Henry Cleval helps Victor become healthy again. Aplhonese alerts Victor that his brother was killed and Victor knows that the killer must have been the "monster". The monster wants Victor to know his prospective so they go to a mountain where the monster talks to him. The monster can read and comprehend language. The monster finds a notebook with letters that belong to Victor, which reveal to the monster that he is a creation of Victors. Humans reject the monster from their world, so he makes up his mind that he will get his revenge from Victor's family. ]]> 2022-10-19 02:31:30 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346235289 Review alexshachtman https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346257374 I enjoyed reading Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. The plot of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley seems quite unusual. It does not surprise me that Frankenstein become a classic, due to its well thought out plot. The relationship between the monster and his creator, Victor, gave the book emotion and tone. Shelley wrote this book in a way that allows us to empathize with the monster while his creator is also considering him an awful and disturbing monster. Although Frankenstein by Mary Shelley fits under the category of a horror book, I felt more sad while reading the book than scared. What the monster was enduring was brutal and heartbreaking. It was written from first person in many character's perspectives throughout the book. Although motifs did not seem to play a significant role in this novel, the motif of abortion appeared several times throughout. Two main themes in Frankenstein where lose of innocence and revenge. Innocence and revenge sort of go hand and hand in Frankenstein. The monsters lose of innocence leads to his desire to seek revenge. I would recommend Frankenstein to any person who is in their teens or older. Frankenstein's themes are impactful and reading the book can allow the reader to take away many important lessons. ]]> 2022-10-19 02:49:17 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346257374 Psychological Horror rowinledezma https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346260288 Texts:]]> 2022-10-19 02:51:33 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346260288 Summary of Kim Jiyoung, Born in 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo mariyakhan https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346264222 Set in Busan, South Korea, Kim Jiyoung seems to be the average stay-at-home mom who lives with her kid and husband, Daehyun. Daehyun notices that Jiyoung starts to act strange, first when she talks exactly like her mother. He thought she was joking around since she likes to joke with him. Over time her impersonations get stranger and stranger. She starts to act and talk like different women she has met in her life whether they are living or dead. She brings up events she was not there for yet seems to have in her memory. When Jiyoung was growing up, she was always told to act like a lady and be cautious. When she impersonates some other woman, her views about how she was taught while growing up and the misogyny around her all seem to spill out of her mouth. Her husband takes her to a psychiatrist as her psychosis gets worse to find out if she can be cured or not. The narrator tells about Kim Jiyoung's life from when she was born, throughout her childhood, to the time she becomes a mother and experiences psychosis. ]]> 2022-10-19 02:54:41 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346264222 Girl in Pieces: Review alyssaledezma https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346270428 This book was heart breaking. I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I bought it off of amazon. I loved how the book reminded me of a journal. The book was based off of Kathleen Glasgow's past of dealing with severe depression and self harm. The themes are recovery, self harm, mental illnesses, drug addictions, etc. Charlie Davis is our first person narrator. The author made it so Charlie was perfectly able to represent the struggles of someone with many mental illnesses. The book is supposed to acknowledge the real struggles of self harm and to spread awareness. Glasgow definitely got into my head with this one. I do wish that there were chapters in the book so I could find spots I was looking for. There are a couple of foils in this book but the main one in my opinion is Blue. Blue was also a patient at Creeley and suffered with the same illnesses at Charlie. I would definitely recommend this book to almost anyone, especially those who like sad books. It is important to spread awareness to all different types of mental health and this book does exactly that.

]]> 2022-10-19 02:59:30 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346270428 Review of American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis rowinledezma https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346286069  It focuses on being more of a symbol then realism but, you get that roller coaster adventure you are looking for. You sometimes forget this man is completely insane, but it easily brings you back to that harsh reality. It is told in first person, but it has an unreliable narrator. The author did a great job keeping us entertained while making us want to pay attention to what is actually going on. It becomes fun to try to figure out wait, did something happen, and it brings you on that roller coaster I believe everyone searches for in entertaining stories. ]]> 2022-10-19 03:11:40 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346286069 Summary of American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis rowinledezma https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346286404 American Psycho tells the story of a literal psychotic stoke broker, stereotypical almost on Wall Street. Patrick Bateman is our main player here, his rather intrusive thoughts start out as only that and fantasies of rather violent acts. He has many colleagues that you might mistake for his friends. His rage and craziness is also enhanced with a copious amount of drugs. You can see this as early as the start of the story when Evelyn is preparing dinner for them because they will not go anywhere without a reservation somewhere very fancy and elegant. Price was talking about how the steroids were getting to him after accidentally snapping at the cab driver and others. From this beginning you can see how only someones class, status, and how much power they had mattered.  You see Patrick get jealous more then envy others, he only wishes for destruction and havoc for others. He is a bit detached from the world around him.]]> 2022-10-19 03:11:58 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346286404 Review mariyakhan https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346291825 This novel is very different from other novels I have read before. Personally, I enjoyed it a lot since there are not many like it. I like the way the novel starts to describe Kim Jiyoung as an ordinary woman and soon the reader realizes that she is far from the ordinary woman. The author writes the book in a very easy-to-follow manner. It does not require a lot of brainpower to realize what is happening. The motif of motherhood comes up in the novel a lot, talking about how Kim Jiyoung herself and her mom and how they make sacrifices for their children and sometimes have to hide how they truly feel.  The novel has themes that need to be talked about like mental illness and sexism. I would recommend this to people who like psychological stories. It was very intriguing to see her change over time and how Kim Jiyoung stops hiding what she feels like she did before. The narrator gives context about her life leading up to the psychosis, starting with her childhood. The book is written in the third person.]]> 2022-10-19 03:16:48 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346291825 American Psycho ethanjiang4 https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346315036 Summary:
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis follows Patrick Bateman, a serial killer that works as a wealthy Wall Street investment banker in the late 1980's. The book is a dark satire about the shallowness of capitalism and conformity. Patrick Bateman is a classist, racist, sexist, homophobic, and all around horrible person who only seems amused when he is killing, having sex, or doing both. He only cares about surface level appearances and material possession. Multiple chapters are dedicated to Patrick telling readers about his morning routine, band discographies, or dinner reservations. All of Bateman's friends and co-workers are just as horrible as he is, without the murderous tendencies.

Review:
I enjoyed this book for its satire and commentary. There were parts of the book where Bateman would tell readers about what he ate for breakfast in the morning like it was the most important thing in the world. He is an unreliable narrator because he is insane, and the book ends up being much more about his mind and less about the events because of his narration. Bateman is a static character who does not learn any moral values and is the worst person throughout the book. This book is extremely graphic and it made my jaw drop in shock more than any other book I've read before. Bateman performs the craziest kills I have ever seen in any piece of media. Ellis has written the most crude book I have ever directed my eyes towards and still manages to provide meaningful commentary on the themes of the book. The shallowness of Patrick is shown to comedic effect throughout the book as it is made clear that he genuinely cares more about his image than anyone around him. Even though I liked this book, I don't think I would recommend it to anyone because it is just about an awful person doing the most heinous acts imaginable. I would just recommend the movie if someone really wanted to experience the mind of Patrick Bateman.]]> 2022-10-19 03:38:19 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346315036 Graphic Novels sorengupta https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346397412 TEXTS: 

]]> 2022-10-19 05:06:20 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346397412 Watchmen sorengupta https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346509367 Summary:
Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons follows retired masked adventurers dealing with problems from their past. Rorschach is a crime-fighting investigator that tries to find out who murdered the Comedian, another masked adventurer. Doctor Manhatten is a superhero who thinks logically and scientifically. Sally Jupiter is the lover of Doctor Manhatten but has affairs with other masked adventurers. Nite Owl is a masked adventurer, but all his technology relates to owls. The novel is set in New York City in the 1980s. The Comedian is killed, and Rorschach tells the rest of the masked adventurers the news. Other masked adventurers are neutralized, leaving the reader wondering who is planning the downfall of the retired heroes. The book's central theme was choosing between moral and logical solutions.

Review:
I enjoyed reading this novel because it makes the reader think more profoundly than what is just on the paper. The author did an exceptional job of hiding many motifs and symbols throughout the novel. For example, the Comedian has a smiley face pendant that he wears. When he died, blood splattered across the left eye of the smiley face. The smile reappears in chapter 9 when zooming out from mars. On the last page, a guy wearing a smiley face shirt spills ketchup in the same spot as the blood was splattered on the Comedian's pendant. I believe that the blood-splattered smiley face represents how happiness cannot be achieved without blood being shed or how tough decisions must be made to make most people happy. The author shows the theme through motifs and symbols. I would recommend this book to attentive readers. I think that any audience would enjoy it, but the novel might appeal more to audiences who enjoy learning about psychology. Since this book has so many motifs and symbols, the reader must be attentive at all times to fully understand the theme of the book.  

]]> 2022-10-19 06:52:19 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2346509367 Self-improvement austinjiang1 https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2347059755 Texts:]]> 2022-10-19 13:50:07 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2347059755 They Both Die at the End macylawlor https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2347885648 Summary:
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera follows 18 year old Mateo Torrez and 17 year old Rufus Emeterio when they both receive a gut wrenching phone call from Death-Cast. They are both going to die in the next 24 hours. Mateo and Rufus are complete strangers, with entirely different lives, but they both are longing to make the most out of their last day. Mateo's mother passed away during birth, and his father is in a coma, leaving socially awkward Mateo to spend most of his life in the safety of his room. Rufus lost his parents and sister in a tragic car accident, landing him in a foster home where he meets his two best friends. Hours after they receive the phone calls, Mateo and Rufus meet each other on the Last Friend app. The Last Friend app allows deckers, those who will die in the next 24 hours, a chance to make one more friend before their time is up. As they make their way through New York City, they visit old friends and family member's graves to say goodbye, and try their best to make the most out of the hours they have left. Mateo and Rufus form a deep connection, longing for a chance to have more than just a few more hours with each other. The main themes of this book include choices and their consequences, the meaning of life, human connection, and morality.

Review:
This book is an unforgettable read, and the author does an incredible job at capturing each moment and sharing the thoughts and emotions of each character. Adam Silvera uses alternate points of view, changing characters every chapter. This allows a deeper connection to each character through an inside perspective of their emotions throughout their final day. The characters use of photos to document their journey symbolizes life, and later becomes a way for others to keep their lost loved ones alive through memories. Silvera uses first person narration, allowing a profound understanding of the characters thoughts, even before they are shared to each other. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a book that grapples with deeper themes such as death, morality, connection, and the meaning of life. I would also consider this book to fall under the lgbtq+ category, and I would recommend this book to those wanting to read a book filled with raw emotion, containing a love story within the adventure to make the most out of their only and last hours together.]]> 2022-10-19 22:04:56 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2347885648 Make Your Bed austinjiang1 https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2349350119 Summary:
Make Your Bed by William McRaven shares the important lessons William learned while serving in the navy from 1977 to 2014. In the book, William gives advice on small things and habits to change your life and those around you.  This motivational book encourages readers to pursue their dreams with individual willpower and the support of others. In the book, every chapter has its own lesson with context and a short story. This books has many lessons and themes, one of them is to think big while taking care of small things. Although the book does not follow a plot or certain storyline, it keeps the reader intrigued with the many small stories in each chapter.

Review:
I enjoy reading his novel because I've always want to try consistently reading, and with this book, i would read one chapter per night before bed. I felt like this strategy help me absorb as much information as I could from each chapter. Each chapter is unique and interesting with their own story and lesson told in first person . In each story, the author learns a new lesson and changes his perspective, making him a dynamic character. Some of my personal favorite lessons I am trying to apply to my life is to start every day with a completed task such as making your bed. Another lesson I cherish from this book is that hard work and determination will always beat talent. It is about the size of your heart that matters. I apply this lesson to me because I always think about how other people have more talent, height, or knowledge, than me, but I've realize that most of the time it's due to hard work. I feel like anybody could read this book and take away a lesson. One of the details I find interesting is that at the beginning of every chapter, William uses epigraph to state "If you want to change the world", and follows it up with the main theme or lesson of that chapter. Overall, I would recommend this book, especially as a beginners book to improve yourself.]]> 2022-10-20 16:12:55 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2349350119 The Umbrella Academy Volume 1 sorengupta https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2410845304 Summary: forty-three extraordinary children are born simultaneously. Sir Reginald Hargreeves adopts seven of them and trains them to defend the world against an unknown threat. He conceals them from society until ten years later, when the Eiffel Tower is under attack. After defeating Zombie Robot Gustave Eiffel, Hargreeves gets everyone ice cream. Twenty years later, Number 6 is dead, and Number 5 disappears. News spreads that Hargreeves dies, and the family reunites in New York. During the funeral, Number 5 returns from the future to warn the family of doomsday. In the distance, a carnival catches fire, and the family goes to save the people. SPOILERS: 
Viola, aka Number 7, goes to her family for support but is told to go away. She goes to an evil scientist who transforms her into a deadly musical weapon. Viola goes around the city, causing mass destruction until she is met by her family, who can trick her and stop her from destroying the world.

Book Review: I found this book enjoyable because of its non-filtered theme. The Umbrella Academy does a fantastic job of showing how damaging bad mental health can be. The novel also succeeds at showing how family bonds are strong. Although it has entertaining concepts, The Umbrella Academy could have done better execution. Key events felt random and had awful transitions. If the authors had taken the time to introduce more background information and a more linear storyline, the novel would have been much better. Even the main characters felt like static and flat characters. I recommend this book to people who enjoy a quick story without thinking too hard about the theme. 

Comparison:
Comparing Watchmen to this novel is a significant step down. Watchmen has more depth and connects to its characters much better. Watchmen does a much better job of making an entertaining plot. Most characters in each book have questionable morals. Watchmen is enjoyable to read because there are no likable characters, and it brings up real-world problems and politics without choosing a side. The Umbrella Academy has indistinguishable heroes and villains and appears to be much more one-dimensional than Watchmen. Although Watchmen is a better graphic novel than The Umbrella Academy, both are very interesting and enjoyable to read.

]]> 2022-12-06 15:27:47 UTC https://padlet.com/lindsay_zimmerman/idxte4noutlvudhg/wish/2410845304