A Million Little Peices

A lot to be said about this book. Well first off I wish I had planned my reading better (I know I say that every quarter) and I would have had more time to enjoy this book. That said, I still enjoyed A Million Little Pieces by James Frey. Like kite runner, it has a captivating story, one that immediately has the reader sympathizing with the strife of the main character -- I would say protagonist, except James can also be his own enemy here. As cliched as it is, after reading this book I will not do drugs. Not that I had really considered it before, but after reading someone's (claims of a) firsthand experience about substance abuse, I have a much better understanding for how strong these substances are. This book was much stronger than any lesson we had in health. One scene in particular stands out in my mind, it occurs when James receives 2 root canals without an anesthetic. After reading that vivid description its hard for anyone to find cause to use drugs. Despite the controversy accompanying this story, A Million Little Pieces, is a very powerful story.

Hunger Game

The first book I read this quarter was Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Overall I thought it was interesting, but not very exciting to read. I didn't feel as challenged with vocab as I had been in many other books that I read. Not to say it was too easy, but it was one of the less challenging books I've read. With that said, it was still a very captivating story, one that I think pokes fun at the American way of life. All though we don't host a "hunger games", it ridicules the rule of television, showing what people will do for money, recognition, and fame -- in games like Survivor and The Amazing Race. The portrayal of Katniss and Peeta (yes the names are kind of odd) as star-crossed lovers continues to mock the ideals of american society; much of present day entertainment is advertised by the romantic connections between characters. All said and done, I would recommend it, but not to someone looking for a challenge.