Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Today I’m going to blog about a book called Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. I read this book my freshman year of school for my English class. In my opinion this is the best book I read all year.

            Speak is about a girl named Melinda Sordino and her summer before her freshman year of high school; and how this effects her during high school. Melinda goes to a party with her friend Rachel. During the party Melinda starts hanging out with Andy Evans. Andy is the popular guy at school and Melinda is shocked that he even likes her.

            By the end of the party Melinda ends up calling the cops. You do not find out why Melinda called the cops until the end of the book; I’m not going to tell you either. But what happens at the party affects Melinda all through her freshman year. Fellow students bully Melinda and make fun of her for calling the cops.

            All because of the party, Melinda and Rachel have a falling out and drift apart until they don’t even talk anymore. This hurts Melinda the most because she and Rachel had been friends forever.  One of the reasons Melinda and Rachel are not friends anymore is because Melinda is not cool and Rachel is.

            Andy and Rachel start dating. Melinda tries to talk to Rachel and tell her why she called the cops at the party, but Rachel will not listen. Melinda gets called a liar by Rachel. Then Andy starts saying that Melinda is just trying to get attention.

            The only friend Melinda has is a girl named Heather. Melinda gets tired of being sucked into doing things to help Heather get popular. Melinda decides to tell Heather how it is and they have a falling out and aren’t friends either.

            The only way Melinda made it through her freshman year is because of art. She is forced to come up with different ways to make a tree. And this helps Melinda get her frustration out. Melinda’s art teacher Mr. Freeman believes in the potential she has.

            I really liked this book. I feel by reading this book the reader sees how hard it is to be picked on every day. It also lets the reader know how keeping a secret can make the character as a person; once Melinda tells her secret and get it out; things start to change for the better.

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

Today I’m going t o blog about A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks. This book is about a girl named Jamie Sullivan. Jamie’s father is a preacher; he is very strict and protective when it comes to Jamie.

            There is also a boy named Landon Carter. Landon is bad news and always gets in trouble. Landon gets in trouble at school and is forced to do the school play to get himself out of trouble.

            Landon and Jamie play the two main characters in the play. Jamie has always gotten made fun of and laughed at by everyone, including London’s friends.  Jamie and Landon become good friends throughout getting ready for the play. They even meet up and rehearse lines together.

            Landon falls in love with Jamie. This is one thing that Jamie told Landon not to do. But London did not care because he loved her.

            One day, Landon finds out about Jamie having leukemia; this hurts Landon. Jamie ends up getting really sick and ends up in the hospital. This is where London’s father steps in and pays for Jamie to get the health care she needs at home.

            By the end of the book Jamie and Landon get married. However Jamie and Landon do not have much time to spend together. Not too long after they get married Jamie becomes really sick and dies.

            This does not stop London; he goes to school to be a doctor so he can discover the cure for leukemia. Jamie’s father and Landon never did agree on much of anything. The only thing they had in common was that they both loved Jamie. At the end of the book London goes to visit Jamie’s father. During the visit London gives Jamie’s father the book that Jamie gave him; this book belonged to Jamie’s mother.

            I think that this is one of the best books written by Nicholas Sparks. This book is also the saddest book I have read by Sparks also. I really do not like the ending but I love how Landon and Jamie fall in love and are happy for a little while.