Book Club
By Liz Ruckdeschel and Sara James
It’s junior year at Hillsdale High, and Haley Miller’s got a lot going on. Between her ultra liberal parents, boys, the college application process, and her busy social life, Haley has some choices to make. But what is so interesting about Liz Ruckdeschel and Sara James’ new book, “What If…Your Past Came Back To Haunt You” is that it’s YOU, the reader, who gets to decide how Haley’s year turns out.
The authors end every chapter with a dilemma that Haley faces, and provide the appropriate page numbers for the different resolutions Haley has. Will she choose dinner with her BFF’s instead of hanging out with her longtime crush, Reese? What will she do to help her friend Mia get out of a sticky situation? And most importantly, how will Haley react when a humiliating video from her past turns up online? It’s up to you to make the decision by selecting the ending you’d most like to see happen. The authors present the possible scenarios, but ultimately, it’s the reader who determines which ending Haley will find.
This interactive book, which was just released, is the latest in the “What If” series, so if you love it, be sure to check out our other favorites, including “What If…Everyone Knew Your Name” and “What If…All the Rumors were True.”
- Amy Wilson
BY ANDREA T. ON 12/14/2008 10:00:00 AM 36 COMMENTS
The Market:
When Kate Winthrop stumbles upon the Millbank Social Stock Market
(the MSSM), she's horrified to discover that out of the 140 girls in
her class, she’s ranked a bleak 71!
Determined not to accept her fate as a "junk bond," she and her
friends Dev and Callie set out to make her the fastest rising stock on
the Market. Suddenly, Kate is embraced by the most popular girl in
school and attracts the attention of the hottest boy. But Kate's
remarkable rise is soon coupled with a moral descent. Before long,
she’s is in danger of losing her friends—and herself.
Get ready for a bullish ride into the world of popularity in The Market, an exuberant new offering by the author of
The Taker (J.M. Steele).
Discuss:
1. Why do you think popularity is so important?
2. What would you be willing to do or give up to be popular?
3. How do you feel about the idea of being “ranked”?
4. Have you and your friends ever acted liked certain people are above or beneath you?
5. Why do you think Kate’s plan to rise up in the Market ultimately proves to be a bad idea? What could she have done differently?
BY ANDREA T. ON 12/1/2008 12:17:00 AM 16 COMMENTS
Saying goodbye to her father was hard enough. But now 14 year old Zoe has to face a new home, a new town and a completely new life when she moves from Seattle to the Midwest. Pamela Todd’s newest book, Blind Faith Hotel, traces Zoe’s first year in a Selena, a small prairie town that is a world away from the northern Pacific islands that she used to call home. Her mother is involved in renovating an old farmhouse into an inn; her older sister Nelia is wrapped up in a boy and her brother Oliver is too little to notice that Zoe is miserable.
When a series of events leads Zoe to Ivy, a boy just as sad and alone as she is, Zoe finally begins to feel comfortable in Selena. She’s just starting to carve out a home for herself when Zoe is faced with some tough challenges: the return of her father, puberty and a devastating secret that could destroy her friendship with Ivy. What’s a girl to do? Pick up this book from your local library or bookstore and check it out. It’s a page-turner, I promise!
—Amy Wilson
BY ANDREA T. ON 11/28/2008 12:25:00 PM 26 COMMENTS
After weeks and months of waiting and obsessively searching the Internet for new pics of the cast and interviews with the actors, Twilight the movie finally premiered (yay!!). I, for one, loved it and I'm so ready to go back and see it again as soon as I'm on break for Thanksgiving. I was already in love with Robert Pattinson from his Harry Potter days, so this movie only added to my obsession with him and it also made me appreciate other actors I'd never noticed before, like Nikki Reed and Kristen Stewart. Now, let the discussion begin.
1. Who was your favorite character in the movie?
GL Callie: Aside from Edward, I thought Nikki Reed did a great job playing Rosalie! Even though her part isn't that big in the first book, Nikki totally owned it and really showed the audience how much her character dislikes Bella. It's also crazy because apparently, Nikki and Kristen Stewart became BFFs in real life during filming, something I never would have guessed from Nikki's convincing performance.
2. What was your absolute favorite scene of the movie?
GL Callie: I have to admit, all the talk about Rob and Kristen's chemistry made me think it was too good to be true, but I thought they did an awesome job of showing Bella and Edward's relationship. How unsure of themselves they both are around the other person, and how in love they eventually are. Clearly, the kissing scene was my fave! But I'd also say the baseball scene was a close second. Who knew vamps could be so fun and carefree?
3. What would you have added to the movie that was in the book, or is there anything you would have cut out?
GL Callie: I wish the meadow scene was done a little better. It was such an important part in the book. It basically defined their relationship, and I thought it was passed over too quickly. I felt like the transition from her knowing he's a vampire to them being a couple/head-over-heels in love with each other was rushed and confusing for the part of the audience who hasn't read Twilight 200 times.
4. What do you hope they definitely have in New Moon?
GL Callie: I think they left out some great scenes in this movie (the cafeteria talks? Hello!), so for New Moon, I really hope they have voice overs for the parts when Bella can hear Edward's voice. I can kind of see the director leaving them out, but they mean so much to the middle chunk of the story and I think they are really necessary.
5. And finally, rate the movie on a scale of 1-5.
GL Callie: I would give the movie somewhere around a 4. It was awesome and I will obvi be buying it on DVD when it comes out, but some of the parts were a little cheesy for me. I also hope the special effects are a little better in New Moon since they'll prob have a bigger budget.
What are your answers to these questions? Blog about it, Twilight babes!
BY ANDREA T. ON 11/24/2008 5:08:00 PM 199 COMMENTS