Third Quarter SSR

For my third quarter SSR book, I read the novel Delirium which takes place a little while into the future.  In this dystopian society, the most common feeling any human could experience: love, is a disease.  At the age of 18, the government forces every man and woman to go through a procedure to remove a part of their brain that makes them believe that feeling certain feelings for someone that you may or may not be compatible with, are completely and utterly wrong and could destroy the world.  After the given procedure, you are to be matched up (by the government) with someone who is 100% compatible with you based on your test results.

Because this book was meant to be written years into the future, I do not think that this novel will be read 100 years from now.  Although at the same time I feel as if it would be read just because maybe people in the future would wonder how people in the past (really the present) thought the future would be like.  But at the same time, I feel as though "the people in the past" thoughts would be long forgotten because of the century time gap.  A century from now, books may or may not even exist anymore which further explains how this book may not be read in the future.  Although the story behind the story of the power of love and what it can do to people is very powerful, and it shows when the main character, Magdalena (Lena), runs away and escapes the government's forces to be with a boy named Alex that she so forbiddingly loved.

3rd Qrt SSR

The book I read for my 3rd quarter SSR was Catching Fire, from the Hunger Game series, by Suzanne Collins. This book will be read 100 years from now because it's a very interesting, thrilling, thought-provoking read that leaves the reader wanting more. Also the main character Katniss is not only admirable and inspirational but also very relatable and a symbol of overthrowing corruption. This world seems to continue to fall back into the pits of destruction so it's very possible something just as cruel as the Hunger Games could occur in the far future. Therefore for people to be reminded that they have a voice and have the power to take action against unjust rulings the government it's essential to read this book and follow Katniss' journey. Additionally, as a woman reader I definitely feel empowered when Katniss rebels against almost everything, she's assertive and passionate when she need to be not caring who it is, she lays her life down and exerts the most compassion for some boy she hardly knows, and she's not the conventional leader.


Even though this is a fictional book with an outrageous conflict and storyline it still symbolizes so much more than just an action packed series. We often confine and abide to unlawful ruling because we believe we're hopeless, that we're the weak ones. However that misconception is very untrue we see this when it goes from small groups to large groups of citizens uniting and revolting against the powerful government, it exemplifies that we're much stronger when together. Another reason the main character is accepted so much is because everyone loves an underdog story, she came from literally nothing struggling all her life to being the one to create a shift in the not only the government but also the society. Also Katniss being very indecisive and uncertain about her identity is something numerous people can empathize with, we see her struggle to pick a boy while at the same time claim she isn't the leader everyone has established her to be but deep down knows she has to be. It's the contrast between petite, typical teenager problems and monumental political and social issues that makes this novel so memorable and fascinating. An adventurous, heartbreaking, and empowering action/sci-fi/romance book like this is sure to be discussed and read by mainly young adults for several years in the future.

3rd Quarter SSR: Firestorm

The book that I read during the 3rd quarter is called Firestorm, by David Klass.  It is a science fiction book, so it has ideas about time travel and advanced technology.  For these reasons, I believe this book may be read 100 years in the future.  The main character, Jack, is being chased by an evil and advanced army from 1000 years in the future because he is supposedly, from prophecies, the person to save the future from this dark army.  The army has advanced weaponry and technology, like advanced submarines and cars, which may be developed in the future.  Thus, the book may be helpful in the future for people reading, so that it may spark their interest and it may be made because maybe in 100 years we will have the technology to make such equipment or cars.  Also, involving time, this book has theories about paradoxes such as the grandfather paradox, which says if you go into the past and kill your grandfather would you cease to exist since you would therefore not be born.  The characters talk about time to understand the time travel in the book and such, for example, they discuss the multiverse theory, but one character disagrees and says time is like a flowing river, that any changes in the past will eventually catch up to the future so there is only 1 continuous universe.  These theories may be discussed in the future so this book may be read for this reason also.

Paper Towns

For my third quarter SSR book I read Paper Towns.  Paper Towns is a romantic, young adult novel written by John Green.  I would say yes, this book will be read in 100 years because more famously known John Green is also the author of The Fault In Our Stars, so I would guess people would like to read his other novels.  However, I believe the story it self is very interesting and relatable to teens.  For example, Margo is a senior in high school on the verge of graduating; who doesn't want to follow the expectations and assumptions everyone has of her.  Therefore, she runs away to a place where she can live life how she wants to live without the worry of meeting others' expectations.  This is a conflict many teens have and will continue to have 100 years from now, so this story will not go out of date as long as society constantly stereotypes people.  Throughout the novel, I felt like I was in Margo's shoes even though the story follows Quentin, her childhood friend, in his search for her.  Reading the novel, in a way let me live a wish of mine to get up and leave everyone's opinions, expectations, and assumptions of me, which I enjoyed very much.  Also, the novel wasn't the cliche love story I was expecting, but in fact one of the few novels that had kept me on my feet.  Therefore, people 100 years from now will enjoy the novel since it isn't a spin off of "Romeo and Juliet" or follow the same storyline as a damsel in distress.  Overall, Paper Towns was very unique and not like every other love story but rather focused more on suspense and character development, which I wasn't expecting.

The Automatic Millionaire

For my third quarter book I chose to read The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach. 100 years from now I feel like this book will still be read. I found that this is kind of a self-help book. It goes through a bunch of different ways on how to be successful in real estate. David Bach explains the approach on making your financial life automatic and different ways on how to become rich slowly but surely. He talks about his journey on becoming an automatic millionaire and all that he has learned along the way. Bach’s book has appeared on New York Times bestseller list, The Oprah Winfrey show, The View, NBC’s Today show, CNBC, and CNN sharing his strategies for living and finishing rich. He also teaches many leading seminars around North America. One of the small simple tips he gives is to find your “latte factor.” This simply means to find the things that you are spending money on that is not necessary and limit it. For example, if you buy a cup of coffee everyday from Starbucks maybe a muffin or breakfast sandwich with that. Then say you buy something to drink or a snack a little bit into the day. So,basically you already spent over $10 and it’s not even lunch time yet. It’s good just to think through your day and see what kind of changes can be made to saving your money because that can be costing you almost 2 million dollars in the long run. But see, I’m not even talking about his real estate part yet. This isn’t the plot twister novel I would usually read, but I am glad I did because I really enjoyed it. It was very interesting learning others stories on how they started off with just being financially okay to now rich. I learned a lot on how to manage my finances, so yes, I believe this book will still be read for a long time especially for people like me who is interested in business, real estate, or making money.

Traveling Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood

For my third quarter SSR Book, I read The Third Summer of the Sisterhood by Anne Brashares. The book and series are revolved around a pair of pants that all fit each other and keep a tight friendship between four girls: Tibby, Lena, Bee, and Carmen. This book starts off with Lena in depression and is isolated from her friends and her family. Carmen finds out that her mom is pregnant with her new husband and that there would be an addition to her family, this will ultimately force Carmen to find a new pathway in College. Each book from the series has an interesting storyline and the conflict is always different and ties in from the previous books in the series. However I doubt this book or series will be read in one hundred years from now, currently in my opinion, there are just far more interesting novels that I have read and are decades older than this one. Sure, this one can get the attention of some readers who are willing to find it and read it, but I just doubt that this book will be read in 100 years.

3rd Quarter SSR

This past quarter I read the book Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen. Its main focus was to point out the faults and inaccuracies within American textbooks that the author believes is designed to reinforce common myths told to the American public. The topics that are discussed within the book range from the fictional myth of Columbus first "discovering" America to more modern topics such as the flaws of the war in Iraq and the Middle East in general that remain relatively undiscussed. The Preface of the newest edition talks about the rise of alternative fact to the American Political scene and how they have negatively impacted the news scene. Loewen discusses how the rise of these alternative facts has not only spread lies to the American public but actual networks that do dispense the truth are now being overshadowed by the conspiracy theorists and Trump aides who only seek to further their own agenda by dispensing these falsehoods. By continually updating and revising his novel Loewen continues to make the novel relevant with the ever-changing political landscape. However, the content that remains relatively unchanged from the first edition revolving around the original Americans lies such as those about the Pilgrims and Columbus are still very much as relevant today as they were thirty years ago because American History textbooks still continue to subvert the truth by teaching the American children lies. That's why I believe even 100 years from now Lies My Teacher Told Me will still be read.

Always and Forever Lara Jean

Always and Forever Lara Jean by Jenny Han a romance and comedy story. This book is all about romance and the journey with it. It's a sequel that has 2 other books that are part of it. Anyone looking for a girly romance love story it's the perfect book for them. Lara Jean is a senior in high school who ends up getting a boyfriend that was not expected even for herself. She goes through some many different obstacles with him and deals with a lot of things along the was. Sometimes feels a little pressured not because of him but her peers. Peter her boyfriend who is popular and a jock and Lara who is smart quiet and likes to keep to herself ends up with him even though their complete opposites they're perfect for each other. Lara doesn't have a mother to help with boyfriend things even though she has a great father it's not the same but her older sister Margot gives her advice. Peter and Lara have the purest relationship you just know they're perfect for each other. Lara and Peter go through rumors about what they did together, people talking bad about them taking a break, leaving to a university, and seeing if they will stay together forever or it won't work out. To find out if they stay together forever you would have to read the book. I don't think this book will be read in 100 years because yes it's a great book catches the readers attention and I recommend it but it's not one of kind it's not a book that has would have a big impact on people. It's more of a book that just for entertainment. There is a lot of other books very similar to this one which is why I think it won't be read.

3rd Quarter ssr: Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls

     The novel I read for the third quarter was Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten. This thriller/young adult novel describes the life of June and her best friend, Delia. They loved each other and shared an infinite number of secrets that tied them together. It is really funny how one night can change everything for the worse or the better...This story happened to be about the worse. When Delia commits suicide, nothing is ever the same, and June is determined to find out the truth. I have got to say that I have mixed feelings about this novel. It started off great, building up a more suspenseful plot. However, the middle to the end of the novel made me confused and left me with numerous questions that I will never get the answer to. Also, I totally predicted the not-so-unexpected twist that Delia was not actually dead. There are thousands of thriller and/or suspenseful novels, and I believe that this book will not be read in 100 years.
     This novel is actually really captivating and intriguing though. I would never want to discourage people to not read this because it is unlike any books I have read before. The novel is consisted of the different points of views between the characters, such as June and Delia. I really like how the reader will get an explanation from Delia about her decision to fake her death. I am not trying to give away too much information in case anyone wanted to read it, but the way the author designs each character in this novel is outstanding. Each character has some kind of influence on each other, and the ending blows my mind. The readers will be able to connect to many things in the novel, whether it be the characters and their decisions, the plot, or maybe even the riveting development of the characters. I know that I felt so surprised and angry for some of the decisions made by the characters (yes I got very into the book at one point while reading). Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls is very interesting, and it is a great book to read in the mean time. However, I do not believe that this is more so sophisticated to intrigue and compel thousands of readers to read 100 years from now.

The Lord of Opium

For my 3rd Quarter SSR, I read The Lord of Opium by Nancy Farmer. The Lord of Opium is a sequel of The House of the Scorpion, in which both books feature a clone named Matt who is treated less than a human by everyone except El Patron, the original Matt. In The Lord of Opium, Matt is the new drug lord and the owner of Opium, the land that was once called Mexico. The book is very science fictional and takes place at least 100 years from now and yes, I think it would be a type of book that could spark the interest of any reader 100 years in the future. Matt is conflicted because there are so many reforms he wants to make, so many impossible tasks he want to do to better humanity, and there are so many adults telling him what to do, all of this at fourteen. While Matt is figuring out how he's going to run a worldwide drug cartel, he is battling with himself after carrying the weight of all the people killed in El Patron's funeral via poisoned wine, including one of his closest friends and bodyguard, Tam Lin. While the adults are barking at him to make decisions on what to do about the overproduction of opium, Matt is devising another plan on how to awaken the eejits, or microchip controlled slaves, after he encountered a young eejit he named Mirasol. The story jumps between Matt making adult decisions that the adults in the story think is irrational, and doing things young boys do which the adults think is also irrational. Matt feels alone because he is seen as a God, which he likes, but he only wanted to be treated like every other human and even tries to be empathetic with the others even when they treated him like dirt when he was still a clone. The only person who ever treated him nicely were his caretaker Celia, his piano teacher Mr. Ortega, His bodyguard Tam Lin, his friend Maria, and of course El Patron- but he hates thinking about El Patron. After his death, Matt realized how evil El Patron truly was and now he's dealing with the people he cares about comparing him to El Patron even though Matt knows he's a clone of him. Well, Matt's focus is to stop distributing drugs, to make the world cleaner and safer, and to open the borders of Opium because it was the only dafe space left on earth with non-toxic air. In the end, Matt succeeds to awaken all the eejits, open the borders, grow better crops instead of opium, and make good alliances with other drug lords who, of course, stopped distributing drugs. In my opinion, it was a really good book with a really nice ending and I think it would peak the interest of a reader far into the future because it's very accurate when talking about science and future. It also features teleportation and real life hovercrafts which really sold me into the hundred years into the future book.

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares

One of my third quarter books was Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. It is a new take on how to find love, when sixteen year-old Lily leaves a red notebook with clues on how to get into touch with her. Dash finds it and responds with a dare for her, their continued correspondence leads to adventures and romance all around New York City. The novel does have an interesting plot and characters, but I do not believe it will be read one-hundred years from now. Although, teenage romance books will never go out of style, this particular one does not have the je ne sais quoi that it takes to go the distance. It's main problem is that it lacks substance, it does not form strong enough connections with reader, and it has many unrealistic elements. Not to say that it isn’t an enjoyable read, the story is very light and heart-felt. The characters are also quite peculiar and erratic, it is entertaining to see how they will react to challenges. Despite all these good attributes, I believe for a book to grasp people’s attention generation after generation, it needs to make people think. The book needs to have people on the edge of their seats, analyzing not just the characters, but themselves and the lives they lead. Otherwise, you end up forgetting about, but it more difficult to forget if the book taught you a lesson or made you feel something. Unfortunately, this novel lacks that important quality so, if in a hundred years this book is still read, it will be because of it's accomplished authors.

3rd Quarter SSR

           The book that I read for my 3rd quarter SSR was Prophecy Girl by Cecily White. 100 years from now, I believe that this book will not be read. I found that this science fiction novel was too similar to a lot of the books I've read in the past, and the plot seemed a bit confusing at times. For example, a sudden jump in time and events that wouldn't connect, even further in the book it was never explained. One instance of this happening was when the protagonist, Amelie Bennett, used her channeling powers to teleport out of danger on multiple occasions, whether it was a demon attack, a villain attack or she just wanted to run away. She is a very rambunctious teen, struggling to keep her love and her sanity throughout the book and her powers of teleporting was a bit repetitive and overused. Because of the constant changing of the setting, I believe that the book didn't give a chance to develop Amelie's personality and traits, as well as her place in the plot. Therefore, Amelie's character wasn't as strong and important as the book intended her to be and personally ruined the book for me. With not a dynamic protagonist I felt that the storyline wasn't as enticing and interesting I had expected it to be.
             In 100 years this book won't be read by people in the future due to the lack of character development and overall awkward transitions in the plot. Although the book did focus on strong character emotions, which furthered bonds between Amelie and her comrades. However, as time changes, this lowkey popular book probably won't be read by people 100 years from now because as time changes so do people and their ideas. The society would probably read more modern books or well-known books such as the Bible and Shakespeare's writings. The book itself doesn't teach and strong morals or themes and I just felt like the book was a bit unclear at discussing important plot points.

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

During the past quarter I’ve read several books. The one that I believe will last another century and continue to be read is Hate List by Jennifer Brown. The novel tells the story of Valerie Leftman and her return to school for her senior year after a school shooting. A shooting which had been orchestrated by her boyfriend, Nick. She goes through scrutiny and judgement from some while others work to try and understand her. Although the plot isn’t something that you will experience through your day to day life there are many key points that young readers can relate with. Valerie has to learn to except her role in the shooting and deal with the consequences. This is an example to readers that even though you may not think it you play a large role in the lives of others. This books plot of violence and social issues is a topic that will be dealt with through the years. The message shows how one can overcome and prevent tragedies by acknowledging the power that one possesses. Along with themes of how you should treat others the book illustrates the idea of forgiveness for yourself and how to deal with tough situations. Both ideas can be applied to many different aspects of the reader’s own life. Overall the book was really good. As I read it I was unable to put it down. I was  recommended this book by a friend and from there I recommended the book to someone else. Of the people that I know that have read the book it has not only been a book that they enjoy reading but a book that they enjoy conversing about.

Thursday Night Lights

One hundred years from now, will Thursday Night Lights by Michael Hurd be read?  Debates can happen but this is a book that will be read one hundred years from now.  Thursday Night Lights is a non fiction book describing the history of black high school football in Texas and some of the experiences from players themselves who played, some of which would end up in the nfl.  One of the main reasons as to why Thursday Nigh Lights will be read is that it can help people understand racism in the 1900s.  One of the players recounts of the players recounts of his experience of being homeless in the 1950s.  He describes of how a white family would help him get to games during football season, but when that ended, they dis regarded him for the rest of the year.  As time has moved forward, racism has gotten less frequent and it will continue to do so one hundred years from now, that said, it might be hard to comprehend or to understand what racism is when it isn't and will not be that frequent.  Therefore, by having a book to read about that topic, that is when someone can get a better understanding of what racism is and was.   Aside from racism but on a similar topic are Jim Crow laws which were laws that segregated whites from coloreds.  The book gives a detailed description of the Jim Crow laws and it helps to further to understand some of the instances that the book talks about.  Also, to gain more of an understanding of racism, one should understand what the Jim Crow laws were and how they had an influence on racism.  Aside from race, people who have a high interest in football might care to see how the nfl may have came a long.  While the book discuses high school some of the players like Cliff Branch or Warren Moon, it does discus their experiences and how this affected the in nfl and how they got were they needed to be athletically in order to play in the nfl.  All in all, the sport of football might not be popular one hundred years from now but the topics of racism are parts of human history that will never be erased and this book has first hand accounts from athletic perspectives.

The Thief

The Thief is a fantasy novel that was written by Megan Whalen Turner, and follows the point of view of Eugenides, who is a thief that was thrown in jail because he was caught bragging about how he stole the Kings seal, which he had. He was immediately thrown in jail and imprisoned for months before the kings magus, who was in need of his expertise, freed him and forced him to go on a journey to collect a hidden treasure that had been lost for hundreds of years. I believe that this book will be read 100 years from now because of its ability to engage with the reader and pull the reader into the setting and circumstance of the book. The book was written in first person point of view, allowing the reader to see it more from Eugenides point of view, and less of an omnipotent person who sees all and knows all. It allows the reader to feel more of a down to Earth when reading because we see more it from a human perspective, so when we read the problems that Gen, as he is called in the book, is facing, we see and connect with them better then other books. Another reason it will be read 100 years from now is because it is a human character that is fallible and messes up. It is shown in the beginning of the novel when he is thrown in jail because of his inability to have the foresight to think that people will arrest him for stealing the kings seal. It just shows how human Eugenides is in the book, because of all of his mistakes he makes over the course of the book. Even simple mistakes, like tripping over a log helps show how human and real he is. All of these things show how The Thief will be read in 100 years.

3rd Quarter SSR (A World Without You)

     A World Without You by Beth Revis is a book that will be read long past it’s years. Everyone, no matter what age you are loves a good plot twist. Whether it be a plot twist or the simple act of not knowing what to expect these type of books are books that are truly remembered. This book is an amazing example of the exciting feeling of not knowing what to believe or expect. Going through the persecute of the main character, Bo, you follow him and his journey to depict what is reality within a school for the “specially gifted.” It is a heart wrenching tale that keeps you on your toes the whole read. With amazing characters and a new spin to the riveting tale this book will be one continuously read within the future. I, personally, don’t like reading as I find it very hard to stay captivated within a novel. However, this book would be a definite book I would reread again in the future. With great character development and exciting moments between all characters this will be a book passed down to readers of all kinds. From the young to old this story of power, preserverance, and love will keep the reader flying through the chapters. For anyone that is like me and loves stories with great characters and their moments of surprising interaction this story will definitely keep you interested through every struggle of the main characters. Feeling the anger, sadness, and confusion through the pages of such read will always keep people captivated. Good writing is priceless, something that can last till the end of time. This book is a great example of that, a well written story that will last through time and it’s changing ways. This book can and will last through the future, for anyone who apprecites a good story and the perspective of two characters in opposite worlds it will be a captivating read. This author surely know how to write a good story as she plays with the perspectives of teenagers thrown into an ever changing world. A world for the “specially gifted” or so one can question.

Third Quarter SSR

The novel that I read for the third quarter was We Were Liars by Emily Jenkins. The novel was a love and drama that there will be a chance that it might not be read read in 100 years. Overall the book was well put with its point of view of a teenager in their supposedly romantic love life. The beginning it show how Cadence (the narrator in first person) and her other cousins also with a friend named Gat met and grew over the summers on an island. Summer roll around every year and they all met over and over again, but Cadence started to have feelings for Gat. Something tragic happen to Cadence, and it began to go downhill.
I said enough from this novel, but I believe this novel will not be read in a 100 years from now. The few reasons are it relates to many others novels. It shows how one grows with one another no matter the time that they met. To add on it contributes the idea of loving someone else and how it can be good or bad and if it goes in your favor for the results. There are multiple novels that show how people fall in love and be friends with family then something tragic happens. In conclusion it did have some cliff hangers and relatable just it had to much drama for me, but it will be read in a 100 years.

3rd quarter ssr: Animal farm

          Animal Farm, it's a classic work of literature by George Orwell it tells of how greed and human nature (or in this case animal nature) can ruin a good idea. Animal farm describes the birth of a new idea similar to Communism. The animals on the Manor farm have had it with their abusive owner and through him out. Once the farmer is dethroned the animals begin to implement their ideas. They follow ten commandments each with a specific purpose. Their leader, Snowball, strictly follows the rules and tries to do best for the farm. After many months of functioning normally, in a tense standoff Snowball is overthrown by the fierce boar Napoleon.  Slowly but surely Napoleon begins to change the rules and begins to warp them in his favor.  Eventually the other animals begin to protest these changes but are silenced. The farm becomes worse off due to Napoleon's greed and eventually the farm completely dissolves. The reason I argue 100 years from now that Animal Farm will still be read is because the core cause of the farms problems, greed has ruined many things and will continue to do so even in the future. Those who do not understand greed are doomed to fall victim to it and greed is sometimes hard to understand. Animal Farm provides a benchmark in both storytelling and representation of human nature specifically greed so I believe that it will still be read in the future.

Gone Girl

     My 3rd Quarter novel is titled Gone Girl and it is written by Gillian Flynn. It is the story about a man who desperately goes on the lookout after his wife has mysteriously disappeared. After being together for a few years, marriage seems to take things on the wrong path. Now, there is no denying that the book keeps you on the edge of your seat as you see the story progress. There is a twist around the middle to the near ending of the book that for sure was my favorite part( but no spoilers teeehehe). It came as something unexpected, because as you read the book your constantly making up ideas as to what might have happened to the disappeared wife. Personally, I think the book is very interesting, but I must say that I do not think it will be read 100 years from now. The novel is suspenseful and a good read, but it seems to me that it is very typical and common to many other books out there. Suspenseful stories about kidnapping and disappearances are very wide known, so I would not think that this specific one would be read for so long. Many more novels with the same type of story can be made and read by new people. In my opinion it is just a good novel for the mean time but it shouldn’t necessarily last that long. There are many more novels that are truly impacting and that do have a certain amount of importance to our world.

Rocks

Rocks is the auto-biographical novel by legendary lead guitarist Joe Perry of my favorite band Aerosmith. It follows the adventures of his whole life, from his early childhood to the publishing of the book in 2015 as he battles with heavy drug problems and perpetual band drama. Sadly, I don't think that this book will be read much, if at all in 100 years. I do believe that the music of Aerosmith is timeless and can be enjoyed by almost everyone, yet that doesn't mean that it is. Even some people who lived during the different commercial peaks of Aerosmith's career (and there were several) continue today to discredit them artistically for being not unique enough or being to similar to other bands, such as the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin (particularly the Stones). Joe Perry also outlines in Rocks that their last 4 albums have not met the normal Aerosmith standard either artistically or commercially. This lack of excellent albums has failed to keep the band very relevant, with the exception of several of their famous classics maintaining a presence in classic rock circles. There is definitely not much of a young audience to continue to spread the music and interest of the Bad Boys from Boston. Because of the massive dip in interest in Aerosmith now, I cannot say that there will be enough interest for many people in a hundred years to read the biography of its lead guitarist, especially considering that he has never been one to personally grab much attention and interest of the general public. None of his solo albums ever did extremely well, and Aerosmith sadly for some reason does not get the respect that it deserves when compared to other bands of their era and genre despite them being as good.
It is cruelly ironic that one of the messages of the title track off of what many consider to be Aerosmith's magnum opus album Toys in the Attic states that the music of Aerosmith will be timeless and never forgotten.

3rd Quarter SSR (I Am The Messenger)

The fictional novel entitled I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak enraptured me within the first few pages, as its enthralling plot and rather blunt characters invigorated my sense of empathy, so much so that I believe this novel will be read 100 years from now. The stark contrasts between an audience's initial impression of a character versus our encounter with a character's often hidden, tumultuous pasts puts us on the edge of our seat. Ed Kennedy, an ordinary and dead beat cab driver, lacks motivation in his life, perceived as a disappointment by his family, friends, and even himself. However, with the introduction of mysterious playing cards that send him on missions to help people, Ed Kennedy seems reborn, alive with a renewed sense of purpose. Numerous missions that deal with Ed's morality, such as his contemplation of killing a man who he witnessed raping his wife, are not only riveting for readers, but allow audiences to empathize with the inner war that is waged within Ed. Readers, regardless if they're from 100 years or 1 day from now, can resonate with this common inner conflict that every individual faces, allowing readers to question their own decisions and what they'd do in his position. The relatability that Ed poses, mainly through being an ordinary, unmotivated individual, enables readers to connect with his difficult decisions and refound sense of purpose. The fact that he was randomly and mysteriously picked for such life altering missions culminates into a larger lesson for audiences: no matter who you are, or how mundane life may seem, there will be a reason to keep going on. Events such as learning his mother has a secret boyfriend after his father's death, and discovering that his quiet friend of 10 years, Marv, has an illegitimate child not only envelops readers in such interesting plots, brings an aspect of realism towards the audience. Everyone has their secrets and sides unknown to the rest of the world, kept behind a curtain to even those closest to them. Whether it's 100 years from now, or it's the past, present, or future, I Am The Messenger will be read, as it adds an element of applicability to readers' lives, grounding them through its two dimensional characters and touching story arc.

The Retribution of Mara Dyer

    This quarter I was able to finish the trilogy of Mara Dyer with The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. I really believe that this novel will be read 100 years from now. The first reason why is just that it is simply a great sci-fi novel with a terrific romance story behind it. The main character is very relatable in the sense that she was forced to become the strongest version of herself by the events that went down in her life. In this novel, Mara Dyer is finally close enough to figure out the real cause of the terrible things happening to her and her friends. Once she wakes up trapped in her own body with a message from who she thought was her worst enemy, she is once more motivated to survive and find Noah, the boy she loves, as well as the rest of the answers to who she is and why she can kill people with her mind. She manages to escape to the room with a little help from Jude, she so thought enemy and ex-boyfriend. She waders to find her two friends Jamie,  who can make people do what he wants them to, and Stella, who can read people's thoughts. Once they manage to find their way off the island holding them captive, they believe that they were able to escape from the organization holding them captive but they later find out that while they were on their way to finding Noah and the answers they all desired, the organization had been tracking their every move. On their journey, they were able to make connections between the people responsible for their capture and they realize something unexpected, but when it was too late.
    The novel is always at an intense level with all the events that go on and that is something I liked most from it. An instance would be the time when Mara, Jamie, and Stella had to hitch-hike to get home with a creep who turned out to be a murderer. From the beginning of the ride, Mara could pick up something that wasn't right about this guy so the whole scene of the car ride had me on the edge of my seat. When they took a pit-stop to use the restroom, Mara walks in on the man attempting to rape Stella so she volunteers herself instead with the intrusion of killing him instead. She does indeed succeed in the act of taking his life but it only makes her feel worse. I really liked this scene even though some may see it as disturbing. What I saw was the bravery and the strength she had developed all throughout this novel and the two novels before, it really showed the changes she made and although what she did was morally wrong, those changes were for better in the end. Another occasion where the intensity levels were high was when Mara finally found Noah but had to choose between him and her brother Joseph. This scene really showed the inner turmoil a person can have when they feel obligated to choose between one thing or another. After a very long time of her debating what to do, she finally reached a decision that ended up killing her, literally. At that moment, I myself lost all hope to finish the novel but I pushed myself to read on and a couple of pages later, my suffering was put to rest with the plot twist that almost gave me a heart attack, in a good way. I guess what I am trying to say is that this novel is worth reading and with all the elements that make it up, I truly believe that it will be read 100 years from now by someone who, like me, appreciates a genuinely good book.

The Good Girl

The novel I read for the third quarter was The Good Girl by Mary Kubica. This novel was a suspense thriller that I think will not be read 100 years from now. Personally, this book did not intrigue me as much as I thought it would. The beginning was very confusing and throughout the book the story line was hard to catch onto. The novel is about Mia, a young, female teacher who was kidnapped by a man at a bar. The man was supposed to hand her over to his superiors but instead sent her to a safe house in Minnesota. Since Mia comes from a wealthy family everybody is instantly suspicious why she has gone missing. While detectives stop at nothing to find her, the secrets of the seemingly "perfect" family are revealed

.

"I've been following her for the past few days. I know where she buys her groceries, where she has her dry cleaning done, where she works. I don't know the color of her eyes or what they look like when she's scared. But I will." This quote is in the beginning of the book and it when Mia's stalker is planning to get her. At this point I was uninterested and thought that the book was very predictable. This didn't give me any sense of thrill or suspense. I was searching for cliffhangers and major surprises but I didn't get that. I was unresponsive to all the characters and events in the book. In conclusion, this book will not be read in 100 years because of the disappointment caused by this weak novel.

Fly Away

      The novel I read this quarter was Fly Away by Kristin Hannah.  I believe that that Fly Away will be a book that will be read 100 years later.  For starters, the story line can be easily understood and readers can easily empathize with certain characters in the novel.  The main character is Tully Hart, once a famous celebrity before stepping down from her own show to focus on her best friend's health.  Her best friend, Katie, soon passed away from cancer, leaving behind a husband, daughter, and twin sons.  Tully is the godmother of Katie's daughter Marah.  Both of them were very close and when Katie passed, Tully struggled with guiding Marah since Tully was never close to her own mother.  This resulted in Marah running away with a guy and taking up doing drugs to feel free.  Throughout the novel, there are major scenes and events where the characters are depressed and high off of drugs.  At times, it can get very upsetting for those who are light at heart, but I enjoyed the book's style and way of putting words.
         An example of this would be when Marah found her mother's diary that she wrote in leading up to her death.  Tully was currently in a coma and Marah came back in hopes to see her godmother would wake up alright.  Previously Marah had told Tully that she couldn't remember Katie's face and voice anymore, and Marah cast Tully aside in the midst of brooding.  As Marah read her mother's diary, slowly her mother's voice began to ring through her ears, and she remembered her mother would often say to her, "Always baby girl."  Marah cried and visited Tully, who was still in a coma, and told her, "I remember her Tully."  Fly Away showed the lows and struggles of life in some of the most beautiful ways.  That particular scene had me tearing up because all of the characters had gone through so much, and finally some of the turmoil was going away.  Even though, my life has never been as hard and chaotic as Tully's and Marah's, I could still connect and understand everything the characters were going through.  Many people in the world have lives worse than theirs, so I'm sure Fly Away will be a novel that will be read 100 years later.  People can empathize with sad times and lows in life, because it happens to everyone at least a couple times in their lives.  Everyone in this world can empathize with a loved one passing from cancer, losing touch with those you love amidst a loss, turning towards something bad as a means to forget, and so much more.  All of these things happened within this book, and it would not take much for anyone to relate to any of these situations.  Fly Away by Kristin Hannah will most definitely be read 100 years later into the future.

[KC]: SSR Quarter 3 Blog Assignment

Hi kids,

Here's your Quarter 3 SSR assignment. As always, you can discuss any of the novels you read during the third quarter. Share your reading with each other!

Step 1: Create a new POST in which you explain why this book will or will not be read 100 years from now. Support your opinion by stating specific events from the story. Also, be sure to state the title, author, and genre of your novel.
- Feel free to discuss the inferences you made while reading. Oftentimes, your simple engagement will a novel will tell a lot about its potential for lasting popularity. When forming your opinion, consider this level of engagement as well as the book's ability to connect to a reader's life.
Step 2: Once other classmates have posted their opinions/reviews, COMMENT on two other reviews. (Be sure to read the comments on your review as well and engage in conversations as necessary.)

** Reminder: Your post should be around 250 words and your comments should be more than one line.

POST Due: Monday, April 8th by 11:34pm

COMMENTS Due: Tuesday, April 9th by 10:53pm

CONVERSE! EXPLORE! BLOG AUTHENTICALLY!