Top Book reviews
Dreamland
Sarah Dessen tells the story of two sisters, Cass and Caitlin, in Dreamland. Cass runs away weeks before she is to attend Yale. Her sister, Caitlin, is left to try and out step her older sister’s “perfect” shadow.
Caitlin spends her junior year in Dreamland, where nothing can go wrong, but the reality is far from it. She continues to fail school and she alienates her only friend to spend more time in Dreamland, hoping to catch glimpses of Cass in her dreams. Caitlin tries to fill the gap of Cass’s absence so she tries out for cheerleading, convincing herself that things will begin to look up.
She meets Rogerson, a dark mysterious brilliant boy who allows Caitlin to be anyone when she is around him. Things start to get better when she has someone to talk to who understands, so she begins spending her every waking moments with him, until he becomes too dangerous and she is forced to consider her inner strength and what to do when someone you love hurts you.
I can’t say that I’m surprised when it comes to the quality and excellence of this novel. Sarah Dessen has and continues to perform to high standards in both her writing and creation of realistic, but still likable characters. I have to say though, that I did find the plot a bit unbelievable because no one stepped in, not her neighbor, her distant father, or her emotion rot mother. I also felt that this book was written to teach a lesson to young woman, but what book doesn’t have a moral component? Dessen did a great job with this book, and I rate it a 4 on a scale of 1 to 5.
- Posted on January 15, 2011
The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel
Sometimes it feels like you have the whole world on your shoulders. But what if you actually did? What if you discovered that the fate of the entire human race rested on you defeating an army of evil, horrible creatures that only exist in your worst nightmares? Dr. John Dee is commanding this army, and they want something you have, something that if they succeed in taking, will end the world as we know it. Author Michael Scott begins this action-packed story with two teens, Josh and Sophie. Only yesterday, they had never heard of a man named Nicholas Flamel, the man who supposedly discovered the secret of eternal life. But now, he is their ally in protecting the book in which the eternal elixir’s recipe is hidden, along with information that, in the possession of Dr. Dee could mean the enslavement of the human race.
Although the all-action chase across the universe may have been exciting for the twins Josh and Sophie, it simply drags on from the reader’s perspective. Exciting events happen one after the other, becoming dull. The plot line lacked suspense and surprise. The characters’ thoughts as the plot unfolds seem unnatural and silly. In the beginning, the twins run off with a man who they do not know at all and they are forced to stay with him, as if kidnapped. Yet they continue to trust him completely. He tells them that the world is going to end unless they do something that puts them at great risk and they will most likely not succeed, and they stay and take their chances? That does not seem like the safest choice. With that said, Scott’s writing was not a complete bore.
Throughout the fantasy adventure, the twins come across terrifying animals and people. Some of the places they are forced to say are not very welcoming either. The descriptions are wonderful, and would be very interesting to readers loving the fantasy genre. But I think author Michael Scott should stick to descriptions.
While on their mission, the dialogue between the twins and Flamel seems odd and forced. Sophie is poorly drawn and one-dimensional as the brave and independent sister, while Josh is even more predictable as the jealous but loving brother. Although over all I found this book disappointing, the next books in the series may surprise and interest readers who enjoyed the first.
- Posted on January 15, 2011
My Cybersex Adventure
Parents and teachers tell us to abstain. No sex, no nothing. They tell us that sex is just too dangerous and that we'll be opening ourselves up to an army of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) if we give up our "sacred virginity." They have made it so that we have no space to be sexual at all. But, thanks to technology, teens have found a way to circumvent the risk of getting an STD or having an unplanned pregnancy, while still enjoying some degree of sexual expression: cybersex.
Because I lacked personal experience in cybersex, I decided that for the sake of this article I would do it myself. I would have cybersex. So I did, and now I'll take this opportunity to describe to you, whoever you may be, my online rendezvous.
Nitty-Gritty Details
To enter a chat room, you have to have your introduction ready at a moment's notice. 17/f/NJ—that's the basic, level-one introduction. For those who know exactly what they want, as I did, it wouldn't hurt to be even more specific. I type "lesbian" as well. For a first timer, the jumble of words that appear on the screen will be hard to take in. It might take a few minutes to sort through it all and find somebody who wants to talk to you. But then it happens—the golden moment, the beautiful chimes—the sound of the private chat box announcement ringing in your ears, letting you know that playtime has begun.
I won't elaborate too much on the actual "sex." Let's just say there was a lot of lying involved. For example, I do not have curly red hair, green eyes or 36 DD breasts. Nor was I wearing my Catholic school uniform, complete with a fringed miniskirt and golden cross. And, of course, I most certainly did have my underwear on. Not to mention, I'm positive my partner was not sun tanning naked on her patio, especially after I realized that she was a he.
Now, judging by my words so far, you probably think I'm completely okay with cybersex. The truth is, I'm not sure about it. It's not something that I'd willingly do again, but that's not because I think it's immoral; it just doesn't appeal to me.
Negative Side
There are dangers, of course, just as there are with anything else. Sexual predators are on the rise and chat rooms provide an anonymous way for them to meet and exploit young people online. But avoiding these predators is as easy as common sense. You should not give out personal information, including your name, nicknames, hometown, school and distinct personal traits. (You never know if the person you're talking to is someone you actually know in your regular life.) This should protect you from any devious online characters. It's that simple. Oh, it's also not a good idea to meet up with someone in-person that you've met in a chat room. Chances are they are really not who they say they are.
But common sense doesn't always protect you. In 2002, one in five children (that includes teenagers) who used online chat rooms were approached by pedophiles online and received sexual solicitations. In a poll by the Girls Scout Research Institute, 30% of their sample "said they had been harassed in a chat room."
What Is a Teen to Do?
It's a sticky issue, this cybersex. On one hand, it can help you learn about yourself. And it gives you a fairly anonymous environment where you can release sexual tensions with no risk of pregnancy or STDs. On the other hand, I believe that a 16-year-old can take care of him or herself in an explicit chat room, but I can't say the same thing for a 13-year-old.
I can't advocate for cybersex, nor can I support those who believe in making it a crime. It's a personal, private issue that each teenager must come to terms with on his or her own.
But I can say that one good thing about cybersex is that it has the bonus of a "block" button, which, unfortunately, you don't have in real life. Cybersex allows us to move at our own pace and push away experiences we're not ready for.
Because I lacked personal experience in cybersex, I decided that for the sake of this article I would do it myself. I would have cybersex. So I did, and now I'll take this opportunity to describe to you, whoever you may be, my online rendezvous.
Nitty-Gritty Details
To enter a chat room, you have to have your introduction ready at a moment's notice. 17/f/NJ—that's the basic, level-one introduction. For those who know exactly what they want, as I did, it wouldn't hurt to be even more specific. I type "lesbian" as well. For a first timer, the jumble of words that appear on the screen will be hard to take in. It might take a few minutes to sort through it all and find somebody who wants to talk to you. But then it happens—the golden moment, the beautiful chimes—the sound of the private chat box announcement ringing in your ears, letting you know that playtime has begun.
I won't elaborate too much on the actual "sex." Let's just say there was a lot of lying involved. For example, I do not have curly red hair, green eyes or 36 DD breasts. Nor was I wearing my Catholic school uniform, complete with a fringed miniskirt and golden cross. And, of course, I most certainly did have my underwear on. Not to mention, I'm positive my partner was not sun tanning naked on her patio, especially after I realized that she was a he.
Now, judging by my words so far, you probably think I'm completely okay with cybersex. The truth is, I'm not sure about it. It's not something that I'd willingly do again, but that's not because I think it's immoral; it just doesn't appeal to me.
Negative Side
There are dangers, of course, just as there are with anything else. Sexual predators are on the rise and chat rooms provide an anonymous way for them to meet and exploit young people online. But avoiding these predators is as easy as common sense. You should not give out personal information, including your name, nicknames, hometown, school and distinct personal traits. (You never know if the person you're talking to is someone you actually know in your regular life.) This should protect you from any devious online characters. It's that simple. Oh, it's also not a good idea to meet up with someone in-person that you've met in a chat room. Chances are they are really not who they say they are.
But common sense doesn't always protect you. In 2002, one in five children (that includes teenagers) who used online chat rooms were approached by pedophiles online and received sexual solicitations. In a poll by the Girls Scout Research Institute, 30% of their sample "said they had been harassed in a chat room."
What Is a Teen to Do?
It's a sticky issue, this cybersex. On one hand, it can help you learn about yourself. And it gives you a fairly anonymous environment where you can release sexual tensions with no risk of pregnancy or STDs. On the other hand, I believe that a 16-year-old can take care of him or herself in an explicit chat room, but I can't say the same thing for a 13-year-old.
I can't advocate for cybersex, nor can I support those who believe in making it a crime. It's a personal, private issue that each teenager must come to terms with on his or her own.
But I can say that one good thing about cybersex is that it has the bonus of a "block" button, which, unfortunately, you don't have in real life. Cybersex allows us to move at our own pace and push away experiences we're not ready for.
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