As per the assignment outline, this is the first of 6 posts for your independent reading assignment. Remember, you must also respond to a classmate two times total for the assignment. If your username doesn't indicate who you are, please be sure to have your name in your post so I can give you credit :) Posts must be made by Saturday December 8 or you will not be given credit!
What is the first sentence of your book? Do you think this sentence effectively "hooked" you into reading the book? What changes would you make to make the opening line more interesting?
Scrawl by Mark Schulman
ReplyDelete"Call me Tod. Okay, no I'm just kidding. That's the first line from Moby Dick, all right? I always wanted to start a book like that."
The first few sentences really hooked me into reading this book. Its a really funny/fun way to start the book. It tells me that this book is not going to be boring and it is going to be funny.
I wouldn't make any changes because it is a really good beginning.
-Rommel Sankhi
Why is he writing a book?
DeleteIt seems like a funny book because of the first sentence.
DeleteThat is an interesting way to begin a book. It seems funny already.
DeleteSo is that the author saying that to the writer or a character saying tht to somebody else.
DeleteSeems funny, but it could be a little beter
Deleteit seems like a funny and interesting book.
DeleteThe book seems intersting
DeleteMaybe, he is trying to be funny or he is trying to right a book.
Delete"Sorta Like a Rock Star" by Matthew Quick
ReplyDelete"Lying down, shivering on the land seat of a school bus 161, pinned by his teensy doggie gaze, which was completely 100% cute -I know, I'm such a girl- I say "You won't believe the bull I had to endure today.""
I believe that the hook of "Sorta Like a Rock Star" was an excellent hook. It got me curious as to why she was in a bus to begin with, what kind of day she had, and why she was talking about it to her dog rather than someone in her family. If I could make any changes I would make two. First off, the bus would be referred to Hello Yellow (which is what it's called after the introduction) instead of "bus" because the reader will have to guess as to where she was and thus make them want to read more. Also, I wouldn't have the beginning be and essay to the main character's English teacher because although it's a good beginning it gives the reader a bad first impression of the the style of writing which results in less people wanting to read more of the story.
This seems like an interesting book
DeleteInteresting beginning, seems worth the read.
Delete-Madison Bruning
this sound like a book of poetry to me.
Delete"Nothing Special" by Geoff Herbach
ReplyDelete"Hey, Aleah, I just thought I'd drop this in, because it's sort of interesting to know what Andrew was thinking back in January, before he got messed up." This first sentence got me wondering what happened to Andrew. It made me want to keep reading to also find out what he meant by "messed up". I also wanted to know why the blog would be interesting to Aleah, why was Aleah so important? This hook was definitely good and complex enough to keep me wanting more. Something I would change is the author saying who dropped in the blog to Aleah. Other than that the book has a great beginning.
Interesting beginning.
DeleteThe beginning really hooks you in.
Delete-Madison Bruning
It really hooks you in and makes you want to read on.
Deletewow that sounds really interesting!
Delete"Trash" by Andy Mulligan
ReplyDelete"My name is Raphael Fernandez and I am a dumpsite boy".
This first sentence hooked me into reading this book because it implies that the book isn't going to be about an easy life. The fact that this character is a "dumpsite boy" states that his life will not be simple and boring, but hard and possibly worth reading about. I wouldn't make any changes to the opening line, as it is great as is. The shortness of the line makes the reader interested and willing to find out more.
-Madison Bruning
Dumpsite boys? Interesting. :>
DeleteSeems like a good story because you don't really hear about dumpsite boys often. Makes me wonder what Raphael's life is like.
DeleteI had to read this twice to realize what it said i then started laughing. But yeah this story sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteI was trying to comment on what madison bruning wrote. But I failed miserably and I don't know how to delete this so.. yeah.
DeleteNo worries.. I got it :)
DeleteHow to save a life by Sara Zarr
ReplyDelete"I am writing in response to your Love Grows post from Christmas Day. I think I might have what your looking for."
So this first sentence didn't really hook me into reading the book. Honestly neither did the first few pages but I eventually got around to a point where it did get interesting. Which then forced me to go back and read what I wasn't really paying attention to.
"Dead Reackoning" by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill
ReplyDelete"Jett Gallatin expected trouble in Alsop, Texas-but not zombies."
This sentence hooked me into reading the book since the moment I read "zombies". I love horror fiction books and Dead Reackoning is for me. I'll have action, graphic scenes and I'm confident that there will be a big twist as I read on. I wouldn't change the sentence because it's simple and easy to figure out that there will be zombies invloved. It's pretty straight foward and I hope it gets better.
it sounds like an interesting book to read.
Delete"Jump"
ReplyDeleteby:Elisa Carbone
Things I know to be true:
1. I am not my Body
2. I am part of a force so huge and powerful, it defies understanding.
3.I am that force.
4.The things i see and touch-the wall, the window,my fingers spread in front of the sunlight, my hair falling into my eyes-are no more solid than the air.It is an Illusion.
5. There is absolutely nothing to be afraid of.
6. According to my parents and the doctors here, i am insane.
This book has quite an interesting hook. I feel like the author started the book this way to persuade readers to continue reading to make sense of the 6 facts that are listed. However, if I was writing the book, I would have given more of an idea of what the book is going to be about. This would let readers know if they really want to read the book or not.
Book: Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green/David Leviathan
ReplyDeleteI want to tell you about the whole first two pages, but sadly I can't, so here's a line: "Tiny Cooper is not the world's gayest person, and he is not the world's largest person, but I believe that he may be the world's largest person who is really, really gay, and also the world's gayest person who is really, really large."
It made me giggle out loud. Usually that just happens in my head. The giggling thing. So yes, that was what hooked me. Any book that can actually make me laugh out loud will always need to be read.
I don't know if I would've changed anything. This book is co-written, so maybe I might want to change the second author, but John Green did a really good job on the first pages.
The first line made me laugh, I might read this book, John Green is a really good author.
DeleteI second that :]
DeleteBook: Rot & Ruin
ReplyDeleteAuthor: Jonathan Maberry
1st Line: "Benny Imura couldn't hold a job, so he took to killing."
The first line of the book did hook me into reading it because I wanted to know more about Benny and who or what he was killing.
I think I would change some things in this line to make it more of a twist in the plot, I would just add a few words to symbolize that what he was killing were actually zombies: "Benny Imura couldn't hold a job, so he took to killing off the rest of his ruined world." Something along those lines, because I hope it would make you think "What ruined his world?" and have you reading on.
It sounds interesting, I want to know why he chose to kill and who, just because he couldn't kill a job.
DeleteIn the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez
ReplyDelete"She is plucking her bird of paradise of its dead branches, leaning around the plant every time she hears a car."
I guess you could say this first line hooked me in. I'm not really used to having such description in the books I read. As a writer, I usually try to find books that start like this, ones that make me sure that there's some creative description that I can learn from and use in my own writing.
If given the chance, I would just change the "bird of paradise" part, because though it is intriguing, it confused me as the reader. I had to read it a few times to get the gist of it. Those unfamiliar with the plant, would be lost, as it isn't exactly native to the U.S., but rather to South America. I would have provided either a sort of side note, to introduce the setting of the story and address certain parts, or just simply written, " As she strips the plant of its distinguishing identity, she raises her head every so often, attentive to the sound of tires on pavement as she awaits her visitor's arrival."
That line sounds really poetic. I want to read it just to find out it means.
DeleteBook: Why We Broke Up
ReplyDeleteAuthor: Daniel Handler
First Sentence:"Dear Ed,
In a sec you'll hear a thunk."
I think that this first line did hook me into wanted to read the book. I think this because by just saying, "thunk", it made me want to find out what it was that was making the thunk and why it was so important to talk about.
To me, the first line of this book really fits and makes sense in the book. If i did have to change it though, I would probably make it something like, "Dear Ed, In a sec you'll hear a thunk, and that thunk will let you know that it's really over." I would change it to this so that the reader can maybe get a better understanding of what it is that is causing the thump and why it is happening.
Story - My Book of Life by Angel
ReplyDeleteAuthor - Martine Leavitt
First Line - When Serena went missing I looked in all the places she might go and she wasn't anywhere, just like a lot of the other girls weren't anywhere.
The first line of "My Book of Life by Angel" by Martine Leavitt definitely hooked me because it made me think of a variety of questions as to what was going to happen next. As I read the first line I thought to myself, who is Serena? Why did she go missing? Where did she go? What is the connection between her and the narrator, Angel? Will Angel ever find Serena? Why did so many girls disappear? What happened to Serena and the other girls? Are their disappearances linked? Will any of the girls ever return? I loved how the first line made the story into a mystery right away. I wouldn't change the first line to make it more interesting at all because if that line doesn't catch your attention and make you want to read more then I don't know what will.
It sounds like someone is trying to find a daughter or a family member, and they are not in any kind of luck doing that.
DeleteBook- Payback Time
ReplyDeleteAuthor- Carl Deuker
First Line- I'm going to be a famous reporter.
The first line doesn't really hook me because i expect the book to be about sports and not a reporter. I wouldn't change the first line because it doesn't tell everything that will happen in the story.
Sounds like the person is looking for a job to succeed in life
DeleteBook- Half Brother
ReplyDeleteAuthor- Kenneth Oppel
First line- This is how we got Zan.
Yes the first line of the book does hook me. From the front cover of the book, I can tell that the Half Brother is a monkey. So the first line of the book hooks me because I want to know how and why they are even getting a monkey to begin with. yes I would change the first line of the story so that other readers could have a better understanding of what the story may be about.
Title-The Heart Is Not a Size
ReplyDeleteAuthor- Beth Kephart
It was a sign thumbtacked high on the cork board of the local Acme.
The first sentence of this book does not sound like it is interesting as i thought it would be. It starts out a little boring but i as I get to the other chapters at starts to get me a little excited.I would love for it to get even more exciting when i get to a later chapter.
Book- Not That Kind Of Girl
ReplyDeleteAuthor- Siobhan Vivian
First Line- It was the start of our senior year, and my best friend Autumn was feeling nostalgic.
The first line of the book did hook me into the book because it made me want to know why Autumn was feeling so nostalgic. The only thing I would probably change about the first line of the book is by starting it off with introducing the main character. By telling the readers a back story of what is going to happen to her to 'not make her that kind of girl.' For example, "My name is Natalie Sterling and my life isn't a normal high school life a teenager would like to lead." Something along those lines, other than that the first line of the book was very well written.
-Leandra McDonald
Title: The Alchemist
ReplyDeleteAuthor: Paulo Coelho
First line: The boy's name was Santiago.
Obviously this first line did not hook me. It is so plain. There is only one detail. I would make mine match the rest of the chapter. I would write "the boy approached the church just as dusk fell". It is way better than the actual first line. The author obviously wasn't thinking about hooking the reader. I want to change my book now!
"Eve" by Anna Carey
ReplyDelete"By the time the sun set over the fifty-foot perimeter wall, the school lawn was covered with twelfth-year students."
This first line did hook me because it makes me wonder why every senior was standing on the lawn of their school. Especially since it is after the the sun set, so it is practically night time. It makes me wonder if it is a regular highschool. I would not change this first sentence because it is not too vague, yet it doesn't give away too much information.
-Catherina Vargas
"The canyons were hot at night, even with the desert winds whipping through the hills."
ReplyDeleteThe first sentence got me hooked. It makes me wonder where the character is and where the book will take place. It was a simple line but made me wonder and ask many questions to myself. The first sentence made me think other wise of my book but got me back on track as I continued to read. It was a little boring and made me think twice about my book. It only hooked me because I was waiting to see how the author would make the story more interesting and they did as I continued.
-Elivia Perez
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ReplyDelete