Explain what you plan to read next and why

I think that the next book I'm going to read is Looking for Alaska by John Green. I chose to read this because during the first tri this was my independent reading book but I never ended up wanting to finish it. A lot of people I know have told me that it was a really good book and that they recommend it. I read The Fault in Our Stars which he wrote too and it was one of my favorite books ever. I liked the way he writes because it's not something I've read before. He used a lot of elevated diction in that book and in the parts I read in Looking for Alaska. I hope that this book is actually as good as people say that it is. 

Book review for Matched

In the society that Cassia lives in they have control over how the people live. When Cassia goes to her Matching Banquet, Xander (her best friend) ends up being her Match. Another face comes up on the screen belonging to Ky though, which makes Cassia question who her true Match is. Her and Ky get to know each other but they have to take many risks to be with each other. Will Cassia pick Xander or Ky? To find out who she picks you'll have to read the book. Not everyone would enjoy the book I don't think. If you like science fiction books with romance involved then this book would probably be good for you. I would give this book a 4/5 rating because the way the author writes is descriptive and has a lot of thought in it but I couldn't say that it made me think about it once I was finished reading it.   

Conversation with a character from my book

If I could have a conversation with any character from my book I think I would want to talk to Cassia. I would want to know what she was thinking when Ky came up on the screen because if it were me, I would have probably been sad and really confused. Next I would ask her what she thinks her life would be like if her and Xander were matched without any problems in their way. After that I would ask her about her plans on going to find Ky. Something else I would ask would be what she likes about each of the boys (Xander and Ky). One thing I really want to ask is what she picked; either to stay safe or to know. The book leaves off with the readers not knowing so unless you read the second book, you don't find out either. 

Similar characters from other books or people in real life

During the book I thought that Cassia was similar to another character that is really popular, Katniss Everdeen. Both characters have several problems thrown at them that they have to face. When I was reading "The Hunger Games" I thought that Katniss was a strong and independent person. She is also really brave. When I started to learn more about Cassia I found out that she has some of those traits too. Also both of them go against the laws of their home place. I think that if Cassia could be similar to anyone I know in real life, it would be my mom because I think both of them are strong and don't let anything stand in their way.

What does the work tell us about how people behave?

In my book, the people who live in the Society have to go by the rules/laws the leaders made. At the beginning Cassia follows the rules and thinks that the Society is making the best choices for everyone. I think that the author is trying to tell the readers that people will follow rules based off of what they've known their whole life like what Cassia is doing. In the front cover of the book it even says "between the only life she's known and a path no one dares to follow... between perfection and passion." Throughout the book she starts to develop deeper feelings though for Ky. This causes her to go against the Society and the life she is so used to. I thought that the author did this because if people are told to do something they usually don't do it and actually do the opposite of whatever they were told to do. This relates to how people behave because most people do that in real life too.

Final Blogging Assesment in English 1B (edited post)

The theme that stands out to me the most is the importance of freedom. In the book Ally Condie does a good job on stating this theme because even though Cassia is supposed to go by the rules of the Society, she still falls in love with Ky when her original Match was Xander. One line in the book made the theme clearer which was, "So in the middle of all the noise, I point to the sky. I hope he understands what I mean... and I will find him." (Condie 320). I felt like this quote made me realize that Cassia is starting to be her own person and not go by the rules of the Society. She is trying to be free by choosing her own love instead of having it chosen for her. Something else that supports the theme is when she tells Xander she loves Ky. Since Xander was her Match at first, it probably took a lot to tell him that she loves Ky but she still chose to be the bigger person and tell him how she really feels. The author does other things in the book to have the theme stand out. I think the theme is something that people in our world should notice because its always good to be your own person and not go by what others tell you to do. A lot of people can relate this theme to other books like The Giver and to their life so I think the author wrote a good and relatable theme. The cover for the book is also related to the theme because it shows her stuck inside of a bubble (stuck under the Society's rule) but on the next book she is breaking out so could that mean she is going against the Society for good?