Review of Ellen Hopkins's Traffick.

I want to start out by saying I have loved every book by Ellen Hopkins I have ever read, this book is no different. A great companion to Tricks. The characters are developed well and distinctly different enough that you don't confuse them as you bounce between character story to character story.  I appreciate the way characters who make bad choices don't come out with as happy of endings as those who make good choices do.   

Throughout my time reading this book my husband asked me what it was I liked about Ellen Hopkins. I'm going to share that reason with all of you.  People can tell kids or even adults not to do something and give them ample reasons why but it's actually experiencing the shortcomings and problems that go along with the choices that people are grappling with making that actually convince them not to do it. In many of Ellen Hopkins's books readers are put into a world where they follow characters who are making choices that we would want our youth or adults not to make. By getting to put oneself in a book with the character that's making those choices readers can play out their possible choices without actually doing any of the things that they're debating about. It let's readers interest world they've never been in but are questioning and walk away saying you know maybe math sounds interesting but I don't think I want to go down that path. They also offer an opportunity for literature therapy. It's really hard to get used to talk about sexual abuse often but through literature therapy readers could read Identical.  for example and talk about the characters and come to their own revelations with I don't actually talking about themselves which can make you or anyone uncomfortable. 

Weekly update Dec 20

My computer died so that means my writing for the time being is going to have to be old-fashioned. I have a phone and a tablet but there's difficulties that come along with typing on either of those that make long jaints of writing troublesome. For the time being I will have to focus on reading like a writer and hand writing any inspirations that come my way. I am still working on drafting my review of Ellen Hopkins's new book Traffick.  

Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone I will see you next weekend. 

Weekly update December 13

I know that it's been a while since I've posted and for that I apologize. My life has been pretty crazy The last few weeks. I did however finish NaNoWriMo.  Photograph below is my calendar.  The craziness that has ensued will only give me more writing material an inspiration in the future. While I have a student teaching placement I need to put a significant amount of focus pretty much all of it into that, I would like to try and continue to write at least 300 words a day.  I found that while sometimes the word count itself got a little stressful because I was worried about when I would fit the writing in once I got going writing was relaxing.  I'm hoping that if I shorten the word count to something that I could do in one small burst I will write more than 300 words a day but be not stress myself out over hitting any particular word count.  I am also happy to report that it will not be long before I have my first book review for my blog I am about two thirds of the way done with the first book I will review here. 

  If I don't see you again before the holidays I wish you a happy holidays now.