11/11/2011

Eleven Eleven Eleven. And it's just been Eleven past Eleven .. I hope everyone made a wish.
I alos wanted to write about Rememberance Day, a minutes silence is a minute out of our lives, to reflect upon the lives lost in World War 1.
I always do rememberance day as I did have a relative go through the War, both wars actually. He was lucky enough to survive, both wars.
There's a book that has parts of his story, HMAS Perth

So my next book review, and blog post. Is dedicated to my great grandfather - David Lloyd Burgess. And everything he put in to have peace upon this world. Everything he went through, everything that became his story.

Surprising ... (Courtney's Best Read 7/11/2011)

Has anyone noticed that it's been a while since I've actually done a post about a book? My passion. Well I could blame my teacher, giving us so many tasks that I can barely keep up but I am about to review a book, because it's been too long.
OK so best read;
Memoirs Of A Geisha - Arthur Golden
I'm going to be honest, I actually haven't finished the book yet, that's my plan for tonight. But I'm in English now so .. I know what's happening in the story and can definitely review it.
OK so this book is all in first person and is the story of a girl, who loses her parents in two separate ways, both as devastating as another. This is basically the story of her life, how she came to become one of the most recognisable Geisha's in Japan, situated in Kyoto.
Sayuri (さゆり), born Chiyo (ちよ) went through a ridiculously large amount of hardships, but I hate to ruin the storyline but it's obvious. Triumphs.
I personally, find this story inspirational, to me it says ..
No matter how hard things get, you can still win, as long as you don't give up there's always a chance that you'll come out on top. Nothing is impossible, if you keep trying you'll get somewhere. Wherever that is, it's an achievement. Simply;
Just don't give up. Ever.

Year 9 Camp :)

So, I've returned from Year 9 Camp 2011. We spent 3 Days down in Morriset, starting on Wednesday 2nd November and ending on Friday 4th November. Up at camp we did various activities, most of which were a fair few metres off the ground, like around 10-15 metres. So yeah, pretty high.
So after a fairly short bus rides of about 1 hour and 45 minutes we arrived at Morriset. It was about 10 in the morning by now and we had a meeting, were introduced to our instructors and put into our activity groups. We settled into cabins and then went off to our first activity.
The Leap of Faith.
Can I start with one descriptive word, high, really really really, high. Attached to a couple of ropes and a harness, you climb up a 12 metre pole and simply jump off the top. Yes, I know, it sounds easy, but you'd tell me when you were up there, that is NOT easy. But it is fun.
Then we did the high ropes and that was fun, but I don't wanna say the specifics of every activity because - that's boring.
That night we had one of the highlights of camp. Commando. This is a game where students need to get away from teachers to reach hostages, the hard part. Not getting caught by a teacher. I swear, when they say they're marking your test they are actually coming up with a game plan for commando. They probably live for these kinds of things. But hey, the students still won :)
Then we did actually go to sleep, well my cabin did at least ... Next morning we really geared up for a long day. Just as my groups luck would have it. We had all the water activities in one day, the one day on camp that it rained. As I said, just our luck.
On the second day our group faced the mud world challenge. Which really is what it sounds like. There is the course or "world" of mud, and you spend plenty of time in the mud. The challenge part? Yeah that would be getting the mud out of your hair ...
That night we had another highlight - cross dress disco. Now I could say, there's limits - don't get too into it. But our year, the boys in our year. Know no limits. At all.
I'd explain, but you'd be just as scarred as I now am .... Seriously.
Okay so once again. my cabin went to sleep that night. Another morning, and more activities. Last day of camp. And so we head off to the Giant Swing. Once again this is a swing, but it is giant. 15 metres high to be exact. Yeah it's high, but wow is it fun !! Then we did the Super Drop, which wasn't as Super as it sounds.
Then we basically left, amazing camp, amazing memories, heaps of laughs, heaps of fun.
Even if none of them read this, I would still like to dedicate this post to our instructors, accompanying teachers, chefs at the camp and to all my friends which really made camp the awesome experience it was.

Blogs, Blogs, Blogs

So here I am, another English lesson. I'm reading heaps of other blogs from everything about, food, keeping up the kardashians, anything and everything, music and even justin bieber. But I'm not really reading the justin bieber ones, just not a fan ...
But being a reader of practically everything. These blogs are awesome !! If anyone is interested in these kind of subjects, I'd be happy to link you.

Halloween :)

Ok so Halloween, never done Halloween. As in, I've never been trick or treating, ever. I guess I have my brother to blame for that, his birthday is 31st of October. Which is strange. I was born Friday the 13th, my brother on Halloween, just a tad freaky.
Anyways, I'm meant to be telling you whether or not I like Halloween. I'd have to say yes, because I've never done Halloween before. I'm an optimist so therefore sure, go Halloween.
As far as Halloween goes, dressing up, free candy. What's not to love? Everyone likes food, and if you ahve to dress up to get it, I'm sure they would live.
I can't honestly speak a lot about Halloween, in consideration I have ZERO personal experience on it. But if you're going trick or treating this year, have a great time, get heaps of food !!

The Last Mile Home

One of my favourite authors, Di Morrissey.
It's actually quite strange, I don't like romantic comedies or even full on chick flicks. They're boring and honestly they put me to sleep and they are FAR to predictable. But when it comes to books. I love romance books. I guess I find them easier to get lost in just because they are so emotional.
So I come to you with a corny, but amazing book by Di Morrissey. The Last Mile Home.

This book shows the power of love over the power of difference. This book tells the story of Barney Holten and Abby McBride. Two completely different people, from two different backgrounds and even two different religions and places in authority. And of course, from different families.
It's a story of the power of enduring love and how, difference is what everyone, in a strange way. Is what we all have in common.

Connections are made between these two, making their love practically impossible. But of course, evermore powerful.

Personally I love this book and even though its very corny, it is very good. And who doesn't love a corny happy-go-lucky love story once in a while.
It's an amazing book, I loved it and that's why I decided to review it for my blog.

As with every book I read, there's always something, like a moral, or a quote that stays with me.

"The last mile home is always the longest ... But isn't it good to get there."

Di Morrissey - The Last Mile Home

21st October - Courtney's Best Read !!

Hey guys, I'm here in english class at the moment next to a mate of mine, Ashleigh. Her blog is "Keeping up with Ashleigh" I've read a post and it's awesome. Considering that I like to read, I recommend you read it.
Anyways onto a book. Today I'm going to say that my recommended read is

Di Morrissey - The Last Rose Of Summer

Once again, I couldn't find a read online so this is to buy it. :)
Here's the blurb on the back;

"A compelling story of two remarkable women connected across the decades by the men who love them ... and the magic of a place called Zanana.
KATE, a strong-willed heiress determined to defy Edwardian convention, but she must pay the ultimate price to keep the home she loves so much ...
ODETTE, an independent and idealistic young journalist caught in a fierce Battle to save Zanana from ruthless developers ...
Years apart yet inextricably linked by Zanana, the magnificent mansion they both love, these two striking women prove they are not afraid to fight for what they believe in."

Once again the story of this book. This was one of my summer books as I reached closer to the end of year 7. I really enjoyed and I think you all will as well :)

17th October 2011 - Courtney's Best Read!!

Kiss Heaven Goodbye by Tasmina Perry

I couldn't find it online to actually read it so this is a site to buy it.
I came across this book durning the winter holidays, I went away with my family up to Hamilton Island for a week. I only brought one book. Which was weird it wasn't like me. But being on the horizon of seven days straight of reading beside a pool for 5 hours straight, I began to freak out in the airport and ran into the nearest bookstore.
Which was actually quite funny. My family went to go get food and I just walked through various bookstores looking for the perfect read. Eventually, I found it.
Here's just the blurb on the back, because I know that I can't even open a book without being interested by the back blurb.
"It was supposed to be the perfect summer ...
On the luxurious private island of Angel Cay, four privileged students toast the end of their exams. Miles, Grace, Alex and Sasha have the world at their feet. But one dark night will change their perfect lives for ever.
As the friends move into glamorous careers - fashion, music, politics - each tries to put the past behind them. But no matter how high their stars rise, they cannot escape the dreadful truth.
And, for one of the four, there is a terrible price to be paid ..."

I really recommend it. It really is one of the best books I have ever read.

If It's Not Too Much To Ask

So, I don't only do book reviews, when I find a good poem, I actually think straight away that I should do a blog post on it. So this poem that I've decided to analyse is If It's Not Too Much To Ask by Courtney Burgess. And no, it's not by me, just someone with the same name. I only found this poem because I was in English class the other day and our teacher told us to Google ourselves and this poem just popped up. I just copied and pasted it to a word document so I could remember to read it later, and eventually I did. And it came to mind to analyse it and pick out what I thought was great and post it on my blog. So that's the story of how I ended up finding a poem as great as this one.

In the poem If It's Not Too Much To Ask by Courtney Burgess there is great uses of Imagery and Repetition.

Repetition is used with the words "Of course I" it's written as if whoever she's talking to knows exactly how see feels and what she wants but is refusing to let her have it.

I very much commend Courtney on her use of Imagery in this poem. It's actually amazing how she portrays the picture in your mind, sparking emotions and thoughts in the reader. Letting the poem stay with the reader long after it has been read.

"Force tears down the cheeks. Of even the most stubborn of nonbelievers" Is a great example of imagery in this poem showing her determination to get her message and feelings across. In my mind when I read this line, I think about myself. How sometimes I get really determined to make people understand how I feel, no matter they believe my situation or not.

Another fantastic example of imagery in this poem is "Splash paint across the walls of every mind in the room."

This does make me think and picture colours, but it also makes me think of her want to make everyone remember her, and even her poem. It's very well written and the way she's used her words makes this one of the memorable and magical lines in the whole poem.

Not only does this poem use imagery and repetition it also, in a quirky way, uses rhetorical questions. But it only uses one and it carries itself throughout the whole poem. It isn't defined by a question mark, it's just the way the poem is written, it has an undertone of being a question that will never be answered. And if it ever was, she would never know the answer. She's asking this person to remember her, and when they think about her, they would feel something. She'll never know if the person does this or not.

That's one of the best points about the poem, away from poem techniques and stuff like that. It's relatable. When you read it, you remember something, or someone, you've always wanted to remember you. Take those memories with them wherever they go, and think about it, and feel something.

I personally think that a lot of people have felt that way about something or someone, that's what's best about this poem. It makes the reader feel, remember, want, wish, hope for something. It sparks emotions in the reader and that's why this poem, to me at least, is memorable.

Passion-Driven Blogging

So, my english teacher. Miss Hewes, tells my class on the first day of term, that we already have an assignment. As you can imagine, I was jumping for joy, and this is our assignment. So that Monday night she says to go home and decide what to blog about.
That was when I freaked out, I had no idea what to blog about. I went through probably a million ideas and couldn't find anything. Well, it was really starting to bother me so I decided that I should just go read a book and forget about it. Leave it to another time.
So there I was sitting in my room reading a book I've just begun. And of course, it hits me, a blog about books, about reading. I thought it was great until I realised, that this assignment didn't go for too long. And with at least 2 blog posts a week. I couldn't read that fast, so I switched up the idea to just reading anything.
Basically I just decided I could do poems and extracts as well.
So that's how I got here, a week later writing in this little box to you guys that I'm blogging about books. I'd call it a funny story but it's not really that exciting and this is just my first blog post, so it's allowed to be awful.
I promise they'll get better though, I'm still trying to get the hang of this. Afterall it did take me about ten minutes to figure out how to actually create a new post. So I am really new to this.
Anyways, I'm Courtney. I love to read. And this is my blog about reading, so I'll be blogging about what makes a great poem or book and I'm also including the top read of each week. Which will be a book or poem that I recommend to my readers.
I'd love to hear your opinions on each of my blog posts and I hope you enjoy reading my blog, and of course, hopefully some things I recommend.