read, review, rest...read some more!

Yes, have finally found some time for a new post! As promised, this one is about book reviews. I've been eagerly waiting to read your book reviews, and I hope to return them by next week. If there's one important thing to take away from the book review lessons, it is this: a book review is a review, not a plot summary or synopsis. It is crucial to understand this because with any assignment, the first step is to understand the question and identify what exactly it wants. Being able to do this is a very important skill, especially as you progress and attempt more directed writing assignments.

I wonder if you guys realized that many of you are reading or are interested in the same kinds of books. There seem to be many Twilight and Artemis Fowl fans in 2DL and 2MD, as well as fans of fantasy stories. There were of course a few exceptions, such as the Jodi Picoult or Terry Goodkind reader. As a bookworm myself, it's great seeing what books others love to read. As a child, I loved reading books about animals, especially on dinosaurs and big cats. As I got older, a fascination with horror started, and I remember being mesmerised by Edgar Allan Poe's short stories and Christopher Pike's high school horror tales.

My mum was a teacher and she'd bring home books that publishers provided for review and I would devour them at first sight. On weekends my sis would have classes at Yamaha (Marine Parade) and I would take the opportunity to browse the cramped but cosy second hand bookshop at the wet market (it's still there!). The 'Choose Your Own Adventure' and 'Lone Wolf' series and Archie comics were favourites. One of the books that really changed my idea of what books could be was 'Lord of the Flies' by William Golding. It's a story about a group of schoolboys who are shipwrecked on an island and have to survive on their own without any adults. Their descent from civilised young boys to savages fighting for survival and jostling for power was riveting.

I hope you continue to explore the wonderful world of books and open windows to new perspectives and ideas. Visit fantastic settings and be thrilled by engaging storylines...fall in love with compelling characters and despise ruthless villains...marvel at the strength of the human spirit, and cringe at its weakness and fragility too.

Enough talking, go read! :)