Through the 30-40 books I’ve read this year, one character that I hold dearly to my heart is C.J from Fort by Gordon Korman. Have you ever wondered what it’s like to have a place all to yourself? A place that NO ONE knows about? A place where you can hide from your parents, and even the police. Well in the story Fort by Gordon Korman one of the main characters C.J is part of a group with a bunch of other kids. All of these kids have been together since they were young. When all of a sudden a new kid shows up. His name is Ricky, he is really smart and funny, but the group treats him as an outsider. This all changes after an extreme hurricane hits their town and Ricky stumbles upon an old Cold War bunker, which is still running. The bunker has food, water, beds, everything you could ask for. The group uses this place as a hangout spot. What the boys don’t know about is that C.J’s mother is heavily abused by his stepfather and C.J doesn’t know how ot help her. C.J resonated with me as a character because we have  many similarities. One of the reasons is because C.J and I are both leaders and like to drive others towards there goals. In addition, we both struggle with asking for help because we are independent people and don’t like asking for help. For example, in Fort C.J couldn’t bring himself to ask for help from his peers to hide his mother in the fort because of how embarrassing it was and how it would reflect on him. I feel connected this to because whenever I think of asking for help I think it makes me feel useless, and also it embarrasses me. In conclusion, this is why I picked C.J as the character I resonate with because of how we both struggle to ask for help even in dire situations. Reading this book helped me to learn its okay to ask for help and feedback because it makes me a better person. Fort by Gordon Korman is a must read because readers might connect to C.J, but you also might connect to the other characters who face different struggles. 

 

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to have a place all to yourself. No adults, no rules, and no annoying siblings. In the book Fort by Gordon Korman, all of the main characters are having to suffer with losing their old hideout due to a recent hurricane that came through the town. Unexpectedly, this new kid named Ricky shows up coming from a magnet school and has to tag along with all of the others. C.J, Jason, Mitchell, and Evan see Ricky as an outsider, as an intruder. Later on, when they go looking for their fort in the forest made from sticks, shower curtains and many other things. Without notice, when the rest of the boys go looking, Ricky stays behind and finds something very unexpected. All of the boys come rushing over when they hear that Ricky has found a latch to the opening of an old bunker from the Cold War. All of the kids have the choice to either keep this new hideout with electricity, running water, and most of all food, but each of the kids are having to deal with their own personal problems, while simultaneously keeping the fort a secret. C.J is having to deal with his outrageous father who has anger issues and is the reason for why he has all these cuts and bruises on him. It even causes C.J to do his own DEATH DEFIERS, from jumping out of a car to making himself a human stunt dummy, just to cover up for his fathers wrongful anger. On the other hand, Mitchel has to deal with OCD, and can’t deal with the number thirteen. The number thirteen means a lot to him because it symbolizes bad luck, which is why he has his OCD. While also having to manage his OCD he has to deal with his mother who went into rehab. In addition, his older brother Luke has a friend whose name is Jaeger who has corrupted him from being the old loving and caring brother to Mitchell when they had nothing to hold onto. Lastly, Ricky has been isolated from the others even though he is the one who found the fort in the first place. Ricky currently notices something very unusual when they are buying new paint for his room. Soon later, the cops are on their trail and looking for this mysterious bomb shelter. Marcus, C.J’s father has found out where C.J and his mother have moved to escape him. Soon after both the police and Marcus have shown up and unexpectedly Luke and Jager. Will the boys be able to save their fort or will their only hideout be taken away. Matters are more desperate than they realize they could even be arrested? To find out, read Fort by Gordon Korman.

In the book Fort by Gordon Korman, the quote I chose takes place when Ricky Molina is at the maintenance store going to buy paint for his room. During this scene Ricky notices C.J’s dad, who to them and his friends seems like a really nice guy. Buying everything for C.J, brand new and untouched, but in the moment C.J’s “step”- dad Marcus is snapping immensely at his local employee for getting the wrong paint and looks like he is going to murder someone. At the moment, Ricky states, “We were oblivious, but now we know. That has to count for something.” (pg.167) The reason why I picked this quote is because this has happened to me before. I know what it feels like because one time when I was super mad at my friend Jackson for not responding I came over to his house and banged on his front door. Although, when he opened the door I was about to start screaming at him. His face was streaked with tears and I never realized he must be going through tough times. This helped me learn to not judge what I see at first glance and understand that everybody has their own personal problems. This is why you should read Fort by Gordon Korman. 

 

Do you like spooky, scary, suspenseful, novels? Then Empty Smiles  by Kathrine Arden is for YOU. This is the 4th and final book of the series. Olivia Adler is 14 years old, running for her life from the Smiling Man and trying to regain what she had just lost. Her friends Coco Zinter and Brian Battersby are trying to save her and bring all of them back to their “normal” reality. On the other hand Olivia is trying to save her dad from what happened previously in a life and death case scenario, and a deal she made with the smiling man. Olivia is trapped in what the Smiling Man calls, the traveling train. When the train stops and the carnival comes out, at night they hunt. If you get lost they come for you, take you, and you’re never seen again. But when the sun comes up they turn into warm welcoming carnies. Her friends Brian and Coco have many close to close encounters especially when Phillip Greenblatt is taken away trying to save them, but is turned into a doll. The dolls are prizes at the carnival and if you are lucky enough and you get picked you get to live again, but at night the hunt continues. The smiling man has left clues for Brian and Coco such as the three keys, light, mirror, and a music box. But when you find the firstt key the smiling man leaves a message, Play if you Dare.. On the other hand Olivia has to deal with the truth, but also lies of the Smiling man, but if she doesn’t watch her step she might end up like Ruth Jenkins, who drew the short straw and was never seen again. Will Brian and Coco be able to save Olivia, or will the Smiling Man trap her soul forever. To find out, read Empty Smiles by Katherine Arden. 

If you like Empty Smiles by Katherine Arden you should also read Deceivers by Margaret Peterson Haddix. In both books the main characters are trying to save their loved ones from supernatural beings, but also are trying to keep themselves safe and protected. In the book Deceivers the Greystone mom disappears and the Greystone kids, Emma, Finn, and Chess are left wondering about where their mom went. On the other side everything around her is changed, a reflection, but in a wrong, evil way. Their mother tried to save them all, but was cast upon with an ally and lost on the other side. Chess, Emma, and Finn are determined to save everyone, but they have to venture out into the unknown of the other side. Where simply telling the truth can be found illegal. (Each Greystone has their own unique trait) When trekking out Chess doesn’t believe he can continue, he doubts himself and most of all his bravery. Emma the codebreaking whiz is left confused, stuck, wondering, trying to find a way out. Lastly Finn has