Alexander+Kokojohn

January 5, 2011. Final Blog: Yesterday and the day before I had lots of time to read, what with being in Iowa City and all. I finished __The Halfling's Gem__ and boy oh boy was the ending exciting. The friends are in Calimport, the biggest city they ever have seen. While there they infiltrate Pasha Pook's thieves guild and run to wererats a-plenty. Regis is saved momentarily by Gwenwyvhar, a panther from the astral plane and Drizzt's dearest friend. Regis is the friends goal his safety is their motivation. Right now I have similar motivation but I have no control over the outcome, except to pray and pray with all my heart I shall. For that is the only way. My situation is the same for it is a matter of life and death and it is not fictional. Most people my age have seen a brother die in front of their eyes. I did, along with my sister and mother. Even though he was dead for 30 seconds it felt like a lifetime for me. So I pray and implore that everyone does the same because we need all the help we can get. -Alex Kokjohn.

December 6, 2010. Blog 3: I finished up __Streams of Silver__ and started the next book. Number six __The Halfling's Gem__ by R.A. Salvatore. This book begins with the chase for the halflling, Regis. He is being held by Artemis Entreri, an evil assassin hired by Pasha Pook to retrieve the ruby pendant Regis stole from him. The pendant can persuade all who merely glance at the stone. Drizzt and Wulfgar set out on the search right away, while Catti-Brie tries to take back Mithral Hall with every dwarf in the land. I'm already feeling the tension building, it's so exciting!! I predict Regis will find a way to slow down Entreri. Also I have a feeling Bruenor is not as dead as all the characters think.-Alex Kokjohn.



November 18, 2010. Blog 2: I finally got __Streams of Silver__ by R. A. Salvatore!!! The book has been avoiding me since last year, and I finally caught it! This book is fifth in the series. The series captured my attention while I was browsing for an English reading log book. It caught my eye because of the main character Drizzt on the cover. I've always been intrigued by fantasy-fiction stories that involved the elves and dwarves and the like. When I sat down to read this particular book it recapped from Bruenor Battlehammer's tricking Drizzt into traveling with him to find Mithral Hall. Bruenor's adopted son and young king of the barbarians Wulfgar travel with them. Finally Regis comes along to get away from an assasin, Artemis Entreri. Cattie-brie Bruenor's adopted daughter is held as a hostage by Entreri. These are all the main characters. Three are human, one is a dwarf, one a halfling, and finally a drow elf. All of them however have their own motives. Like all people, in our world and theirs, we each have a reason for doing the things we do. The halfling has decided to run from his killer, while Cattie-brie tries to gain the courage to face her captor. Most times a person's reason for doing something is to be left to them, but I myself prefer to exchange this information with others. -Alex KOKJOHN.

November 4, 2010. Blog 1: I just started reading __YOU__ by Charles Benoit. I don't think I'm going to continue reading the book. I found in the library when i had excel. I was looking at the new books and picked it up and read the inside cover. What I didn't know was it was written in second person. The book also starts with a flashback and this flashback lasts for the entire first part of the book. The book is very repetitive and doesn't build suspense at all. I would not suggest this book to people who like fast action and adventure. the book is about a sophomore delinquent who can achieve more. He ends up in a dropout school basically. The big event of the beginning is the main character Kyle Chase finds a wallet on the stairs and is accused of stealing it. I'm sure everyone can relate to this. I have been accused of something as innocent intentions which turned to an accused crime. The actual person who did gets away while the innocent person gets the punishment. I would only suggest this book to those of you who are into slow but building suspense. For me a book has to have constant action which gives me a burst of adrenaline every time.

I'm reading the tenth book in the Rosario+Vampire series. As before the characters are as funny as ever. In this final book of Season 1 Tsukune's cousin comes to Yokai with envelope. Inside is a magic mirror which shows the true nature of the one who looks into the magical glass. This sprite causes the Academy to close and the students to return home. Tsukune returns home and Moka visits him unexpectedly along with Kurumu, Mizore, and Yukari. With their visit came destruction. Like a recent visit from my friend to my house it left a little devastation behind. It left me feeling uneasy and upset. The day after though I found comfort by talking with a friend. Just like Tsukune, I felt relieved after talking to someone who would listen. Also just today I made someone feel better by having him talk to me. It seems when someone is in need all they really need is a friend to talk to. 2nd Blog

Hey! It's Alex Kokjohn! I finished the first four books in the __Rosario+Vampire__ series by Akihisha Ikeda. I first saw this book in a "Shonen Jump" magazine. At first I thought the series looked kinda stupid. Then my sister Dana brought home the first few books from the Ericson Public Library. Because it was a graphic novel I gave it a try and just like that I was hooked. Anyway the series starts with the main character Tsukune Aono on a bus traveling to Yokai Academy. When he arrives he collides with a bike sending him and the rider flying. When the dust clears Tsukune comes face to face with the other main character, Moka Akashiya. In class Tsukune learns he has enrolled in a school for monsters. He faces the choice of whether to leave or stay in the academy. He originally plans to leave, but Moka winds up in a heap of trouble with another monster. Tsukune comes to her rescue, even though she is a vampire. He is brutally beaten by the monster. Finally he removes Moka's rosary, or rosario in japanese, and she becomes her true vampiric, inner, self and defeats the monster. In the last parts he meets Kurumu Kurono a succubus, Ginei Morioka a werewolf, and Yukari Sendo a genius 12 year-old freshman witch. In this series I love the characters and their personalities. The series so far is hilarious, suspenseful, and exciting all at the same time. With an academy of monsters and one human with a vampire, succubus, and a witch follwing him around, what could go wrong? 1st Blog