To Valerie

Dear Valerie,
Sometimes I wonder if everyone is blaming you for everything. Not Nick, but you. Part of me thinks that this kid Jeremy had something to do with the shooting. You had no way to see this coming. To you it was all a joke, a way to let off some steam at the end of the day. Right? How did it feel for you when you stopped sticking up for Nick and started sticking up for yourself?  You should stop blaming yourself for what happened. Your friends shouldn’t hate you for what happened. You weren’t the one with the gun. I understand where your mother is coming from, being all protective and all, but sometimes she can over exaggerate. I can definitely relate to that because my mother is the exact same way sometimes! I think you are doing a good job at holding yourself together. Maybe you should try making friends again, not everyone hates you. No one should hate you! I am very sorry you had to go through such a terrible thing. I can’t even imagine how I would feel if something like that happened to me. I don’t even know how I would act or what to think. I bet it was a very difficult time in your life. I was extremely happy when they said you were no longer a suspect. I hope things brighten up for you! I’m sure they will J


Sincerely

Emilly

The title



It is a little hard to explain the significance of the title Hate List, because the title itself pretty much explains it all. In the story Valerie starts a hate list on her own about all the things she hates. Things like her mother and father always fighting, how people are always picking on her. The notebook was basically just a way for her to vent. When her boyfriend Nick asks about it, he decides to make it THEIR hate list. A hate list of all the people they hate at school. That is when almost every person from school gets their name put into this notebook. Valerie does not see it coming, but Nick is serious about this hate list. He becomes distant and strange, especially at school. The hate list itself is a key part in the story because it has a lot to do with who Nick shoots, Nicks and Valerie’s so called “plan”, and a lot to do with the investigation that is underway. So obviously by looking at the tile of the novel you would most likely automatically assume that the story has something to do with, (drum roll) a hate list. But what I have read so far is very interesting and action filled and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the novel.

The Hate List by Jennifer Brown

This story is about a girl named Valerie and her boyfriend Nick who make a list of people and things that they hate. Nick used the list to pick his targets for the shooting, killing several, shooting his girlfriend, and then killing himself. After this whole incident and a summer of seclusion Valerie goes back to school to move on with her life. In the beginning of the novel I came to the conclusion that to Valerie the hate list was just a game, but nick always seemed serious about what he wrote in the notebook. Valerie had no whereabouts of the events that were about to take place that morning her boyfriend shot up the school cafeteria. By my readings, Nick acting out in this way could be him just saying he is sick of being picked on, sick of the snobby people who brag all the time and basically sick of school all together. Judging by what I have read so far, I believe that at the end of the novel Valerie will end up telling everyone the truth and explain her part of the story and maybe about how her boyfriend was acting strange and distant the morning of the shootings. If anyone had future knowledge of the event, it probably could’ve been stopped. I am highly looking forward to reading the rest of the novel and getting to the conclusion that the author has set out for us.

in school vs out of school reading

Everyone prefers to read in a quiet area where they can focus on their book or the newspaper. Instantly I could tell from the first couple of pages, or from the description on the back of the book if I would be interested in the rest of the book. In most cases I have sought for my bedroom to read a book. Other times I just deal with my surroundings and work with the environment. If I am very interested in a book I am reading I will just simply tune everyone out until I decide I want to stop at a certain paragraph or chapter. It really bugs others when they realize that i am way to into a book to even comprehend what they are saying.  Most likely Outside of school, though both are easy for me to accomplish; I would rather read in a comfortable, quiet place rather than of a place with people or noise. There would be times where I had multiple books at once and read two in one night, just curled up in my bed and read all these books.On the other hand reading in school is also the same in  the fact that there are places and times in school where someone can seek refuge and quietly read a book; sneak off to the library, after a test, during study periods. But also there are times where there is nothing BUT noise surrounding me. Always people talking or working on assignments together, and I'm sure you don't want to read while the teacher is talking. In most cases I am highly sure that the majority of people would argue that reading is best if your doing it at home where you can be in a familiar, comfortable area without worrying about the same distractions you get at school or in the work area. That would most likely be my choice too. The only problem with that is sometimes when the surroundings are too comfortable or if I read too long there is a high chance that I would fall asleep. Out of school reading is definitely the best choice.