The Private School Murders

I recently finished Confessions The Private School Murders. I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it, especially if you like mystery. The book ends with a little bit of a cliff hanger and it makes me think that there will be a third book. If there isn't it will just end and have no real ending. Throughout the book, you really see Tandy change as a character. In the first book she is very, emotionless and doesn’t seem to have feelings. In the second book, you really get to see who Tandy is as a person and character. “My eyes filled with tears. It was a feeling I was getting used to.” As for the girls who were being murdered, don’t worry it get solved. About 75-100 pages from the end something I didn’t expect, happened. Remember Tandy’s older brother? The one in jail for killing his girlfriend? Well you find out what happens to him and how the crime was committed. The way it happened I wasn’t expecting that. It was a very creative way and this part of the book was really well written. Overall I really enjoyed this book and really hope that they make a third book. I really like this website because it gives you a cool, interactive way to see the book, almost as though it’s a real case. http://jamespattersonya.com/series/confessions

Character Symbols

When I think of Tandy I think of a tiger or lion. A strong confident animal. Tandy is confident and sticks to her gut and always believes in herself. In the first book of the series shes confident and nobody can knock her down. She believes shes always right and is a strong willed character, just like a tiger or lion. But in the second book, everything seems to fall apart for her family. Tigers and lions have a weak spot for family, their cubs, and Tandy has a weak spot for her family. When her brother, Matthew, is on trial for murder, she kind of looses it and doesn't handle it well. But when it comes to solving the murders of private school girls, she has no issue with investigating, even when it almost gets her killed. Even though Tandy becomes 'soft' in the second book she can still hold her own and defend her self. When it comes to defending her family, she will do anything. When Tandy thinks of something that could clear Matt's name, she will do anything to make sure it does and the killer is taken down.

Update

Tandy's brother Matthew is in jail because everyone thinks that he murdered his girlfriend. Everyone thinks it was him because just like when his parents were murdered, no evidence of break in. When Tandy is investigating the murders of the girls from Private schools, she makes a break through that could potentially clear Matt's name and get him out of jail. "I have evidence of a murder. Put Caputo on the phone." When Tandy finds what she was looking for, she makes a call to Caputo the police investigator on the case. She tells him to come to Matt's apartment because she has found evidence of how/who killed Tammar Gee, Matt's girlfriend. I think that Matt's name will be cleared as long as the evidence that Tandy found holds.

Krista Ramsey Column

For the third column we had to read by Krista Ramsey, I read See the hit, save the brain game plan at cautious UC. This was about football players and how concussions can affect their brain. This column also focuses on UC's concussions prevention program and how they are helping drop rates of concussions in football players. 

"As they smack flashing buttons, the Bearcats are improving eye-hand coordination, timing, anticipation, depth perception and peripheral vision. It's fun. It's also potentially brain-saving." I think that this line is best written because it gives you a snapshot of what they are doing to prevent concussions. You can get an good idea of what is happening in the program. This line impacts the reader because at the end it says its "potentially brain-saving" and the brain is worth saving. It makes me think that they are saving someones life, which they could be. This line contains elevated diction because you don't hear these words in an everyday conversation. There are various sentences lengths in this quote. There are long sentences, but there are also 2 words in some. 

Ramesy's writing style is very attentions captivating. She uses words to keep you on your toes and keeps you reading (elevated diction). I finder very interesting to read and I thought it was hard to pick a column to use for this! "But before parents claw back the iPhones, experts say the problem may not lie in the technology itself, but the amount of time spent on it, the environment in which its used and the activities its replacing." (For better vision, kids need time outdoors), "Throw-back as it seems, some of us find it oddly reassuring when other people put some thought into what they wear to a special event," (Super Bowl QBs score points of great style), "Sparing them blindsides means saving their brains. It could also mean saving their sport." (See the hit, save the brain game plan at cautious UC). All of these quotes show Ramseys unique writing style. They all have words that you wouldn't normally use. Like in the first quote she uses the word "claws" instead of "take away" or other similar words. It made it more interesting to read instead of a boring word there. 

The questions I would ask Ramsey if I had the chance are.. Do you get to write about anything you want or are you told to focus on one thing each week. I.e. sports, technology etc. How do you always make your writing interesting to keep the readers attention? Did you always want to work in this field or were you interested in something else during high school?

See the hit, save the brain game plan at cautious UC

Charcter Change

Tandy Angel is the main charcter. Im the first book shes smart, witty, and likes to think shes always right.. kind of like me. When I first started to read these, I saw a lot of my self in Tandy actually, but as the book continues, shes starts to change. After she discovers her parents have her take pills to make her perfect, she starts to change who she is and realizes that the Tandy she used to be, wasnt the real Tandy. She starts to actually shwo some emotion  which comes as a surprise to the rest of her family. when her brother is on trial for the murder of his girlfriend, Tandy takes it hard. She wants to believe that he didnt do it, but all the evidence points to him and she starts to break down. Shes also trying to figure out who is murdering girls from private schools. I think that Tandy will benfit from it and will become a stronger character and person. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naMsKjTjXKg This video gives a good summary to the book so check it out!