Nicole

Dark Secrets 1 by Elizabeth Chandler 3 February 2011 Pages 3 – 28 (chapters 1 & 2)

Megan and her mom’s friend Ginny were driving to go see Megan’s Grandmother. On the way there, they were talking about the grandmother’s house and her personality. Grandmother was the nicest person in the world. Nor the happiest. The house wasn’t the best place to stay, either. When Megan was littler, she always played with her toys in this house. She missed all of the memories there. When they were driving, Megan’s cousin cut in front of them. Megan didn’t really like that. She knew her cousin didn’t like her either.

When they finally got there, her grandmother welcomed her, but Ginny said that Megan would be able to stay with her if she’d like. Megan decided to stay with her grandmother. When her cousin arrived, you could tell he did not want to meet her. Megan went to her room, and so did her cousin. Megan did not give a good impression on her grandmother, but neither did Grandmother.

Megan was happy to see her grandmother at first, but then she met her. She was not very happy or joyful. She was old and boring. She did not have much in her house, and Megan got bored about that. Megan missed the old times with her Grandmother and that house. Megan is outgoing. She likes taking adventures throughout the house. Kind of like exploring where is not supposed to. She is brave. But she is also caring about her Grandmother and tries to make friend with her cousin Matt.

What I like about the book so far is that it leaves you suspense when you end each chapter. It’s like you wanted to read more, but you can’t go over. Megan is adventurous and likes taking chances, kind of like me. I sometimes do things that I am not supposed to do. Like, Go into weird rooms that my mom never uses and I’m not supposed to. I think Megan is a lot like me.

Pages 29-54 (chapters 3 and 4) 9 February 2011

Megan returned back from the cemetery, and her Grandmother knew that she went too far. Megan apologized, and was about to eat dinner. They said grace , and then ate. Megan was speaking about her parents. Megan did not want to eat most of Grandmother’s food. She thought it was too hard and cooked. Matt went out to see a movie with his friends. He said he would be home by about one o clock. Then, they went to the library and Megan knew that Grandmother wouldn’t like the book she was reading. She got it from the airport. Megan missed the old house and the memories she had there. She kept on having flashbacks. She missed it. Then, when it was time to go to sleep, she snuck out and looked through all of the halls and everything. Then she heard Matt come home so she ran to a small little hall and found her old doll house that she used to play with. Matt went downstairs and was looking through Grandmother’s drawers. Megan didn’t tell, and went right to sleep.

Megan woke up late and didn’t eat much breakfast. Megan had to do chores, but there was no more to do. Matt had taken all of them for Grandmother to like him more than her. Matt was going for a run, and Megan wanted to go with him. He didn’t let her, so she went by herself. She had nothing to do, and then Grandmother was talking to her. She said that she was nothing like her mother. Then, Megan went for a walk to shop. Then she went in to a store that Ginny was working in. She worked with them, and then Megan saw Matt. He was shopping with a bunch of girls. Matt did not want to introduce her to his friend’s, but he did. The girls said that almost everyone had a crush on Matt in their school. Megan couldn’t believe it.

Matt was mean to Megan. He always wanted the attention from Grandmother. That is why he did those things for her. He always hung out with his friends and he liked doing things he was not supposed to, like look through Grandmother’s drawers. He tried to be cool.

My opinion is that the book is good so far, they just need more interesting parts. It is probably going to be more interesting throughout the book. I like how everyone doesn’t really like each other, so there are many intense fights. It’s kind of funny.

Dark Secrets 1 Pages 55-74 (Chapters 5 and 6) <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2/10/11

<span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Chapter 5- <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Megan was eating at a restaurant while a man came to her. He said his mom was a fortune teller, but Megan did not want to do it at first. Then, the man took her to his mom and she stared at her for a while. Megan put out her hand to shake the man’s mom’s hand, but nothing happened. His mom did not want to do her. The man told Megan to come back another time. When she was getting into bed, she heard a voice. The voice said “My name is Avril” two times. Megan got up and opened the door. No one was there. She looked in the mirror and there it was, a girl. She ran back in bed under the covers and then looked up and she saw the girl lying in Megan’s bed. It looked like Megan and she was dead. She thought it was all a dream, but when she woke up, her door was wide open.

<span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Chapter6- <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Megan knew it was the girl from the grave. Then, Megan got a sweater and made a cup of tea. She was talking to Matt about how the house could be spooky to her. Grandmother’s bible went missing and they thought Megan took it. They looked in her room, but it was not to be found. Megan was talking about how the ghost could have taken it, but that made Grandmother angry. She did not want to hear any nonsense about a ghost. Then, Matt left the house.

<span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Main Character- Grandmother- <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Grandmother was not very happy. She usually did not have a smile on her face. She disliked many people, including Megan. She read the bible every night. She also didn’t do many things, like go out of the house. She had changed a lot since Megan was a kid. She used to be so happy and playful with Megan, but then she got older, and so did Grandmother. Also Matt sometimes got on her nerves, which made her frustrated sometimes.

<span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Opinion- <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I like how there is starting to be a ghost. This makes it scarier. Also you can tell Grandmother and Matt knows about her, they just don’t want to talk about it. This makes you even more worried on what happened to them and the girl Avril.

<span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dark Secrets 1 <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pages 75-98 (chapter 7 and 8) <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2/15/11

<span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Chapter 7- <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Grandmother was not obsessed with finding her bible anymore. Megan used Matt’s computer to email her parents. She saw a picture of Matt and his dog. Matt said that he found him and kept him. Then, his parents divorced so he had to move and leave the dog. Then, Megan found Grandmother’s bible and Grandmother told Matt to read a section. Megan found out he didn’t know how to read that well. Matt was dyslexic.

<span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Chapter 8- <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Megan awoke in a strange room. She either thought that she was sleepwalking or it was the ghost. Then she got up and went into her room. When she woke up, Grandmother’s clock was missing. Then, Megan left the house and found Sophie. She was talking to her about the ghost Avril. Sophie knew that Megan was psychic. Megan didn’t think so. They were talking and Megan said that she did not see the ghost Avril, but she was lying.

<span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Main Character- Megan- <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Megan was curious. She was curious about the ghost. Who was she? What did she want? All of these questions went through her head every day. She was a very curious girl. She wondered strange things. She also denied many things. Like how she had seen the ghost.

<span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Opinion- <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I like how at the end of each chapter, it has something surprising. Like Matt was dyslexic or like Megan was psychic. It makes you want to read more. Also, Matt confuses me. Why does he want to show off to his friends so much? Well, I have to find out. J

<span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dark Secrets 1 <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pages 98-116 (chapter 9 and 10) <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2/24/11 <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Chapter 9- <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Grandmother was sitting, and she looked upset. She wouldn’t talk to anyone. Once Matt came home, she talked to him. Megan was listening, but then they went into the other room. Matt said that Megan should leave. Megan thought of the idea. Then, she decided it was best for her to leave. Then, Matt and Megan were playing a game with hiding. Megan hid in the basement and got her clothes stuck on this vehicle thing. She got her jacket ripped, but nothing happened to her. <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Chapter 10- <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Grandmother wasn’t so cheerful the next day, either. Megan went to Tea Leaves, and talked to some people. They said that Avril was Grandmother’s sister. She always got what she wanted, while Grandmother got nothing. Once Avril died, Grandmother got her things. Even her boyfriend. Megan had been in Avril’s room before. That is where she woke up that one night. Avril died by taking Redcreep. Too much of it. The people that were telling Megan this said not to tell Grandmother. <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Main Character-Megan- <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Megan was curious. She was curious about Avril. She was also curious about Grandmother. How did Grandmother feel with Avril around? Also, why does Avril keep bringing Megan places? Megan also likes to do things she is not suppose to. She leaves the house. Talks to the people at Tea Leaves. Learns about Avril. Grandmother knows nothing about this, and Megan knows she wouldn’t like it. <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Opinion- <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I want to know more about Avril. I know they give more information later on in the book, but that takes too long. I wonder what Avril was like. Did she follow the group or lead it? Was she popular or unique for being herself? Was she pretty or ugly? I really hope they answer my questions throughout the book. This book so far is interesting. You wonder about every character, not just Avril. They are all different, but you don’t know why. Grandmother- wants Megan to leave. Megan- Does things to learn about Avril. Matt- Goes out with his friends every day. Maybe to get away from the house? I don’t know. Avril- The ghost that died that lived in that house.

<span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dark Secrets 1 <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pages 117-144 (Chapters 11 & 12) <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3/1/11 <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Chapter 11- <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Alex invited Megan for a drive to Grandmother’s house. Alex asked Megan out on the way, and she was confused. So was Matt. They decided to go on a date Thursday night at a party. While Matt was driving Megan home and they were talking about Avril. Megan said that Avril moved everything in the house, not her. When they got home, Grandmother was mad. Matt told her that they went to the mill because Megan wanted to. They kept arguing about it. Soon enough it was over and everyone left the room. <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Chapter 12- <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Megan got a letter back from her mom. Megan’s mom knew that she left out Grandmother for one reason or another. Megan went with Sophie and Ginny to a shop and they tried on dresses. Matt and Alex came, too. Sophie and Megan were talking about Avril. Sophie thinks Megan might be Avril, but she’s not sure. She also thinks that Megan is psychic. Megan doesn’t think so, though. <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Main Character-Matt- <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Matt tries to stick up for Megan, since he knows what she did. Everything is not her fault. Grandmother blames it on her. Matt also sticks up for Grandmother. Mostly it was in the beginning of the book. Grandmother doesn’t like Megan and Matt is trying to make her change that. It’s not working very well, though. <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Opinion- <span style="color: #4b2a2a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is a good book I chose. One thing I don’t like about it is that they don’t tell you much about the characters. Just Megan since she is like the main one. I want to learn more about Grandmother and why she gets mad at Megan so much. Is it because she reminds her of Avril? I don’t know but, I’m learning more and more about Grandmother in every chapter I keep reading.
 * Dark Secrets 1 **
 * Pages 145-168 ( Chapters 13 & 14 ) **
 * 3/4/11 **
 * Chapter 13- **
 * Megan kept on having daydreams and couldn't sleep. Then she was going to the party the next day. On the way there, Alrx told Sophie that he still has her fifth grade valentine. She was surprised. Then they went on the road that Angel (Avril's friend) died. Everyone was scared. Megan thought she wasn't, but on the inside she was. Then when they got to the party, there were many people. Kristy (the one who's having the party) went to go flirt with Matt, while Alex and Megan went to the dock. They wre talking, and Megan was talking about why he should go out with Sophie. Then, they kissed. **
 * Chapter 14- **
 * Avril woke up that morning and found Thomas. They kissed a little, then Helen walked in (Avril's sister.) She was yelling at them, and Thomas then left. Everything turned black and she fell down the stairs. She realized that she was sleepwalking the whole time, so nothing of this actually happened. It was just a dream. Megan told Matt about her dreams and then he said that she should leave and all of this would stop. Then, he took her to the library. He showed her a picture of Avril, and she found out why Grandmother's acting strange. It's because Megan looks exactly like her the year she died. Matt told her to leave again, and she didn't want to. He said it was going to be too late. But Megan said that it already was. **
 * Main Charecter-Matt- **
 * Matt was concerned about Megan. He was concerned about those dreams she had. About Avril and Grandomther. He didn't want Megan's life to change all because of this little vacation to see her Grandmother. But it already was. Matt didn't want it to get any worse so that is why he wanted megan to leave. She didn't want to though, she wanted to discover more about Avril. She was going to take the chances. **
 * Opinion- **
 * I like that now everything is relating to Matt. His bestfriend is going out with his little cousin. Now he is starting to like Megan. Now he feels bad for Grandmother. Now he wants Megan to leave for her safety, not because he doesn't want her there. He is becoming a better cousin to megan. he is helping her out a lot and stuff. That is why I'm liking this book is because everything is starting to change. Like emotions and their relationships. they're becoming good. **