Blog Response #3
Stotan!, Chinese Handcuffs, Running Loose, and Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes all involve intense topics that add to the plot. Talk about the point in which you became hooked into your book. What did Chris Crutcher do to hook you? Describe any moment or moments in the book where you didn't want to put the book down. What will you always remember about this book?
In reading staying fat for Sarah Byrnes, the point that hooked me the most was that Sarah's burns were intentional, and that they happened the night her mom left, because of an argument between the two parents. I think Chris Crutcher throws in flashbacks in the book, so you keep reading to continue with the adrenaline rushing parts. I didn't want to put the book down when i found this out because it really makes me wonder, how for one, could a parent intentionally burn their own three year old's body over an argument, and then why didn't Sarah's mom take her with. If it was rough enough for her mother to leave, why did she think it would be any different for Sarah. Something I will always remember about this book is how much it relates to todays world. Maybe and maybe not the same situation as Sarah, but for some kids, school might feel like their only safe place, away from their parents, just like Sarah feels that the hospital is the only way around getting sent back home.
ReplyDeleteI am reading the same book and i think the mental hospital ended up being better for Sarah Byrnes than she thought it would be. Initially, it was just a way to escape her father, but being there has showed her that she isn't the only person in the world with an abusive parent and traumatic childhood. I think its good to have that relation with other people and know that some people have gone through even worse things than her.
Deletei agree with you that this book relates to the real world today and how some kids in a bad situation feel safer when there not around there parents and how sarah wanted to go to the mental hospital because she wanted to escape her father.
DeleteI was most hooked when I learned that Sarah’s burns were intentional and happened the night her mom left after an argument. Chris Crutcher’s use of flashbacks keeps the story intense and made it hard to stop reading. This reveal made me question how a parent could hurt their own child and why Sarah’s mom didn’t take her with her. What I’ll always remember is how relevant the story feels today since for some kids school or another place can feel like their only safe escape just like the hospital is for Sarah.
DeleteI'm reading the book Running Loose, and the part that got me really hooked was actually in some recent reading I've done where Louies beloved girlfriend has something very tragic happen to her and I feel like it just was such an out of the blue thing to happen because before that, everything to be going quite well for Louie, his beef with his coach and the principle had tamed down, him and carter were still close, and he even picked up a new hobby, cross country skiing; so i think that's where i got really hooked and i just had to keep reading to see how the situation panned out and something i will always remember about this book is how it always kept ,me entertained.
ReplyDeleteI am also reading that same book as you Harrison and reading your comment i agreed with it so much, it was so unexpected when his girlfriend died and i just couldn't believe it and once that happened i just had to keep reading and it really hooked me into the book that much more, i really enjoyed the part where he started cross country skiing and not gonna lie that made me really think about doing it too, it seems very enjoyable
DeleteI also agree that Becky dying was an unexpected plot twist, and I found it interesting reading how Louie reacted after Becky died
DeleteI agree with you harry I think for the most part Becky was the only thing keeping me wanting to read I feel like without her the book wouldn't have been close to the same, if it was just another basic football story it would have been very boring
Deletethat was also a part that brought me back and brought some more emotion to the story that was the straw that broke him and he kind of went blank for a while when his emotions had to reboot
DeleteI agree that what happened to becky a unexpected turn and u wanted to keep reading to see how louie would react to her death and the things he would do.
DeleteI'm reading running loose and the point i became hooked in my book was honestly when the book really started to pick up so around when he met Becky and the started to become a thing and around the time they played trout in football and the Washington hit happened that really hooked me into the book, i didn't want to put the book down once i got to that part i was just talking about the book really started to get super good and i couldn't put it down and i just got addicted to the book and what i will always remember about the book is how good of a man banks is and how i could learn some stuff from this book to become better.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the book started picking up when banks started dating Becky and thought his life was going good and them Washington got injured and banks freaked out and turned his life around.
DeleteI agree with you fully I pretty much said the same exact thing as you I think before any of these events happened the book wasn't going anywhere it was just another basic football story, but then completely flipped around and was a completely different story than I thought it would turn out to be.
DeleteI am also reading running loose and I agree with you that the book picked up on the week where they had the championship game against Washington and they made the game plan to hurt him. and that he didn't agree with the plan that lindeckey made, which I was surprised he didn't just go with the crowd he stuck to his own beliefs which was winning the game fairly.
Deletethat was also a hook point because when you read the back of the book it hints at something happening to someone close to him i thought would be a parent or a grandparent but it was someone even closer to him
Deleteya i agree to that was a big turning point in the book and it just got worse through out the book and then becky dies and makes thing even worse
DeleteI agree that the book started to pick up there and thats when everything bad starts to happen to louie.
DeleteI would agree that the point of the book when Becky died, change how the rest for the wood went on. This was the turning point in the book.
DeleteI also agree with your statement about Becky, because yes there would still be some drama in the book if that hadn't happened but i think with that happening to Becky it added made me a whole lot more like, how could they have added this to the book? and what was Louie going to do? Overall, I think it just added a lot more enjoyment to the book by creating sudden emotions and more drama.
DeleteI'm reading the book running loose, one of the parts of the book that got me hooked was the chapter that talked about hurting Washington in order to win the football game, I think him showing that much compassion for an opponent is a crazy thing, and his reaction after the play causing him to lose everything he worked all summer towards. but he didn't even care because it was against his morals. from that point on I didn't want to put the book down because something was always happening and things started to go his way. after finishing this book one thing I will always remember is Louie losing Becky and not knowing how to deal with his emotions.
ReplyDeleteI also said that exact same thing that part where they play trout in football and how the coach wants them to hurt Washington, it really hooked me in to see what banks would do about it and what all will follow after that happened and like that part after he lost Becky it pulled me back into the book and hooked me back into and made it so i can't put it back down and just have to keep reading.
DeleteI agree that I got really hooked when Washington got hurt because then the pace of the book really picked up for me. because then banks got kicked out of school and all these things started happening. the book was so up and down one bad thing would happen then something good would happen like he would get closer with Becky.
Deletei agree this is in my top 3 favorite parts of the book and i like the way he shows his morals
DeleteI'm reading Running loose, and the part that got me hooked was when Louie thought his life was going good and then coach Lednecky makes boomer intentionally injures Washington and Louie freaks out. he decided the right thing to do would be quitting the football team because he didn't want to play for a dirty coach. I think it's interesting how Louie handled life without playing football.
ReplyDeletethe part when louie argues with coach is good because he shows his vaules and builds louie as a character
DeleteMy part was when they were trying intently hurt Washington this was the same part that got me hooked into this book it was just a fun part to read sense i have played football before. I also thought that Louie storming off the field was the right move due to them intently hurt Washington.
DeleteThe part that I find very interesting is the fact that the washington player boomer injured had been the only player of color on the opposing team
DeleteIn my book Stotan all the boys are pumped and ready to go to state, they are all improving on their times each one getting faster, but then one of their fellow teammates gets this blood disease that makes him extremally weak, loosing his chance to go to state and bring the mood down for the team.
DeleteI'm reading the book staying fat for Sarah Byrnes the part in the book that got me hooked was when Sarah started to talk about her past and how her mother left after an argument and Sarah's father took it out on Sarah and burned her face and it wasn't an accident. the author explains flashbacks that happened and that shows the reason why she's in the mental hospital and doesn't want to talk to anyone so the truth doesn't come out. something about this book that i will always remember is how it shows a possible real-life event that could happen and how someone could feel unsafe in there own home.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading the same book and i agree with you. This is the part in the book where i just wanted to keep reading so i can figure out what's going to happen next.
DeleteI am also reading this book and i agree a way that i will always remember this book is by the real life events that are happening maybe to even the person sitting next to us in class and we have no idea.
DeleteThat sounds interesting, that even hooked me and I'm not reading that book. It sounds like a very intriguing book that I might read in the future.
DeleteI agree that the part where Sarah’s past is revealed is the most gripping. Learning that her burns were intentional and not an accident really shows how much she has suffered and the flashbacks explain why she stays silent in the mental hospital. I also agree that this book feels very real highlighting how some people can feel unsafe even in their own homes which makes the story unforgettable.
DeleteI am reading Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, and the part that got me hooked was when i found out Sarah's burns were intentional. It's just crazy to me that her own father would do that to her, and even crazier that her mother left without her after watching that happen. When i think about this book i will remember how tough Sarah is for having to live with her dad by herself for all those years, and having to defend herself for basically her whole life.
ReplyDeleteI am reading this book also and i definitely agree with this. Its cruel enough for a father to do this to their own child, but in my mind i feel its even more cruel for her mother to have watched her burns happen, and still choose to leave. I also agree with you saying she is tough. How could one possibly live this long with an abusive father and stay silent about it, up until her age. It makes me not want to put the book down because i can relate to having enough and your body just physically having no give left, kind of like Sarah is going through. Her body and mind just completely shut down.
Deleteim also reading this book i agree with you that it was very crazy that sarahs own father would do that to his daughter and try to make her keep it a secret and make up things about what happened to her face so nobody knew what actually happened
DeleteI am reading this book as well, and I thought the same thing while reading the book. thinking how could someones father let himself do that and lie about it.
Deletewhen reading running loose the part that hooked me the most was when banks was really working hard like grinding to be the best in the sport that he loved and seeing his success in his work made it hard to put the book down. when hes doing work outs with carter and hes competing with boomer it made me excited to see him so close to being as good as boomer because boomer was supposed to be second best to carter so boomer was the one to beat and in the book when hes just about to beat boomer in the mile it made it impossible to put the book down he was so close and boomer could see that he was close so it was cool seeing the guy with all the ego slightly worried about a guy that had almost out worked him. another part i couldnt put the book down was when banks erupted at the football game after boomers hit he didnt feel good about the coaches choice and it made him act in how he felt and i thought that was pretty cool because no one does that these days.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your statement, Because I think it shows a lot of heart and strength to quit something you worked so hard for and a sport that you truly loved, and I think it just made me respect Louie a whole lot more because it shows that he wasn't just in football to be dirty and win, he wanted everyone to have a fair chance at winning fairly and I think that made me want to read the book more and more because of the kind of person Louie is.
DeleteI am reading running loose and it took a while for me to get hooked into the book. I would say when they made the plan to take out Washington was when I got hooked into the book and couldn't put it down. they made the plan to hurt Washington and take him out of the game so that trout will win and banks didn't agree with it and ended up storming off the field because he was upset that trout was playing dirty. Chris Crutcher made the chapters pretty short, so they always left off on a cliffhanger, and you had to keep reading. one part in the book was I could not put the book down is when Becky got it a fatal car crash and she passed away. I couldn't put the book down because I had to know what happened next. I will always remember how bad things happen to the nicest people like banks and the whole book was about his life and problems and how he was one of the nice kids in the book, but such awful things happen to him.
ReplyDeleteThat part were they trying intently hurt Washington was the same part that got me hooked into this book it was just a fun part to read sense i have played football under the lights in a big game. I also thought that Louie storming off the field was the right move due to them intently hurt Washington.
DeleteIn Chinese Handcuffs, the moment that really hooked me was when Preston had committed suicide, because the scene was so well written and descriptive that you could feel the weight and anxiety from both Dillon and Preston as it was all going down. That moment gave me insight to what the rest of the book would be like and I just kept reading and couldn't put the book down. There are so many other heavy scenes like Preston's, but that one was really just the tip of the iceberg and set up the reader for the rest of the book.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this was one of the moments in the story that had the reader hooked. You needed to keep reading to find the outcome. And you could really feel the emotions too. The description and imagery were really good. The suicide was heavy and definitely gets the reader hooked and engaged for the rest of the story.
DeleteI agree that it was also hard to put the book down at this moment in the book. It wasn't too descriptive but it was enough to tell what was happening.
Deleteit was also hard to put the book down when it doesn't go into a lot of detail you just want to know more about what happens, but it doesn't give you any more details in the moment
DeleteI would agree It was hard for me to put the book down I just wanted to keep reading to find out what was Gunna happen
DeletePreston committing suicide kept me hooked to the book as well. It definitely added a lot to the book and made you want to keep reading to find out how Dillon deals with the loss of his brother.
DeleteMy book is running loose, and the part that had me hooked was when coach Ledecky was hyping his team up to intently hurt another player from a different team. This was just crazy to me, and it made want to read more. One of the parts of the book that I wouldn't stop reading was when they were playing their game, Boomer was trying to hurt Washington and Louie and Carter didn't want it. This was just a packed part of the book where something was going on at every moment.
ReplyDeletei also think this part was pretty crazy because he is taking the game of football way to far by doing a cheap play like he is. i also thought what louie did was very admirable as well
Deleterunning loose the part that really hooked me was the football aspect because any book that involves it typicly has good story depth and is very intresting was the fact that his couch wanted them to hurt the one colored person
ReplyDeleteI agree with this fully and felt that the coach had some hatred in his heart
Deletei agree as well and think that the coach and the team all hate something again st the one black man in the whole league
DeleteThe part that really hooked me in Running Loose was when something tragic happened to Louie’s girlfriend. It felt so sudden because everything had been going pretty well for him his problems with the coach and principal had calmed down he was still close with Carter, and he even picked up cross-country skiing. That moment made me want to keep reading to see what would happen next. Something I’ll always remember about this book is how it kept me entertained the whole time.
ReplyDeletei also said that part stuck out to me because things with them were looking pretty good before her death. i think they should have kept becky in for longer because i feel like they didn't give her enough character development and we didn't really get to learn about her that much before she died
DeleteYeah, i agree with this being the turning point or something that hookes you as soon as things start going good for Louie and starts having a great senior year this tragic thing happens and now we need to see what he is going to do.
DeleteI'm reading staying fat for Sarah Brynes, and the part that hooked me most was trying to understand Sarah's story and what really happened to her what grabbed me most was when she starts to communicate with writing and sharing the truth with all the abuse.
ReplyDeleteIn Chinese handcuffs it also talks about abuse and when Jenn started expressing her's that also grabbed me .
Deletethat moment also grabbed me, she hasn't let herself talk for so long and then eric gives her a notebook to write what she wants him to do, and she just writes down everything that has happened to her. it explains more of why she is how she is and the way she acts, she has shields up for a reason.
DeleteI am reading Chinese handcuffs and the part that really hocked me was when I found out that Jennifer's dad and stepdad both sexually abused/abuse her as I keep reading I could not put the book down I just wanted to keep reading to see what happened like if they get away from him and if dillion would tell anyone about what was going on with Jennifer and then you had Preston's death in there too there was lots of parts that hooked me but there was also lots of parts that confused me as well
ReplyDeleteI was also shocked on how both of the guy's Jens mom has got with both abused her and her mom didn't believe her both times and how she wants to protect her sister because her stepdad also threated to do it if she told anyone he did it to her, and he showed that by killing her dog
DeleteI agree because it was surprising when her biological dad sexually abused her and even more surprising when her stepdad also sexually abuses her.
DeleteI am reading running loose and the part where Becky dies in the car accident changes the whole mood of the book and it becomes kind of sad. The book began to get really interesting when Louie refused to follow Coach Lednecky’s dirty play, because it showed he actually cared about doing the right thing even if it meant everyone if it didn't benefit him, and that part made me want to keep reading to see what would happen next. Something that I’ll always remember about this book is how Louie keeps going even when everything falls apart, and how the story ends up being more than just a highschool football drama and it actually has a lot of heart to it.
ReplyDeleteIn my book Stotan, a boy named Jeff gets a blood disease that ruins his chance of going to state. This also changes the mood of all the other swimmers on the team, at first they were all sad but soon they let Jeffs condition fuel them by doing harder workouts leading up to the state meet.
Deletei would agree with you that i was never thing that was going to happen in the story. the book took a big turn at this point in the book when Becky dies in the car accident.
DeleteI am reading Running loose and the part that hooked me but also shocked me the most was when Beckey had a tragic accident which was very surprising due to Louie getting so close to her through the whole year and he just felt free when he was by her and could talk about whatever he wanted to. This is taking a big toll on Louie and want to know what he is going to do to overcome what has happened.
ReplyDeletei would agree with you on the most shocking point was when Becky had a tragic accident. i was not ready for that to happen in the story.
DeleteI'm reading Chinese handcuffs and the part that really hooked me was the part when Jen's grandpa had a heart attack and she had no way to help him, and she blamed herself and later that night her dad came into her room and abused her through me off. Chris Crutcher pulls you in by how he shows you Jen's perspective and not just listen to what happened but how she was shocked and just blanked and why she blamed herself for her grandpa's death, that she was supposed to sit him back up but couldn't. those would make me want to get through that part understand how it would connect to the rest of the story. the part I won't forget is how fast he switch to a whole different part the shock of the switch up.
ReplyDeleteThat part was definitely shocking and seeing it from Jen’s perspective makes it even more emotional because he was the only trustworthy father figure. The sudden shift in the story really grabs you and shows how much darker the book can get.
DeleteThat scene also left my stomach turning, as well as the cat scene. I think the switch between perspectives was the perfect touch to bring the whole book together.
DeleteYes, I agree when I read the part about Jen telling Dylan I couldn't put the book down.
DeleteI agree that this part also threw me for a loop because it was really messed up how the one person who she cherished the most and protected her, wasn't able to be there when she really needed him.
DeleteI'm reading Chinese Handcuffs and the parts that really got me hooked on this book was the unknown. It slowly dives into the problems that Dillion and Jen have in their personal lives and how they have to deal with them. I like how the farther you get into the book the more you uncover piece by piece. I also like that when he does reveal new information he finds an interesting way to do it. For example, the way he revealed that Stacy might be Ryan's mom was in interesting way to reveal it. The times where I couldn't put he book down mostly focused on how Preston killed himself, Jen and her abuse, and Dillon trying to stop Jen from killing herself. Something I will remember about this book is how deep it is and the severity of their problems.
ReplyDeleteThe unknown is really a catch, it leaves me constantly thinking about what it could be. I also think the reveal was a great way to keep the reader intrested.
DeleteI am reading Running Loose nothing is that deep in my book yet but as I keep reading I want to know if Louies problems are going to get that bad with what hapopened to Beckey and the decisions that he will make.
DeleteI also agree that having the opportunity to find out more and more twists and turns by reading is something that keeps the reader engaged and wanting to know even more, the possibilities of what could happen are endless in this book.
DeleteThe book I'm reading is Chinese Handcuffs and almost instantly It had me hooked when dillions grief about Preston starts to take action. As the intensity of the book continues, I start to realize the hard truth will not only continue but get more harsh. Crutcher hooks the reader by the way he created the characters who are damaged, yet determined, and he reveals their trauma in a way that is gradual but powerful. He uses Dillon’s journal/letters to show turning points of the book to create tense feelings, almost like you feel like you’re being trusted with Dillion's secrets. That structure builds tension because you sense something deeper is coming, long before it’s revealed. A moment where I didn't want to put the book down was when Dillion starts to reveal the truth about Preston and Jennifer. It also gets me when Crutcher switches perspectives during tense moments, the cliffhanger is what has me coming back for more. The saying of the Chinese finger trap, shows how struggling with your problems can tighten them and facing them can free you, will stick with me, even after the story ends. The book leaves you thinking about compassion, responsibility, and the courage it takes to leave your struggles behind.
ReplyDeleteI was also almost instantly hooked when I had read about Dillon's grief. The book for sure got more intense from there and you get to see how Preston taking his life really affected Dillon.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletein the beginning of the book, it was hard for me to get hooked it was just bouncing all over the place but when I got to the point where I did get hooked it was hard for me to put the book down
DeleteI'm reading Stotan, and one of the main hooking points in is when the group of friends starts their tough training for the Stotan Challenge. This challenge is a hard, self-created test that pushes them both physically and mentally. It’s not just a test of how strong they are, but also a symbol of how they are growing as people. This event helps the boys get through bigger challenges and relationships that develop throughout the book. The part of the book where i couldn't put it down was when the boys went to the state meet and won in multiple events. Them winning each event was a payoff for working hard at practices and during Stotan week.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Stotan week left a big dent in the boys mental health, but it made them all stronger together.
DeleteI agree, those guys working together as a team and as a family is special. It reminds me a lot of our school activities because I fell our school sports and clubs are all pretty close and tight with each other and just creates a good environment.
DeleteI do not think that would even come close to having the same ending if they were not put through stotan weeks grueling intense training
DeleteI am reading Stotan and the parts that got me hooked into the book, was me finding out about the characters life outside of school. Nortie who's a kid who is really smart and wishes to teach students science as a career came from a very abusive household, Nortie is dating a black girl and he tells his dad about his girlfriend thinking he will be supportive with his relationship, Nortie's dad beats him physically till he bleeds because his dad is very racist. I will always remember the tight relationship between the friends in the book and how emotionally attached they all were.
ReplyDeleteI agree Norties life has made the whole novel very interesting and just created a fun book to read because you're always wondering what's going to happen next.
DeleteI agree that the most important part of the book is the bond between the friend group that keeps the interesting, without this point i think that the whole story would be boring and i wouldn't be compelled to read it to the end.
Deletei am reading the book running lose and the main hook point for me is when banks blew up at coach Ledecky when he made bomer injure Washington just so they could win a football game and it showed that banks dosent like to see people get hurt
ReplyDeleteThe point in my book where I got hooked is when Jen was telling Dylan about what all was happening to her and her stepdad. Chris Crutcher would end a chapter after a good part in the book that made you want to read on and continue into the story. One incident is when Dylan was running away from the biker gang and you just did not put the book down you had to know what would happen to Dylan. I will always remember there's someone going through tougher things than you are.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree. The book has made me realize that there are people who are hurting and battling their own feelings and things around you that you may not know about.
DeleteI also couldn't put the book down when Dillon was running from the biker gang. They go into so much detail that it makes you feel like you are Dillon running from them.
DeleteI read the book running loose and the part of the book that I got hooked was when coach Ledecky setup the team so that way they would intently hurt another player from a different team and want to keep reading to find out what happened to the other team mates. Also I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened to Louie. The way Chris Crutcher gets reader hooked in the book is the way he puts parts in the book at the end of a chapter where something is going to happen to the with the one of the players and this makes you want to keep reading to find out what happens. the part of the book that I could not put the book down was when Louie starts getting in lots of trouble. The reason why this part of the books was hard to stop reading is because I want to find out what happen to him. The one thing I will remember about this book is is Louie is a type of person that is a great person if you do not make him mad. Louie just likes to make people that make him mad more angary at him because he does every thing to make principal Jasper mad.
ReplyDeleteI am reading Stotan and coach Max is very physically mentally and somewhat physically during their workouts during Stotan Week
DeleteThat for sure got me hooked a little as well. When this local hero head coach suddenly changed minds to play dirty instead was without a doubt a plot twist. Louie might upset people but he's truthful. He stood up when Lendecky was lying his teeth off about Louie.
DeleteThe moment I really got hooked into Chinese Handcuffs was when Dillon started opening up about everything he was dealing with. Chris Crutcher pulls you in by making the characters feel real and giving just enough mystery that you want to know what actually happened in their past. There were a few scenes where Dillon finally starts figuring things out about himself and Jennifer, and those moments made me not want to put the book down because the tension kept building.
ReplyDeleteWhat I’ll always remember about this book is how Crutcher mixes tough topics with moments of hope and honesty. Even when things get heavy, the characters keep trying to move forward, and that’s what sticks with you while reading it.
Yes, I also enjoy how there are hard things in the book that the characters are going through, but Crutcher always leads up with something good after talking about the bad things.
DeleteI agree with you that Chris Crutcher pulls you in by making the characters feel real, it makes me feel like I'm one of their friends listening and watching them overcome their trauma not only by themselves but together.
DeleteI am reading Chinese Handcuffs and there was lots of moments that got me hooked, but the main one was when Chris Crutcher started talking more about how Dillon was feeling about his brother's death. The way I got hooked was because of how it was described in well detail. It also hooked me because I used to have some feeling like Dillon did with one of my friends. What I will remember about this book is how in detail Chris Crutcher goes with everything especially when the characters are explaining how they feel.
ReplyDeleteI am reading Chinese Handcuffs and the moment I was hooked was when Jen talked about how she was being abused by her biological dad and stepdad. I feel like this really grabbed me because that was the first point in the book where I realized that both of the main characters had a lot of trauma they were dealing with which changed the whole story. I wasn't able to put the book down when Jen confessed to Dillon what was going on at home because I knew Dillon wasn't going to be okay with it and couldn't wait to see what he would do next with the information. I will remember the fact that there could be a lot of stuff going on in peoples lives that you have no clue about and i think that we need to realize that when you're going through a hard time, your not alone and it happens to many others.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely, when Jen started to talk about her past trama with Dillion when he also has so much trama that was really a big hooker I would definitely agree.
DeleteStaying Fat for Sarah Byrnes hooked me when Sarah suddenly disappears and is revealed to be in a mental hospital. That moment made the story more serious and made me want to keep reading to find out what happened to her. Chris Crutcher keeps readers interested by slowly revealing Sarah’s past and showing her trauma through Eric's point of view. The hospital scenes were hard to put down because they exposed the truth about Sarah’s abusive father. What I’ll always remember about this book is Eric's loyalty to Sarah and how honestly the story deals with difficult topics like abuse and friendship.
ReplyDeleteI am reading Running loose and the moment that got me hooked was when something very bad happened to Louies girlfriend. I didn't expect that to happen at all because everything was just starting to go good for Louie, he found new things to do with his time and got new hobbies. And you just had to keep reading to see what all happened and how everything went after what happened to Becky. something I will always remember about this book is how Louie was such a nice kid but terrible things always happened to him.
ReplyDeleteI felt a similar way with Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. I got hooked when it was revealed that something terrible had happened to Sarah and that her scars weren’t an accident. Like Louie, she’s a good person who goes through really unfair things. I kept reading because I wanted to know what would happen to her next and if she would finally be safe.
DeleteI said about the same. It really wasn't expected and their was no lead up to the scene at all. She just suddenly passed. And you also said similar about why you'll remember the book for. Louie always had good intentions but he still lost a lot of people close to him and had hard moments.
DeleteI am reading Stotan and Chris Crutcher got me really hooked when Lion got upset and caused the big scene in the cafeteria. It not only told me the type of person Lion is but made the book very intriguing in the sense of you were trying to figure out what the heck was going on. It made it easier and quicker to read and I found myself actually wanting to read more as the book went on and continued.
ReplyDeleteI agree that at this point was also a big highlight in the book that really showcased how lion was a unique person that stood for his own morals and wouldn't back down. With this attitude it made the book a lot more exciting.
DeleteI really agree with this and I have a lot of respect for lion because he always stands up to protect his friends
DeleteI got hooked on Chinese Handcuffs when it became clear that there was more going on than what people were saying. Chris Crutcher didn’t explain everything right away, which made me curious and want to keep reading. The story slowly builds, and that’s what pulled me in.
ReplyDeleteThe parts where Dillon starts realizing how serious the situation is made it hard to put the book down because I wanted to know what he would do next. What I’ll remember most about this book is how realistic it feels. The characters don’t feel fake, and the book shows how people deal with heavy situations in a real way.
I felt the same way while reading Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. I was hooked when it became clear that there was more behind Sarah’s scars than what people believed, and Crutcher didn’t explain it right away. That mystery made me want to keep reading. The parts where Eric starts realizing how serious Sarah’s situation is were hard to put down because I wanted to see how he would try and protect her. Like Chinese Handcuffs, what really stands out to me is how real the characters feel and how honestly the book shows people dealing with heavy situations.
DeleteI was hooked when the story started hinting that Sarah’s scars were not just from an accident. Chris Crutcher slowly builds suspense and makes the reader realize something much deeper happened, which kept me turning the pages. I didn’t want to put the book down when the truth about Sarah’s father is revealed because it was shocking and emotional. What I will always remember about this book is Sarah’s strength and Eric’s loyalty, and how their friendship helps them survive everything they went through.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you i think it allowed more of a sense on why Sarah is the ways she is because her father burned her. Which i think is why she has a hard time trusting people because she doesn't know what they are capable of. I also agree that this whole situation did bring them together as friends and will allow them to stay close with each other.
DeleteI'm reading Stotan, Some of the most memorable moments that got me hooked was Walkers point of view to all of his friends. How he dealt with his friends getting abused or bullied and trying to help them all out while focusing on himself. Chris Crutcher's writing style where all the guys were different in there own way and dealt with there own problems. But they were always there for each other is mainly what got me hooked to the story. I would say where they were all laying in there room during the middle of Stotan week telling stories that were there darkest secrets up until now. I will always remember the point were they were all at the swim meet and at Jeffs last race he came out of the water with blood spitting out of his mouth, later on when they went to the hospital to visit him they found out he has leukemia and is dying. I wont forget that moment in the book, that's just about the thing that i would have expected least.
ReplyDeleteI am reading Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes and the moment that got me hooked was when we found out how Sarah got her burns. It made me get really invested into the storyline and made me want to find out what really happened with her mom. I had some feeling that her dad did have something to do with it, but i didn't know it would be that extreme. When reading this point of the book i didn't want to put the book down and wanted to continue reading to find out more. When i did keep reading i found out a lot more about the whole story of why he burned her. It also made it seem like after the fact that the mom didn't run away but that she was killed, but i later found out she was still alive.
ReplyDeletethis moment also had me hooked, I was shocked that a father could do that to his daughter just in spite. when they talked about the mother leaving after that I had a suspicion that the father may had have something to with her disappearance but was proven wrong after i kept reading as well.
DeleteI got hooked on staying fat for Sarah Brynes more towards the middle of the book, it was when Eric was running from Sarah's dad. it was a very intense moment and overall captured my attention. As I kept reading, it kept getting more and more interesting, not knowing what was going to happen next. the anticipation of not knowing how Eric was going to get away from Sarah's dad with his stab wound. I think this is the moment I will always remember about this book.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with you, when i was reading this part i didn't want to stop. I wanted to keep going to find out the rest of what would happen to Eric. It shocked me what Virgil was really capable of and how crazy he is as a person. This is not the way i expected the book to go so it had me shocked and invested.
Deletei am reading stoten and there's a similar scene where a characters dad is threating the others and its very intense
DeleteI am reading the book stotan i got hooked right around page 50 when we started to see some obstacles that the team had to overcome such as stotan week racism abuse and much more this is where Chris Crutcher had really pulled me into the book and these issues had really put pressure on this group of friends and brought them much closer i had a very hard time putting the book down around the time everyone had found out that Jeff has a blood disease that is really uncurable the most memorable thing about this book that i will remember was all of the hardships they had gone through and how it had brought them all together
ReplyDeletei agree the whole stoten week was such a good part and i liked how it talked more about Jeff who was not a big part before this
Deletei agree, when they started to get into stotan week was when it hooked me and i didn't want to put the book down while stotan week was going on and it was a good read and them having to overcome stotan week was just unbelievable.
DeleteI am reading Chinese handcuffs and the part where i got hooked was when they first introduced Jennifer's character. Her basketball game when she got hurt was when we first learned about the sexual abuse. This made me hooked because I wanted to keep reading to find out everything about her and her past. I also wanted to keep reading to see if in the end she got the justice she deserved. Chris Crutcher made it so you were right there with her, even in the bad moments he wrote with great details and raw emotions. That is what is so memorable too, the raw emotion from these characters and all they've been through. A lot of people can relate to the characters in this book and that is so memorable. It allows others who are going through similar experiences to not feel so alone. Maybe they'll speak up too because they realized they have a voice and it matters. All of the heavy moments in this book like the suicide, the cat killing, and the abuse make this book hard to put down because it really hooks the reader with the authors description and emotions. All being memorable as well.
ReplyDeleteI am reading Stoten and the scene where the boys decide to go to norite's house and stand up to his father for the abuse he has done to Nortie. This so far has been the most intense scene so far for me because it shows how awful Nortie has it and what he has endured through his childhood. this moment in the book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time and shows the loyalty the boys have.
ReplyDeletei agree this was definitely one of the more intense parts of the book and it really made it to wear it was hard to put the book down and ill probably remember that part the most compared to other scenes in the book.
Deletei agree, i really enjoyed this scene. It really showed the boys loyalty and support for Nortie.
DeleteWhat hooked me in Stotan was when Stotan Week started and the workouts turned brutal. Chris Crutcher makes the training feel real and intense, like you’re right there with the team, feeling how exhausted they are. I kept reading because I wanted to see how far they could be pushed and whether they’d quit or keep going. The moments I didn’t want to put the book down were when the guys were clearly at their breaking point but still showed up for each other. Those scenes felt honest and emotional, not just about sports. What I’ll always remember about this book is how it shows that being tough isn’t just physical, it’s about heart, friendship, and refusing to give up on your teammates.
ReplyDeleteI agree, the Stotan Week scenes were intense and really pulled me in too. The way Crutcher shows the team pushing themselves to the limit made me feel like you’re right there with them. I also liked how it wasn’t just about physical toughness but also bout loyalty and friendship.
DeleteI am reading stotan and the part that hooked me was when Lion got upset and caused a scene in the cafeteria. It revealed a big part of Lions personality, and it made the story more interesting. It was one of the first big moments in the book. This scene is what led me to wanting to read more. It made the book feel more exciting. Moments like this are what made me interested in the story so far.
ReplyDeleteI became hooked to the book, Chinese Handcuffs, when I read about Preston's suicide. It was a very shocking thing to read about because I didn't expect to find out that Preston actually did it in front of Dillon. Chris Crutcher put so much detail into that part of the book, it makes you feel really terrible for Dillon. You get to see how much that moment completely changed his life. Theres a lot of moments in this book that made me want to continue reading and not put the book down like wanting to find out if Jen ever gets away from her stepfather or if Dillon ever gets Jen out of the situation shes in. Something I will always remember from this book is how Jen was treated by her dad and stepfather.
ReplyDeletewhile reading staying fat for Sarah Byrnes, the most hooking part was when they revealed that Sarah had ben faking her symptoms while in the hospital and when she tells eric all of her secrets, which later on answers all of erics questions he has had about Sarah. after that point i wanted to continue to keep reading because so many things were being revealed in the story line and things i would have never expected.
ReplyDeleteIn Running loose the part that got me hooked the most was when the main character's girlfriend got into a tragic accident. Leading up to the part trauma and big plot twist's really wasn't in the book much. But when she died it really got me focused and I understood that the book has changed and the plot did to. I'll always remember this book for the adversities louie had to face. It was a lot.
ReplyDelete