Hey guys!

Today, I’m going to be reviewing a short story that is called Zoo Orchestra by Manuel Diaz!

DISCLAIMER: I received this book via Netgalley, for an honest review. No opinions were persuaded for that reason.

Everyone is invited to the Zoo Orchestra!
Enter the delightful world of the Zoo Orchestra, where animals embody the instruments they masterfully play.
The fanciful sounds of the clarinet are played by the angelic pig, who, like his instrument, has a circular snout perfect for making all kinds of sounds.
The gravity-defying squirrel uses a piccolo to whistle out tunes; its pocket-size is very much the large bass players’ envy!
Don’t forget the gentle koala, whose rich-sounding viola is an important addition to every orchestra.
The gravity-defying squirrel uses a piccolo to whistle out tunes; its pocket-size is very much the large bass players’ envy!
Author Manuel Díaz combines his own imaginative paintings with the knowledge and experience as a concert viola player to present a world where any age of reader can learn about the world of classical music. Zoo Orchestra uses humor, imagination, and original art to create a magical symphony of animals that all audiences will enjoy!

Review:

This book was really cute!

I finished this book in one sitting, and I really liked it! It’s superb, for what it is.

The illustrations are amazing, and I really thought that they added a wonderful touch to the story! They were very detailed and I enjoyed them very much.

The story was nothing special, but it was very enjoyable. The aspect of how each animal plays an instrument was very cute!

Overall:

Overall, this book was really cute, and I gave it 4/5 stars! I recommend it!

That’s it for today’s quick book review!

Good Night Book Lions!

Hi guys!

Today, I’m going to be doing a review for Real Justice: Sentanced To Life at Seventeen: The Story of David Milgaard by Cynthia F.

This book was one of the Forest of Reading Nominees, read about the Forest of Reading Program here: https://readingreadingalldaylong.wordpress.com/2015/02/08/february-flurries-forest-of-reading/

Synopsis:

David Milgaard was a troubled kid, and he got into lots of trouble. Unfortunately, that made it easy for the Saskatoon police to brand him as a murderer. At seventeen, David Milgaard was arrested, jailed, and convicted for the rape and murder of a young nursing assistant, Gail Miller. He was sent to adult prison for life.
Throughout his twenty-three years in prison, David maintained that he was innocent and refused to admit to the crime, even though it meant he was never granted parole. Finally, through the incredible determination of his mother and new lawyers who believed in him, David was released and proven not guilty. Astonishingly, in hindsight the real murderer was obvious from the start.
This is the true story of how bad decisions, tunnel vision, poor representation, and outright lying and coercion by those within the justice system caused a tragic miscarriage of justice. It also shows that wrongs can be righted and amends made.

Review:

This book is a little bit less then 100 pages, and like my other reviews, I finished this book in one sitting!

It was quite good, but the story line was very heavy. It’s hard thinking that somebody did something so wrong/bad, and the person who committed the crime wasn’t even held accountable! It shows how sometimes reality does SUCK, although I’m normally a more positive person.

This book was gripping and hard to put down at ALL moments. If you don’t like books that involve harder topics, I don’t think this book is for you. I really like books that involve “bad” topics, I know, I know, very strange, right? Darker topics aren’t for everyone, but they seem to be making them, so people must read them other then me!

Overall:

I really loved this book! I gave it a 5/5 stars!

Hi everyone!

Today, I’m going to be sharing my second Book Review for the Week of Reviews! This book is called Growing Up, Inside and Out by Kira Vermond.

Summary (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17465825-growing-up-inside-and-out?from_choice=false&from_home_module=false):

While bodily changes are the most obvious signs that a kid is growing up, they’re not always the first (or most stressful) signs. Why does it feel so weird to cry now? How can you tell if someone is really your friend? Is it okay to have a crush on someone who’s the same sex as you? These kinds of questions (and answers) are what separates Growing Up, Inside and Outfrom other books — it tackles how boys’ and girls’ emotions change during puberty rather than just what happens to body parts (although that’s in here, too).
And though puberty can often look different for boys and girls (growing facial hair versus getting a period), kids may be surprised by what all their classmates have in common: crushes, acne, anxiety, getting mad at their parents. Not only does Growing Up, Inside and Out break with the tradition of having separate books for separate sexes, it unites kids by showing them that there are things that everyone goes through.

Review:

I REALLY LOVED this book! I am currently a teen, and enjoyed reading through this type of book. I believe that it gave me a lot of information in a nice way. I would definitely recommend this book to teens, or even adults!

Overall:

I gave this book 5/5 stars! It was amazing!

Good Night Book Lions!

Hi everyone!

For the first post of my Week of Reviews, I’m going to be reviewing a holocaust story, called The Last Train by Rona Arato.

Summary (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15817031-the-last-train?from_search=true):

The Last Train is the harrowing true story about young brothers Paul and Oscar Arato and their mother, Lenke, surviving the Nazi occupation during the final years of World War II.
Living in the town of Karcag, Hungary, the Aratos feel insulated from the war — even as it rages all around them. Hungary is allied with Germany to protect its citizens from invasion, but in 1944 Hitler breaks his promise to keep the Nazis out of Hungary.
The Nazi occupation forces the family into situations of growing panic and fear: first into a ghetto in their hometown; then a labor camp in Austria; and, finally, to the deadly Bergen Belsen camp deep in the heart of Germany. Separated from their father, 6-year-old Paul and 11-year-old Oscar must care for their increasingly sick mother, all while trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy amid the horrors of the camp.
In the spring of 1945, the boys see British planes flying over the camp, and a spark of hope that the war will soon end ignites. And then, they are forced onto a dark, stinking boxcar by the Nazi guards. After four days on the train, the boys are convinced they will be killed, but through a twist of fate, the train is discovered and liberated by a battalion of American soldiers marching through Germany.
The book concludes when Paul, now a grown man living in Canada, stumbles upon photographs on the internet of his train being liberated. After writing to the man who posted the pictures, Paul is presented with an opportunity to meet his rescuers at a reunion in New York — but first he must decide if he is prepared to reopen the wounds of his past.

Review:

One of my favourite genres to read about is Realistic/Historical Fiction. So, off the bat, I knew that I was going to indulge right into this book. Although, I was expecting more. I have read a lot more stronger stories about the holocaust, and although that this was definitley NOT one of them, I still really enjoyed it.

This book was another Red Maple pick, read all about the Red Maple, Forest of Reading program here: .

This book is roughly 150 pages, therefore I read it in one day!

I really liked the main characters Oscar and Paul. Since this book is based after Rona’s husband, Paul, I found myself liking Oscar a lot more. Oscar was very mature for the age of 10 (he turns 11 near the end), and always cared for Paul. The bond was so tight, and that’s what gripped me for most of the story!

Overall:

I really enjoyed this book, and gave it 4 out of 5 stars (which I believe was generous).

I hope you enjoyed this book review!

Good Night Book Lions!

Hi everyone!

Today, I’m going to be doing a book review for “The Only Boy” by Jordan Locke.

DISCLAIMER: I was given this book for review from the author, Jordan Locke. I am not being payed to review this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own, and are not being persuaded by anyone else.

Don’t know what this book is about? I’ve got your back!

Synopsis (taken off from the authors website):

Description From Back Cover: Mary is stuck in Section One, living with three hundred women in a crumbling hospital. She wonders what life was like two centuries ago, before the Cleansing wiped out all the men. But the rules—the Matriarch’s senseless rules—prevent her from exploring the vacant city to find out.

Taylor’s got a dangerous secret: he’s a boy. His compound’s been destroyed, and he’s been relocated to Section One. Living under the Matriarch means giving up possessions, eating canned food and avoiding all physical contact. Baggy clothes hide his flat chest and skinny legs, but if anyone discovers what lies beneath, he’ll be exiled. Maybe even executed.

Mary’s never seen a boy—the Matriarch cut the pictures of men from the textbooks—and she doesn’t suspect Taylor’s secret. If she knew, she might understand the need to stop the girls from teasing him. If she knew, she might realize why she breaks the rules, just to be near him. Then again, she might be frightened to death of him.

Taylor should go. The Matriarch is watching his every move. But running means leaving Mary—and braving the land beyond the compound’s boundaries.

Review:

The Only Boy is worth the read, let me tell you.

In my opinion, the concept is PURE GENIUS! Having a society with no males, such a great idea! Wouldn’t you be intrigued by just that?

Although, the first few chapters were a bit rough. I found that the first few chapters were a bit slow and boring. But, I had yet to realize that this was JUST the build up!

Most of the scenes in this book were pure action and AMAZING-NESS! I truley enjoyed it!

I found myself liking most of the characters, which was no shock. Although, just like EVERY other book, I found them to be a bit annoying at some points in this book. Sometimes, I just felt like they weren’t thinking of what they were doing and how that would affect them. But, that gave for quite the action!

The society of this world is unlike any other book I have seen. And although this book is being called a Dystopian, I would also put it in the Sci-Fi category as well. The science of making children when there are no boys, was something no one could just “make-up”. It was AMAZING and super cool.

Overall:
Overall, I gave this book a solid 4/5 stars, it was not one of my favourite dystopians, but may find itself on my Top Books of 2015 list, we’ll have to see! I would definitely recommend this book to Sci-Fi and Dystopian lovers!

I hope you guys enjoyed this book review! PLEASE come back tomorrow to find a special author interview for Jordan Locke!

Good Night Book Lions!