Tag: books

Quick Thought #13: Reading Music!

Alyssa Cohen1 Comment

Hey guys!

Today, I’m going to be discussing a very interesting topic in the bookish world, and that is listening to music while reading!

I do not like to focus on more then the task I need to do, so for me I don’t like to listen to music while reading. Although, I love to listen to my spotify 2015 march favourites playlist while writing out my blog posts, click this link to listen to it: https://play.spotify.com/user/alyssa_cohen/playlist/6swKEtVqNfaSg7TMdSIt8m/

I find it quite interesting when people listen to music while reading, studying, or doing school work. I could (and still cannot) never understand how in the world people could concentrate. I know at my school, you are a loud to listen to music but with only one ear phone in. This can result in me hearing what music they are playing, which can get very annoying.

My mom (HI MOM I KNOW YOU’RE READING THIS) goes on the subway to work, and she always complains that she can hear teens playing rap music on the subway (at 6:00 in the morning, may I add) and it just drive’s her crazy!

Now, it’s time where you guys kick in! I would love to hear your thoughts on reading and listening to music now that you know my opinion!

Good Night Book Lions and see you tomorrow!

Alyssa’s Reviews – Sea Change by Diane Tullson

Alyssa Cohen1 Comment

Hi everyone!

Today, I’m going to be reviewing Sea Change by Diane Tullson.

Sea Change

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Lucas and his father are not close. In fact they hardly see each other, which is just fine with Lucas. When he travels to the remote fishing lodge his father manages, Lucas is left once again, this time with a lodge worker, a girl named Sumi. She makes it pretty clear that Lucas is on his own. But she does take him fishing and seems to be warming up to him. Then, in a horrible sequence of misjudgments, Sumi is shot in the foot. With no radio and no phone, Lucas and Sumi are truly alone. Fog rolls over the islands and it’s up to Lucas to get Sumi to medical help, a day’s journey by boat up the inlet.

Review:

I really liked this book! I thought that it was short and sweet and just what I needed.

This book was fast paced and really enjoyed it! I liked the two main characters, but really didn’t like his father, I felt like he was very selfish and stuck-up.

The setting of this book is on a resort that Lucas’ dad owns, and it sounded pretty neat!

Overall:

I really enjoyed this book and gave it 4/5 stars.

I hope you guys enjoyed this short and sweet book review!

Good Night Book Lions!

Third Sentence Thursday {03/26}

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Hosted by: http://www.thatswhatsheread.com.au

(Take any book you are reading and flick to a random page. Share the third full sentence from that page with the blogosphere as a “taster” of the book! You can also share your thoughts about the sentence (does it affect the novel? did you like the language used? was it so short that it adds suspense?) It’s a fun, fast way to offer your readers a ‘snapshot’ of a particular book.)

“We thanked heaven that Chairman Mao had started this cultural revolution, and that the Central Committee of the Communist Party had uncovered the mess in our schools.” -Red Scarf Girl by Ji-li Jiang

I’m actually reading this for school, and I’m currently liking it! Hopefully I will finish it soon and will get a review up for you guys soon! Although, to some people it is a very controversial book. Personally, I’m liking it and enjoying it!

Previous Third Sentence Thursdays:

https://readingreadingalldaylong.wordpress.com/2014/08/07/third-sentence-thursday-078/

https://readingreadingalldaylong.wordpress.com/2014/07/04/third-sentence-thursday/

https://readingreadingalldaylong.wordpress.com/2015/01/22/third-sentance-thursday-0119/

Good Night Book Lions!

The Liebster Award

Alyssa Cohen2 Comments

Hi everyone!

A while back, I was nominated by Amy for The Lebster Award. Thanks, Amy!
Click here to see her post: http://bookenthral.com/2015/02/12/the-liebster-award/

Now, I am going to answer the questions associated with the award, and share the award rules.

Award Rules:

  • Display the Liebster Award logo on your blog post (or blog if you want)
  • Thank and link the person who nominated you
  • Answer the questions given and then come up with 10 of your own to ask your nominations
  • Nominate and link to 8 or more more other blogs (try to make it people who haven’t yet been nominated)
1. If you could bring one character from a book to life who would it be and why??
It would definitley be Alex from The Land Of Stories. I feel like we are so alike!
2. What came first the chicken or the egg?
The egg, how would the chicken have been made?
3. If time travel was real where would you go? Who would you see/meet?
I would want to see my Mom’s Dad, AKA my Grandpa, as I’m sure he was an amazing guy, and that I would’ve loved him. In that time, My Grandmother’s mom would still be alive, and I really would have wanted to meet her as well. I was actually named after her!
4. Optimistic  or pessimist??
I am definitley Optimistic, and always anticipate the future. ALWAYS in a good way!
5. Would you rather tattoo ever part of your body or have a small really inappropriate tattoo on your face (you can choose where) ?
SMALL TATTOO, behind my ear. I despise tattoo’s and will NEVER get one in my life. But, don’t be offended if you have a tattoo please!
6. If you could live in one world from a book where would it be??
The Land Of Stories!
7. Would you rather be a dragon or have a dragon????????
Have a dragon! It would be so fun to take care of!
8. If you could only read one book on repeat for the rest of your life what would it be??
The Land of Stories: A Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer.
9. A book you wish they made into a movie? (and they wouldn’t completely mess it up)
The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer, animated please!!!
10. Dog or cat person? (be prepared, I will judge you if you say cat)
NEITHER, but if I had to choose, Dog!

My Questions:
What are you currently reading?
What is your favourite book?
Are you a fan of Suicide Books (ex. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher)?
Least favourite movie adaptation of a book?
Why did you start blogging?
Have you always loved reading, like since you were a child?
Do you watch booktube videos (?), if so who are your favourite booktubers?
Who do you think you got your love of reading from?
Do you listen to music while you read(?), if so what kind?
Other then reading, what do you love to do?

I TAG:

Glenn: https://ghbooks.wordpress.com/
LittleMissBookKeeper: https://ghbooks.wordpress.com/
Alysyn: https://reinreads.wordpress.com/
HAYLEY: http://booksaredelicious.com/
Rosie: https://roseannanorman.wordpress.com/
Natalie: https://anoutsiderreview.wordpress.com/
Meriem: https://fanaticbibliophile.wordpress.com/
https://thistlesandwhistles.wordpress.com/

That’s it for today’s blog post! Thanks to Amy for tagging me!

Good Night Book Lions!

FREE BOOK GIVEAWAY (OPEN)!

Alyssa Cohen5 Comments

Hey guys!

Today, I’m going to be hosting my FIRST Book Giveaway!

DISCLAIMER: This giveaway is being hosted by me, and the book will be provided by Clean Teen Publishing.

You will have a chance to win ANY E-Book from the Clean Teen Publishing Site!

CHOOSE YOUR BOOK HERE: http://www.cleanteenpublishing.com/

RULES:

  1. This giveaway is international, since it’s for an e-book.
  2. You must be 18+ years old, or have your parents permission, as I will be giving your email to Clean Teen Publishing, to provide you with the free book.
  3. YOU MUST be following my blog by e-mail or wordpress account, by clicking the button on the bottom right corner of your screen. Please enter your email address there.
  4. This giveaway will end EXACTLY one month from now, which is April 8. I will be posting a blog post on my blog and emailing the winner directly on that date.
  5. Clean Teen Publishing will be giving away ONE book to ONE winner.
  6. TO ENTER you must leave a comment down below stating “I’m entering this giveaway!”, and fill out the contact form (located underneath the rules), sharing one blog post you want me to do in the future and of course entering your email and name.


    7. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, EMAIL ME: readingreadingreading@outlook.com WITH THE SUBJECT BAR AS “CTP Giveaway Question(s)”.

    I hope that you guys will be entering this giveaway! I’m so excited!

    Thank you to Clean Teen Publishing for letting me run this giveaway!

    See you guys tomorrow!

    Good Night Book Lions!

Alyssa’s Reviews – Week Of Review: The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart

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Hi everybody!

Welcome to the final book review in my Week Of Review’s Series!

Today, I’m going to be reviewing my second E. Lockhart book, The Boyfriend List!

Synopsis (Via Goodreads):

Ruby Oliver is 15 and has a shrink. She knows it’s unusual, but give her a break—she’s had a rough 10 days. In the past 10 days she:
lost her boyfriend (#13 on the list),
lost her best friend (Kim),
lost all her other friends (Nora, Cricket),
did something suspicious with a boy (#10),
did something advanced with a boy (#15),
had an argument with a boy (#14),
drank her first beer (someone handed it to her),
got caught by her mom (ag!),
had a panic attack (scary),
lost a lacrosse game (she’s the goalie),
failed a math test (she’ll make it up),
hurt Meghan’s feelings (even though they aren’t really friends),became a social outcast (no one to sit with at lunch)
and had graffiti written about her in the girls’ bathroom (who knows what was in the boys’!?!).
But don’t worry—Ruby lives to tell the tale. And make more lists.

Review:

I actually bought these books (the first two) on a wim! I picked them up at my local library for 25 Cents a piece! I had read E. Lockharts “We Were Liars”, and I quite enjoyed them, so I figures why not?!

This book was SO AMAZING! I feel like I’m saying that in all of these book reviews, but I PROMISE I’m not lying! All of the books I’m reading are just so spectacular!

This book had me gripped to the end! It was a very quick read, a little bit more then 200 pages! And, I wanted to fit in a book before the month was over, so this was just perfect!

The concept of this book was so cute! I loved how real it felt, as she was going to therapy for panic attacks, and the reason may have been boys! It was just SO cute!

I also loved the main character, Ruby Oliver. She was so funny and cute! I really liked her from the beginning and thought that she was the sweetest, most innocent girl ever!

Overall:

I REALLY LOVED THIS BOOK! I gave it 5/5 stars, for sure!

I hope that you guys enjoyed this book! Be sure to come back tomorrow for a (not-so) Surprise Giveaway!

Good Night Book Lions!

Alyssa’s Reviews – Week of Reviews: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Alyssa Cohen7 Comments

Hi everyone!

Today, I’m going to be posting my book review on Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins.

Synopsis (via GoodReads):

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris–until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all…including a serious girlfriend.
But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

Review:

THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING. PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I’VE READ THIS YEAR. SERIOUSLY.

After I read this book, I had a huge grin on my face and was so happy. I gave it to my Mom to read once I was done, and she loved it as well.

I don’t know how people can not love this story.

The characters are amazing. Except Dave, oh how I hated Dave.

The setting was wonderful. PARIS PARIS PARIS PARIS.
While I was reading this book, it almost seemed like I was getting a miniature tour guide of Paris.

Overall:

I just loved this book and gave it 5/5 stars, I would gave it 10/5 stars if I could, it was just THAT GOOD.

That’s it for today’s review! I hope you guys liked it!

Good Night Book Lions!

Alyssa’s Reviews – Week of Review: Zoo Orchestra by Manuel Diaz (ARC)

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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!

Alyssa’s Reviews – Week of Reviews: Real Justice: Sentenced To Life at Seventeen: The Story of David Milgaard by Cynthia F.

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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!

Alyssa’s Reviews – Week of Reviews: Growing Up by Kira Vermond

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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!