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Vegetarian Indian Food & Cooking: Explore the Very Best of Indian Vegetarian Cuisine with 150 Dishes from Around the Country, Shown Step by Step in More Than 950 Photographs
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This title helps you discover the fabulous wealth of India's aromatic and exciting meat-free...
Sam (74 KP) rated All That She Can See in Books
Mar 27, 2019
Cherry has a bakery. She knows exactly what people need and serves them something to cheer them up. What her customers don’t understand is that she bakes magic into everything to defeat their problems.
Cherry sees Meddlums – creatures that personify people’s problems. They are everywhere, following people around and never leaving them alone. That is until people go into her bakery, and Meddlums are stuck outside, slowly disappearing as Cherry solves everyone’s problems through food.
All That She Can See reminded me a lot of a Disney story, which isn’t surprising coming from Carrie. Lots of the reviews over on Goodreads slate this for being too Disney and pink and fluffy but I loved it. It makes a great change from the books I’ve been reading lately and it’s nice to read something that’s soft and an easy read.
It does have an abstract focus on mental health, showing how everyone has their own problems. It also raises the question of whether you can ever fully fix someone’s emotions. Cherry does everything to make people where she is happy, but in Plymouth, where this book is set, the happiness becomes too much and raises its own issues. It just goes to show that no matter what you do and how hard you work, people will always have their own issues.
I loved the way that Cherry sees bad feelings as monsters and Chase sees good ones as monsters. It shows their different personalities and how a generally happy person will easily see the bad things and a generally sad person will always see the good things happening to other people.
This is an absolutely brilliant read and I need a sequel!
Cherry sees Meddlums – creatures that personify people’s problems. They are everywhere, following people around and never leaving them alone. That is until people go into her bakery, and Meddlums are stuck outside, slowly disappearing as Cherry solves everyone’s problems through food.
All That She Can See reminded me a lot of a Disney story, which isn’t surprising coming from Carrie. Lots of the reviews over on Goodreads slate this for being too Disney and pink and fluffy but I loved it. It makes a great change from the books I’ve been reading lately and it’s nice to read something that’s soft and an easy read.
It does have an abstract focus on mental health, showing how everyone has their own problems. It also raises the question of whether you can ever fully fix someone’s emotions. Cherry does everything to make people where she is happy, but in Plymouth, where this book is set, the happiness becomes too much and raises its own issues. It just goes to show that no matter what you do and how hard you work, people will always have their own issues.
I loved the way that Cherry sees bad feelings as monsters and Chase sees good ones as monsters. It shows their different personalities and how a generally happy person will easily see the bad things and a generally sad person will always see the good things happening to other people.
This is an absolutely brilliant read and I need a sequel!
Kristin (149 KP) rated 'Till the Last Petal Falls (Once Upon a Reality #1) in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
"Never settle for a fairytale."
During my Psychology classes in college, we discussed how various characters have psychological issues: popular cartoon characters, the cast of "Winnie the Pooh," and the vast majority of the Disney Princesses. Belle is no exception, and this book explores that idea beautifully, no pun intended.
Jolee answers a Craigslist ad which sounds too good to be true, and she finds herself in the mountains of Aspen, tutoring a shut-in with some very serious issues of his own. As time goes by, she learns for and more about this man, and most of it is not good. However, she sticks by him, hoping to "fix" him with her love.
Sound like a recipe for disaster?
I used to teach a rehabilitation class for men convicted of domestic violence, and this book definitely delves into that dynamic head-first. It's a real eye-opener into the lives of those involved in those situations, from both sides of the coin as well as an outsider's perspective. Comparing it to the story of "Beauty and the Beast" really adds a whole new layer to it, as most of us either grew up with that story/movie or fell in love with it because of our kids/grandkids/etc. It's a crazy thought, but the more you think about it, the more you realize Belle suffered from Stockholm syndrome as well as battered-woman syndrome, and that HEA Disney ending is not the one generally associated with those situations.
Bravo to the author for writing this cross-examination of a beloved children's story and shedding some light on this serious issue while also maintaining a gripping novel.
5 stars
"Never settle for a fairytale."
During my Psychology classes in college, we discussed how various characters have psychological issues: popular cartoon characters, the cast of "Winnie the Pooh," and the vast majority of the Disney Princesses. Belle is no exception, and this book explores that idea beautifully, no pun intended.
Jolee answers a Craigslist ad which sounds too good to be true, and she finds herself in the mountains of Aspen, tutoring a shut-in with some very serious issues of his own. As time goes by, she learns for and more about this man, and most of it is not good. However, she sticks by him, hoping to "fix" him with her love.
Sound like a recipe for disaster?
I used to teach a rehabilitation class for men convicted of domestic violence, and this book definitely delves into that dynamic head-first. It's a real eye-opener into the lives of those involved in those situations, from both sides of the coin as well as an outsider's perspective. Comparing it to the story of "Beauty and the Beast" really adds a whole new layer to it, as most of us either grew up with that story/movie or fell in love with it because of our kids/grandkids/etc. It's a crazy thought, but the more you think about it, the more you realize Belle suffered from Stockholm syndrome as well as battered-woman syndrome, and that HEA Disney ending is not the one generally associated with those situations.
Bravo to the author for writing this cross-examination of a beloved children's story and shedding some light on this serious issue while also maintaining a gripping novel.
5 stars
Sarah (7799 KP) rated Christopher Robin (2018) in Movies
Aug 22, 2018 (Updated Aug 22, 2018)
A wonderful piece of heartwarming nostalgia
I'd seen some of the not very positive reviews about this film so I hadn't been expecting much, but I cannot tell you how pleasantly surprised and happy I was watching this.
I was a Winnie the Pooh fan as a child but probably haven't seen much of it since, and this was a wonderful nostalgic trip back to my childhood. Right from the opening scene and any time Pooh and his friends were on screen, I couldn't wipe the silly warm grin off my face. The CGI on the characters is very well done and they look fantastic, and the voices too are just spot on (even those not voiced by Jim Cummings). The main problem with this film is that when Pooh and his friends aren't on screen it obvious and whilst it's never dull, you notice their huge absence.
I loved the inclusion of the drawings over parts of the title sequence, and I think the whole way they've briefed over Christopher Robin's life is done well. For once this is a film that shows us what we need to know, and nothing more. It's nice to watch something that isn't aiming for an over 2 hour runtime.
Mark Gatiss is suitably hammy as Robin's boss and Ewan McGregor is as good as he ever is. Hayley Atwell though is vastly underused. And yes this is a Disney film, so there is a small amount of sickly sweet schmaltz thrown in. But for once this is kept almost entirely to the end and isn't overbearing in the slightest, which is a refreshing change for Disney.
This is the most wonderful film I've seen at the cinema for quite some time. I can't remember the last time I smiled so much.
I was a Winnie the Pooh fan as a child but probably haven't seen much of it since, and this was a wonderful nostalgic trip back to my childhood. Right from the opening scene and any time Pooh and his friends were on screen, I couldn't wipe the silly warm grin off my face. The CGI on the characters is very well done and they look fantastic, and the voices too are just spot on (even those not voiced by Jim Cummings). The main problem with this film is that when Pooh and his friends aren't on screen it obvious and whilst it's never dull, you notice their huge absence.
I loved the inclusion of the drawings over parts of the title sequence, and I think the whole way they've briefed over Christopher Robin's life is done well. For once this is a film that shows us what we need to know, and nothing more. It's nice to watch something that isn't aiming for an over 2 hour runtime.
Mark Gatiss is suitably hammy as Robin's boss and Ewan McGregor is as good as he ever is. Hayley Atwell though is vastly underused. And yes this is a Disney film, so there is a small amount of sickly sweet schmaltz thrown in. But for once this is kept almost entirely to the end and isn't overbearing in the slightest, which is a refreshing change for Disney.
This is the most wonderful film I've seen at the cinema for quite some time. I can't remember the last time I smiled so much.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Dragon Pearl in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Disney-Hyperion in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</b></i>
<i>Dragon Pearl</i> by Yoon Ha Lee is the latest in Rick Riordan Presents, an imprint under Disney that “highlights cultures and mythologies from around the world,” selected by author Rick Riordan. An #ownvoices novel based on Korean mythology and folklore, Lee’s novel follows a fox spirit named Min who runs off on a space adventure to find her missing brother and instead finds the highly sought-after Dragon Pearl to save the Thousand Worlds.
I found myself struggling with <i>Dragon Pearl</i> at times. There are moments the novel slows from the pace of the action, which could potentially drag the reader’s attention away from Min’s journey. Min’s quest to find her brother is easy, but it is expected as the novel is aimed at a middle-grade audience.
Ignore the slowness and the ease of the journey, however, and the story is a magical ride through the Thousand Worlds. I loved seeing Min encountering obstacles and working her way around them while figuring out her own magic. Most importantly, I enjoyed seeing how valuable her relationships are, both with her brother and with the developing friendships with the other cadets.
Fans of Rick Riordan’s novels who enjoy a journey through space with touches of mythology will love going on an adventure of their own with Min through Yoon Ha Lee’s <i>Dragon Pearl</i>.
<a href="https://60secondsmag.com/dragon-pearl-review/">This review is originally posted on 60 Seconds Online Magazine</a>
<i>Dragon Pearl</i> by Yoon Ha Lee is the latest in Rick Riordan Presents, an imprint under Disney that “highlights cultures and mythologies from around the world,” selected by author Rick Riordan. An #ownvoices novel based on Korean mythology and folklore, Lee’s novel follows a fox spirit named Min who runs off on a space adventure to find her missing brother and instead finds the highly sought-after Dragon Pearl to save the Thousand Worlds.
I found myself struggling with <i>Dragon Pearl</i> at times. There are moments the novel slows from the pace of the action, which could potentially drag the reader’s attention away from Min’s journey. Min’s quest to find her brother is easy, but it is expected as the novel is aimed at a middle-grade audience.
Ignore the slowness and the ease of the journey, however, and the story is a magical ride through the Thousand Worlds. I loved seeing Min encountering obstacles and working her way around them while figuring out her own magic. Most importantly, I enjoyed seeing how valuable her relationships are, both with her brother and with the developing friendships with the other cadets.
Fans of Rick Riordan’s novels who enjoy a journey through space with touches of mythology will love going on an adventure of their own with Min through Yoon Ha Lee’s <i>Dragon Pearl</i>.
<a href="https://60secondsmag.com/dragon-pearl-review/">This review is originally posted on 60 Seconds Online Magazine</a>
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Dumbo (1941) in Movies
Nov 18, 2020
Great Story Despite is Flaws
A young circus elephant discovers that his worst attribute is actually his greatest gift. I’ve gotten slack on the Disney animated journey I’ve been traveling, but remembering Dumbo makes me want to dedicate my time once again to the daunting task of watching each and every single movie.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
You can’t help but love little innocent Dumbo, hated for something he can’t help. He’s the perfect hero you want to get behind. His story is one that stays in our hearts, aided by a solid group of supporting characters.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 10
A story that’s teeming with originality, it’s hard not to get wrapped up in the story of Dumbo. From the moment the circus rolls into town, you expect something interesting to go down. Less than twenty minutes in, things go awry keeping you engaged in the story.
Memorability: 10
Is it the message? The colorful visuals? the creativity? There is something about Dumbo that holds you and makes you want to watch it repeatedly. It still holds up as one of the best animated films ever made.
Pace: 10
Plot: 9
I could’ve done without the elephants on parade in the drunk sequence and the crows were a bit of a sore spot, but the story is magnificent overall. Sometimes you have to overlook a couple things to recognize how good something truly is. Dumbo is a unique story you won’t find anywhere else.
Resolution: 10
Cute ending that ties the message up in a nice little bow. An inspiration for adults and kids alike. Great finale.
Overall: 99
Dumbo shows us that the thing that makes us different makes us special. It’s one of a thousand reasons we loving having Disney+ in our homes. Dumbo still holds up as an animated classic.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
You can’t help but love little innocent Dumbo, hated for something he can’t help. He’s the perfect hero you want to get behind. His story is one that stays in our hearts, aided by a solid group of supporting characters.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 10
A story that’s teeming with originality, it’s hard not to get wrapped up in the story of Dumbo. From the moment the circus rolls into town, you expect something interesting to go down. Less than twenty minutes in, things go awry keeping you engaged in the story.
Memorability: 10
Is it the message? The colorful visuals? the creativity? There is something about Dumbo that holds you and makes you want to watch it repeatedly. It still holds up as one of the best animated films ever made.
Pace: 10
Plot: 9
I could’ve done without the elephants on parade in the drunk sequence and the crows were a bit of a sore spot, but the story is magnificent overall. Sometimes you have to overlook a couple things to recognize how good something truly is. Dumbo is a unique story you won’t find anywhere else.
Resolution: 10
Cute ending that ties the message up in a nice little bow. An inspiration for adults and kids alike. Great finale.
Overall: 99
Dumbo shows us that the thing that makes us different makes us special. It’s one of a thousand reasons we loving having Disney+ in our homes. Dumbo still holds up as an animated classic.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Hocus Pocus (1993) in Movies
Oct 28, 2020
Halloween Classic (2 more)
Bette Middler
Sarah Jessica Parker
Witches In Town
This was the first time i ever saw "Hocus Pocus" and i thought it was great. A halloween classic. You have witches, trick or treating, candy, cat, and more. Its a classic.
The plot: After moving to Salem, Mass., teenager Max Dennison (Omri Katz) explores an abandoned house with his sister Dani (Thora Birch) and their new friend, Allison (Vinessa Shaw). After dismissing a story Allison tells as superstitious, Max accidentally frees a coven of evil witches (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy) who used to live in the house. Now, with the help of a magical cat, the kids must steal the witches' book of spells to stop them from becoming immortal.
It was not a critical or commercial success upon its release, possibly losing Disney around $16.5 million during its theatrical run. However, largely through annual airings on Disney Channel and Freeform (formerly ABC Family), Hocus Pocus has been rediscovered by audiences, resulting in a yearly spike in home video sales of the film every Halloween season that has helped make it a cult classic.
Various rewrites were made to the script to make the film more comedic and made two of its young protagonists into teenagers; however, production was stalled several times until 1992, when Bette Midler expressed interest in the script and the project immediately went forward.
Midler, who plays the central antagonist of the film (originally written for Cloris Leachman), is quoted as saying that Hocus Pocus "was the most fun I'd had in my career up to that point.
Leonardo DiCaprio was originally offered the lead role of Max, but declined it in order to pursue What's Eating Gilbert Grape.
Like i said before its a halloween classic.
The plot: After moving to Salem, Mass., teenager Max Dennison (Omri Katz) explores an abandoned house with his sister Dani (Thora Birch) and their new friend, Allison (Vinessa Shaw). After dismissing a story Allison tells as superstitious, Max accidentally frees a coven of evil witches (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy) who used to live in the house. Now, with the help of a magical cat, the kids must steal the witches' book of spells to stop them from becoming immortal.
It was not a critical or commercial success upon its release, possibly losing Disney around $16.5 million during its theatrical run. However, largely through annual airings on Disney Channel and Freeform (formerly ABC Family), Hocus Pocus has been rediscovered by audiences, resulting in a yearly spike in home video sales of the film every Halloween season that has helped make it a cult classic.
Various rewrites were made to the script to make the film more comedic and made two of its young protagonists into teenagers; however, production was stalled several times until 1992, when Bette Midler expressed interest in the script and the project immediately went forward.
Midler, who plays the central antagonist of the film (originally written for Cloris Leachman), is quoted as saying that Hocus Pocus "was the most fun I'd had in my career up to that point.
Leonardo DiCaprio was originally offered the lead role of Max, but declined it in order to pursue What's Eating Gilbert Grape.
Like i said before its a halloween classic.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The Little Mermaid (1989) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
There are just some things that probably shouldn't be seen again, and for me the Little Mermaid is one of them. Any Disney movie with singable song in is a win for me, and of course, throw in a singalong version and it's even better. It doesn't really change the fact that... perhaps... *hushed tones* this one isn't a particularly good film. I know. I'm sorry. But apart from the bits with the big three songs in, nothing overly exciting happens. And poor old Ursula's song really isn't that good either, and I love a good villain song.
By far the best bit about this whole event was the audience. There were 17 of us watching, including the Ariel from the lobby, three children, 1 father, with the rest exclusively women over the age of 25. But out of those it was the family of four in front of me that won the evening.
They were wonderful. Mum, dad, daughter of about three and baby. Never judge a book by it's cover, I honestly thought dad was there under duress... but no I'll get to that in a bit. Cue the trailers, and The Incredibles 2. Frozone comes on the screen and daughter goes "daddy he looks like you!" And yes, the similarity was uncanny. Daughter is laughing, mum is laughing, I'm laughing. Dad turns to her completely deadpan and says "it's not funny, we don't laugh about it." But we all did. The movie starts and daughter is humming the Disney tune as the logo comes up. It was one of the cutest things I've witnessed, until the film itself starts up. Dad is singing along with he rest of us, he's even reciting the words of the script to his daughter... with voices. People... that's family goals right there.
By far the best bit about this whole event was the audience. There were 17 of us watching, including the Ariel from the lobby, three children, 1 father, with the rest exclusively women over the age of 25. But out of those it was the family of four in front of me that won the evening.
They were wonderful. Mum, dad, daughter of about three and baby. Never judge a book by it's cover, I honestly thought dad was there under duress... but no I'll get to that in a bit. Cue the trailers, and The Incredibles 2. Frozone comes on the screen and daughter goes "daddy he looks like you!" And yes, the similarity was uncanny. Daughter is laughing, mum is laughing, I'm laughing. Dad turns to her completely deadpan and says "it's not funny, we don't laugh about it." But we all did. The movie starts and daughter is humming the Disney tune as the logo comes up. It was one of the cutest things I've witnessed, until the film itself starts up. Dad is singing along with he rest of us, he's even reciting the words of the script to his daughter... with voices. People... that's family goals right there.
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David McK (3540 KP) rated Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir in Books
Mar 21, 2019
Often cited as the best thing to come out of 'The Phantom Menace', the athletic Darth Maul has developed quite a bit of a fan following since his debut.
Which Lucasfilm (as was) and Disney/Marvel obviously recognised, with - in the expanded universe - Maul surviving his encounter with and bisection by Kenobi, even - SPOILER ALERT - cameoing in the recent Han Solo prequel movie.
This collection of stories, apparently (or so I've heard) is developed from unused Clone Wars scripts, which might explain how - I felt - it assumed familiarity with events that aren't covered/shown in the movies.
For me, that was a bit of a put-off: since I had no previous connection with most of the characters (apart from the obvious, like Maul himself or The Emperor or Sidious), it's kind of hard to care what happens to them!
Which Lucasfilm (as was) and Disney/Marvel obviously recognised, with - in the expanded universe - Maul surviving his encounter with and bisection by Kenobi, even - SPOILER ALERT - cameoing in the recent Han Solo prequel movie.
This collection of stories, apparently (or so I've heard) is developed from unused Clone Wars scripts, which might explain how - I felt - it assumed familiarity with events that aren't covered/shown in the movies.
For me, that was a bit of a put-off: since I had no previous connection with most of the characters (apart from the obvious, like Maul himself or The Emperor or Sidious), it's kind of hard to care what happens to them!