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Karim Ainouz recommended Arabian Nights (1974) in Movies (curated)
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Eat Pray Love: One Woman's Search for Everything in Books
Nov 18, 2019
Pretentious and selfish
I really wanted to like this book. It sounded like it'd have a lot of motivational thinking and empowerment for single women, but in fact it just turned out terribly pretentious and was basically just one woman's selfish and rather self centred journey.
This book is split into 3 parts: Italy (Eat), India (Pray) and Indonesia (Love). I fairly enjoyed the first part in Italy, as all Liz does is eat the entire time she's there and who doesn't love Italian food? And it also featured a lot of decent and moving thinking and a lot of this related to how I've been feeling over the past year, so I really clicked with this
However it's India and Indonesia that I have major issues with. Firstly I'm not a religious or spiritual person at all, it's just not for me although I have no issues with people that do believe, that's your choice. My problem is that the second and third parts of this book virtually shove religion and spirituality down your throat. And not in a hesitant good way, more in a preaching condescending way that irritates like hell very quickly. I quickly started to skim read these chapters as I couldn't deal with Liz's pretentious ramblings. This entire book is full of her selfish ideas and notions, and at the end I didnt find this in the slightest bit motivational and I didn't feel like Liz learned much either despite her proclamations otherwise. I really didn't find Liz an endearing or lovable person, despite the fact that everyone she encounters in her story appears to (which is debatable).
Maybe I went into this book expecting the wrong things, but aside from the first third and the odd thought or sentence throughout the book that made me think "that's so true!", I really didnt enjoy this at all.
This book is split into 3 parts: Italy (Eat), India (Pray) and Indonesia (Love). I fairly enjoyed the first part in Italy, as all Liz does is eat the entire time she's there and who doesn't love Italian food? And it also featured a lot of decent and moving thinking and a lot of this related to how I've been feeling over the past year, so I really clicked with this
However it's India and Indonesia that I have major issues with. Firstly I'm not a religious or spiritual person at all, it's just not for me although I have no issues with people that do believe, that's your choice. My problem is that the second and third parts of this book virtually shove religion and spirituality down your throat. And not in a hesitant good way, more in a preaching condescending way that irritates like hell very quickly. I quickly started to skim read these chapters as I couldn't deal with Liz's pretentious ramblings. This entire book is full of her selfish ideas and notions, and at the end I didnt find this in the slightest bit motivational and I didn't feel like Liz learned much either despite her proclamations otherwise. I really didn't find Liz an endearing or lovable person, despite the fact that everyone she encounters in her story appears to (which is debatable).
Maybe I went into this book expecting the wrong things, but aside from the first third and the odd thought or sentence throughout the book that made me think "that's so true!", I really didnt enjoy this at all.
Ali A (78 KP) rated How to heal a gryphon in Books
Oct 3, 2022
Usually, when one turns thirteen, you take an oath to be a guaritrice and use your powers to heal humans. But Giada doesn’t feel drawn to that path, instead, she knows her calling is to heal vulnerable animals, even if that goes against the hundred years of her family’s tradition.
When a group of witches takes her brother, Rocco, down into the magical underground city of Malavita in an attempt to get something they want, Giada is the only one who can rescue him. With the help of her best friend, Alessia and her new familiar, Sinistro, Giada must do everything she can to save her brother, or risk losing him forever.
This book was a quick and engaging read for me - I didn’t want to put it down. I loved Giada and her spunk and love for animals. Giada was who she was and she wasn’t going to change for anybody. I especially enjoyed her love for herself and her body. She would talk about her chubby tummy and how much she loved having it.
I feel like this book is perfect for middle grade readers as Meg Cannistra creates this magical world set in Italy, but it’s not overly complicated. There are all kinds of magical animals and beasts mixed with potions and practices. Not everything is laid out right in front of you, and Giada lets you know stuff as it goes along, which I feel like works well for this story.
I could easily see this becoming a series as we follow Giada in her studies and beyond. Plus, I would be interested in seeing this magical world outside of Italy too.
Overall, this is a cute and wonderful middle grade fantasy novel that I can see readers of all ages enjoying.
*Thank you Inkyard Press and BookishFirst for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
When a group of witches takes her brother, Rocco, down into the magical underground city of Malavita in an attempt to get something they want, Giada is the only one who can rescue him. With the help of her best friend, Alessia and her new familiar, Sinistro, Giada must do everything she can to save her brother, or risk losing him forever.
This book was a quick and engaging read for me - I didn’t want to put it down. I loved Giada and her spunk and love for animals. Giada was who she was and she wasn’t going to change for anybody. I especially enjoyed her love for herself and her body. She would talk about her chubby tummy and how much she loved having it.
I feel like this book is perfect for middle grade readers as Meg Cannistra creates this magical world set in Italy, but it’s not overly complicated. There are all kinds of magical animals and beasts mixed with potions and practices. Not everything is laid out right in front of you, and Giada lets you know stuff as it goes along, which I feel like works well for this story.
I could easily see this becoming a series as we follow Giada in her studies and beyond. Plus, I would be interested in seeing this magical world outside of Italy too.
Overall, this is a cute and wonderful middle grade fantasy novel that I can see readers of all ages enjoying.
*Thank you Inkyard Press and BookishFirst for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Lindsay (1693 KP) rated More Than a Soldier in Books
Sep 7, 2017
NonFiction (1 more)
Story is told about Angelo DiMarco
More than a Soldier is a really good book about a soldier and his journey to survive. We meet Angelo first in a train car, with a few of his buddies and comrades. The story then goes back to when he signs up and what his family life is like. Will he make back to his battalion?
We get to follow Angelo and struggles through the military. We see how the Germans treat their prisoners and how rough life was behind enemy lines. The Germans are taking their prisoner through some extreme things.
The author did a wonderfully great job. With this being more of a Nonfiction book, It really told the story on each and every page. It was well written. Does the 1st Battalion survive or is Angelo the only survivor? You will want to read the book. You do get a somewhat of a tour of Italy.
We get to follow Angelo and struggles through the military. We see how the Germans treat their prisoners and how rough life was behind enemy lines. The Germans are taking their prisoner through some extreme things.
The author did a wonderfully great job. With this being more of a Nonfiction book, It really told the story on each and every page. It was well written. Does the 1st Battalion survive or is Angelo the only survivor? You will want to read the book. You do get a somewhat of a tour of Italy.
ClareR (5589 KP) rated The Pumilio Child in Books
Apr 6, 2018
Ya Ling is kidnapped from her well-off Chinese family and sold in to slavery in 15th century Italy. Mantegna, a Renaissance artist, buys her with money that he can't really afford to spend, and takes her home to a very disapproving wife and household.
Ya Ling is admirable calm and stoic through all of her trials and tribulations, and eventually work as a respected healer, as her family taught her back in China.
The author really makes you feel for the characters in her novel - pity and later pride for Ya Ling, and hatred for some of the less virtuous male characters. It's a book that reflects the times very well: men, and men in the church especially, hold all the cards. Women are held in very low esteem. And women who are in any way different from the accepted norms are in danger of the ecclesiastical courts.
I read this on 'The Pigeonhole', a social reading platform, and really enjoyed the whole experience.
Ya Ling is admirable calm and stoic through all of her trials and tribulations, and eventually work as a respected healer, as her family taught her back in China.
The author really makes you feel for the characters in her novel - pity and later pride for Ya Ling, and hatred for some of the less virtuous male characters. It's a book that reflects the times very well: men, and men in the church especially, hold all the cards. Women are held in very low esteem. And women who are in any way different from the accepted norms are in danger of the ecclesiastical courts.
I read this on 'The Pigeonhole', a social reading platform, and really enjoyed the whole experience.
Awix (3310 KP) rated For Your Eyes Only (1981) in Movies
May 10, 2019
First of the 80s Bonds takes a step back from the camp excesses of the previous couple of entries and tries for a more Connery-esque, down to earth style; the results are impressive if perhaps a little too bland for this to really qualify as a Great Bond Movie.
Roger Moore's search for a missing component of a missile defence system (it's a Maguffin) takes him all around the Med and up into Italy; highlights include various inventive chases and other set pieces - everyone seems to be trying hard to do something original, which is nice. Also includes a scene where Bond rebuffs a hot young blonde who turns up in his bed, possibly the most out-of-character moment in the entire series. The lack of a really memorable villain also counts against it, but this is still possibly the best of the Moore Bonds, and the best of the decade.
Roger Moore's search for a missing component of a missile defence system (it's a Maguffin) takes him all around the Med and up into Italy; highlights include various inventive chases and other set pieces - everyone seems to be trying hard to do something original, which is nice. Also includes a scene where Bond rebuffs a hot young blonde who turns up in his bed, possibly the most out-of-character moment in the entire series. The lack of a really memorable villain also counts against it, but this is still possibly the best of the Moore Bonds, and the best of the decade.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2084 KP) rated The Tuscan Child in Books
Mar 16, 2018
Can Joanna Solve the Mystery of Her Father’s Past?
When Hugo Langley dies, his daughter Joanna finds a letter in his possession addressed to someone named Sofia in Italy. It references “our beautiful boy.” Joanna knows her father was shot down in the Tuscany region during World War II, but does this letter mean she has a half-brother? Intrigued, Joanna sets out to learn about that time in her father’s life. What will she learn?
This book switches back and forth from Hugo’s story in 1944 and Joanna’s journey in 1973. The chapters are clearly labeled, so it is never hard to follow which time period we are in. While this is not a traditional mystery by any means, we do learn what happened back then and how it plays out in the more “modern” setting. This book is just as much about Joanna’s growth, and she lead a cast of very strong characters I quickly fell in love with as I read.
This book switches back and forth from Hugo’s story in 1944 and Joanna’s journey in 1973. The chapters are clearly labeled, so it is never hard to follow which time period we are in. While this is not a traditional mystery by any means, we do learn what happened back then and how it plays out in the more “modern” setting. This book is just as much about Joanna’s growth, and she lead a cast of very strong characters I quickly fell in love with as I read.
Aasiyah Sidat (34 KP) rated Lady Chatterley's Lover in Books
Jul 5, 2018
So I chose Lady Chatterley's Lover by Mr D.H Lawrence. Lady Chatterley's lover was a book created by Lawrence created in 1928. He had the book published privately in Italy and France but boy did he kick up a fuss. The book was subsequently banned in the UK, Australia, Canada, the US and India. There were outcries of the lewd nature of the book, the frank talk about sex and intimacy and extra-marital affairs. In 1960, a trial was held in the UK and the book was released from its ban.
While reading this, I tried to understand why this book was considered so obscene. I mean we have 50 shades of grey which didn't have any fingers pointed at it and that book discusses more unique sex forms. This book discussed pure 'vanilla' sex between a man and a woman. So what was the issue?
Continue reading my review at: https://www.readsandrecipes.co.uk/2017/04/read-harder-banned-book.html
While reading this, I tried to understand why this book was considered so obscene. I mean we have 50 shades of grey which didn't have any fingers pointed at it and that book discusses more unique sex forms. This book discussed pure 'vanilla' sex between a man and a woman. So what was the issue?
Continue reading my review at: https://www.readsandrecipes.co.uk/2017/04/read-harder-banned-book.html
Merissa (11731 KP) rated Tigana in Books
Dec 17, 2018
Another stunner of a book by GGK although this one is a stand alone book and is based loosely on Italy in the 11th and 12th centuries.
In so many ways similar to The Fionavar Tapestry series but so different too. A brief synopsis is that there has been a major battle between 2 wizards in which one of the wizard's sons dies. In revenge the wizard removes the name "Tigana" from the memories and vocabularies of its inhabitants so that eventually the name will die, just like his son did.
This story is so intricate and involved and it is not a clear black/white, good/evil book which is what makes it such a superb read. Everything about is well written, from the villains to the locations to the history that you are given.
This book is bittersweet and poignant and I'll leave it to you to see if there is a happy ending.
Certainly classed as a classic by me and a firm favourite.
In so many ways similar to The Fionavar Tapestry series but so different too. A brief synopsis is that there has been a major battle between 2 wizards in which one of the wizard's sons dies. In revenge the wizard removes the name "Tigana" from the memories and vocabularies of its inhabitants so that eventually the name will die, just like his son did.
This story is so intricate and involved and it is not a clear black/white, good/evil book which is what makes it such a superb read. Everything about is well written, from the villains to the locations to the history that you are given.
This book is bittersweet and poignant and I'll leave it to you to see if there is a happy ending.
Certainly classed as a classic by me and a firm favourite.
Veronica Pena (690 KP) rated Under the Tuscan Sun (2003) in Movies
Apr 22, 2020
I don't know why people don't like this film - I LOVED it. I'm a sucker for romance stories and I love Italy so much. I love the idea of Frances just being on this quest to put herself back together and finding ways to do that and still believing in all the good things in life. I love Sandra Oh and that Kate Walsh even had a roll. I love even more than they played lovers and then went on to do Grey's where they obviously were nemeses because of Christina's loyalty to Meredith.
I loved this film. I want to be Frances. I wanted to be Pawel, I wanted to be Chiara, and somehow I wanted to be Katherine too. You find something to love about every character and you end up finishing the film with a little piece of your heart with each of them.
I think this film just moved up on my favorites list and I'm not mad about it. Not one bit.
I loved this film. I want to be Frances. I wanted to be Pawel, I wanted to be Chiara, and somehow I wanted to be Katherine too. You find something to love about every character and you end up finishing the film with a little piece of your heart with each of them.
I think this film just moved up on my favorites list and I'm not mad about it. Not one bit.