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antoniaj2514's review
3.0
Well, to the book's credit this is a page turner with some original ideas and lots of well-drawn characters. I was motivated to keep reading for sure, however the initial concept and the unfolding of the mystery are both incredibly farfetched and extremely contrived. Ends up as not so much a great crime novel as a transcript of the lame Murder Mystery night you stumbled through with your friends over Zoom during lockdown.
doku's review
3.0
Janice's book was certainly an interesting and clever take on the mystery genre. While the unique style of writing the entire book in email and messages was a bold choice, it ultimately hindered my enjoyment of the story. However, I have to commend Janice for taking a creative risk with her writing. The mystery itself was intriguing, and the clues were cleverly woven throughout the messages. Although I was able to correctly guess the perpetrator, I was still left guessing as to their motives. Overall, it was a thrilling read that kept me guessing until the very end.
dar_muzz's review
5.0
I was excited to get my hands on the new cookbook from my favourite vegan YouTube chef. It takes a lot to distinguish oneself in that crowded space.
The book is not a vegan primer. It skips the whole “why you should be vegan” intro, nutrition information, and pantry-stocking advice. If you need the basics, check out Oakley’s earlier book, Vegan 100.
The recipe selection leaves Buddha bowls, lentil soup and bean burritos in the dust. Instead, strongly-flavoured international cuisines are featured. If you ever wanted a sampler of Indian, Thai, Jamaican and Italian-styled vegan meals, this is it. Add in a smattering of veganized traditional UK fare such as toad-in-the-hole, a wellington and a toffee pudding! There is a nice mix of everyday foods, and meals sure to impress.
Categories included are breakfasts, soups, “light bites”, pasta, curries, “big plates,” “big bakes,” burgers, “vegetables, sides and salads,” and desserts. I liked how the recipes have tags like 15 Minute, One-Pot, and Batch Cooking.
Many of the recipes have long-ish lists of ingredients because they focus on “flavour pop” with complex blends of seasonings.
You are expected to have on hand chia, hemp and sesame seeds; nuts; non-dairy milks and creams; tofu; veggie margarine and mayo; garlic and ginger; lemons and limes; soy sauce and tomato puree - as expected for a vegan cookbook.
There were a few uncommon ingredients, but that varies depending on your experience and where you live. For example, I can’t get samphire or cavolo nero. I am sure there are readers who don’t know what gherkins or parsnips are! And there are a few pricey ingredients that are not essential to the recipes, like truffle oil and pine nuts. Two recipes have fake meat and for another two it is optional – out of 85 recipes.
Most of the items have sauces, glazes, coatings and/or garnishes. You will learn to make bechamel, salsa verde and sambal! For me, this is a real plus.
I was pleased to see that all measurements are given in cups, grams and ounces. Temperatures are provided in Celsius and Fahrenheit. And food names are "translated", like courgette/zucchini and aubergine/eggplant.
The printed book is a compact 8x10” (19x25 cm), on heavy matte paper, with thick boards and a sewn binding. Every recipe has been photographed in full colour, except the Slammin’ Slaw and the Coconut Cream – unless I missed them!
Although the recipes aren’t difficult, a beginner might want to develop a repertoire of basics before attempting most of these. It will take time to build up your arsenal of spices and seasonings so you can tackle them. I am going to start growing herbs pronto! Any recipe you try will have a wow factor. Perfect for the intermediate cook with a little more cash and confidence.
The book is not a vegan primer. It skips the whole “why you should be vegan” intro, nutrition information, and pantry-stocking advice. If you need the basics, check out Oakley’s earlier book, Vegan 100.
The recipe selection leaves Buddha bowls, lentil soup and bean burritos in the dust. Instead, strongly-flavoured international cuisines are featured. If you ever wanted a sampler of Indian, Thai, Jamaican and Italian-styled vegan meals, this is it. Add in a smattering of veganized traditional UK fare such as toad-in-the-hole, a wellington and a toffee pudding! There is a nice mix of everyday foods, and meals sure to impress.
Categories included are breakfasts, soups, “light bites”, pasta, curries, “big plates,” “big bakes,” burgers, “vegetables, sides and salads,” and desserts. I liked how the recipes have tags like 15 Minute, One-Pot, and Batch Cooking.
Many of the recipes have long-ish lists of ingredients because they focus on “flavour pop” with complex blends of seasonings.
You are expected to have on hand chia, hemp and sesame seeds; nuts; non-dairy milks and creams; tofu; veggie margarine and mayo; garlic and ginger; lemons and limes; soy sauce and tomato puree - as expected for a vegan cookbook.
There were a few uncommon ingredients, but that varies depending on your experience and where you live. For example, I can’t get samphire or cavolo nero. I am sure there are readers who don’t know what gherkins or parsnips are! And there are a few pricey ingredients that are not essential to the recipes, like truffle oil and pine nuts. Two recipes have fake meat and for another two it is optional – out of 85 recipes.
Most of the items have sauces, glazes, coatings and/or garnishes. You will learn to make bechamel, salsa verde and sambal! For me, this is a real plus.
I was pleased to see that all measurements are given in cups, grams and ounces. Temperatures are provided in Celsius and Fahrenheit. And food names are "translated", like courgette/zucchini and aubergine/eggplant.
The printed book is a compact 8x10” (19x25 cm), on heavy matte paper, with thick boards and a sewn binding. Every recipe has been photographed in full colour, except the Slammin’ Slaw and the Coconut Cream – unless I missed them!
Although the recipes aren’t difficult, a beginner might want to develop a repertoire of basics before attempting most of these. It will take time to build up your arsenal of spices and seasonings so you can tackle them. I am going to start growing herbs pronto! Any recipe you try will have a wow factor. Perfect for the intermediate cook with a little more cash and confidence.
biblioniche's review
4.0
This is honestly one of the best books I've read this year. A perfect gothic fantasy.
In a way, it wasn't at all what I was expecting and all the twists and turns in the book were quite pleasant.
Miren's story was fascinating enough and I loved how strong and smart she was (thank god for that; I was thoroughly sick of reading female leads that lack basic sense *sigh*)
While this wasn't a plot-driven book, and admittedly, it took a couple of chapters to get into the story but once it kicked in, it kept me hooked til the end.
I absolutely loved the folkloric tales scattered throughout the book. I did however expect a bit more magic and such, but I understand that the way the world was constructed inhibited the common folk from mingling with the other folk, hence the lack of it.
Also, there was little to no romance in this book but that, in no way, affected how thoroughly I enjoyed this tale.
In a way, it wasn't at all what I was expecting and all the twists and turns in the book were quite pleasant.
Miren's story was fascinating enough and I loved how strong and smart she was (thank god for that; I was thoroughly sick of reading female leads that lack basic sense *sigh*)
While this wasn't a plot-driven book, and admittedly, it took a couple of chapters to get into the story but once it kicked in, it kept me hooked til the end.
I absolutely loved the folkloric tales scattered throughout the book. I did however expect a bit more magic and such, but I understand that the way the world was constructed inhibited the common folk from mingling with the other folk, hence the lack of it.
Also, there was little to no romance in this book but that, in no way, affected how thoroughly I enjoyed this tale.
colettieb's review
3.0
This book was really good! Thought it did a better job with history and analysis than with policy prescriptions (those were super vague), despite the claim in the first chapter that ‘this is a book to be used’. Still, would recommend to anyone, rural or suburban or urban or town dwelling because it helps explain the forces that shape our surroundings.
maxines_obsessions's review
2.0
I donѓ??t really have anything positive to say except for itѓ??s a quick read.
jsootin's review
1.0
I really tried. This was chosen by my book club host. I made it 37% and couldn’t take any more. The author lost me at “her milky tits.”
mrjonathan's review
4.0
Beautifully conveys the all-consuming intensity of first love. However, I struggled to believe in Elio as a teenager. He was too worldly, too self-assured, and too cultured for me to buy as a character. Don’t get me wrong, I ate it up, but it felt like a reimagining of what we all wish we were like at 17, rather than the truth.
In addition, there were some scenes that seemed bent on upping the ante of emotional intensity for the sake of shocking the reader (such as the peach scene or the toilet scene.) These bordered on camp.
Yet these flaws don’t get in the way of the emotional resonance of the whole. The relationship is fully mined for every gut-punching facet of love and loss, and it is near impossible to read this book without thinking of your own first experience of the heart.
In addition, there were some scenes that seemed bent on upping the ante of emotional intensity for the sake of shocking the reader (such as the peach scene or the toilet scene.) These bordered on camp.
Yet these flaws don’t get in the way of the emotional resonance of the whole. The relationship is fully mined for every gut-punching facet of love and loss, and it is near impossible to read this book without thinking of your own first experience of the heart.