Monday, July 24, 2017

Movies Reviewed on Review This Reviews!

Movies Reviewed on Review This Reviews!
I love watching a good movie. Clearly, the other contributors on Review This Reviews! also enjoy watching movies. While our preferences in movie genres range widely, we all have something in common. The contributors at Review This Reviews! want to recommend the movies we've seen and enjoyed. 

Granted, tastes in movies vary. What one person thinks is a remarkable movie, the next person may find it to be just "okay". But outside of these differences in preferences, you can count on our reviews to be genuine. I know I trust the opinions here to be honest and I've seen some movies that I hadn't otherwise planned to watch, based on the reviews found on this site. And not only enjoyed the movies, but have watched a few of them more than once.

Sylvestermouse Cynthia's review of The Jungle Book (2016) is a perfect example. I really hadn't made any effort to watch the movie as I had expected just one more "reheated" re-make of a previous movie. Yes, The Jungle Book is a classic book and movie, and frankly it is a re-make. But it was a wonderful movie that I have enjoyed immensely. I would not have seen it if it weren't for her review.

On the Review This Reviews! site, you can either click the movie reviews tab near the top of the page or you can click the site directory for the movie reviews.  By using the movie reviews tab, the movie reviews in their entirety will be shown - listed from most recently written review to the oldest. By using the site directory link, you will scroll down and locate the movie reviews category. In this list you will see the titles of the reviews. Either way is a quick and easy to locate movie reviews on this site. 

If you are a Pinterest person, you can see our movie reviews listed on our Pinterest Movie Reviews board.


No matter how you access our movie library, I am quite certain you will find something that entertains you; making you laugh, cry, or wonder. Happy movie watching to you - from the Review This Reviews! contributors.



Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Sunday, July 23, 2017

Understanding the Color Orange in Home Decor

Orange Home Décor Ideas & Accessories
Most love the color orange, however, think about it ... how many homes have you seen use the color orange in their decorating scheme?

Let's Review T
he Color Orange, and What it Evokes


The most misunderstood color in the paint deck is Orange.

When we think about orange what tends to come to mind is Food, Halloween, or Autumn. However the feeling that orange gives to a space may surprise you.

Orange, especially a child's room can encourage a warm, friendly, youthful, and socially inviting space. Don't hesitate to add orange accessories to the room, such as pillows, book shelves, a rug, drapes or go ahead and create a focal point and pop of color by painting one wall a bright and inviting orange hue.

Spaces and Ways to Include Orange

1. Since an outdoor space is meant to be socially inviting, cheerful and a positive space to gather,
orange makes an excellent choice when decorating a deck or patio.

2. If your room has a lot of light, adding orange can help to further brighten the room and even help to make the space seem larger. Pops of orange add positivity and energy.

3. Pair orange with a color on the opposite side of the spectrum such as a deep blue. Pairing these two colors together can lead you down the path of creating a Moroccan theme. By combining opposite colors you balance the space.

4. How about a tropical theme? If you're a brave decorator you can take an orange room to the beach by combining orange with hot pink and yellow. Since all of these colors are positioned close together on the color wheel, your space will have an analogous theme.

Try a couch in yellow, a loveseat with orange, yellow and pink stripes, and a solid dark pink chair! Lighten the space up with a pale multi colored small patterned floral rug and then go all out with one wall painted in deep orange. 

Characteristics Associated with Orange
  • Cheerful
  • Self Confident
  • Flamboyant 
  • Warm Hearted
  • Adventurous
  • Comical
  • Able to handle what life dishes out
  • Sociable
  • Enjoy being part of a group or team
For those who lived through the 1970's, you'll recall Orange being a popular color in home décor. My baby brothers room was decorated with orange and white furnishings and an orange shag rug! Cheerful, fun, inviting...yes, that was his space.

Orange is fun, put your brave on and go for it. 



Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Saturday, July 22, 2017

Fishy Tales Book Review

Fishy Tales - a DK Reader for Pre-School Age


Fishy Tales book cover
Fishy Tales on Amazon

This is part of the DK Readers series, which includes 4 levels for you to choose from to match your child's reading ability.  The levels include:

  • Pre-Level 1 - Learning to Read - These books include simple sentences to introduce and reinforce vocabulary.
  • Level 1 - Beginning to Read - Books which have short and simple stories to engage interest.
  • Level 2 – Beginning to Read Alone - Books with longer stories to develop fluency and understanding.
  • Level 3 – Reading Alone - These include more complex stories to build confidence in reading. 

Fishy Tales & Friends




Fishy Tales Book and crocheted 'friends' (stuffed animals)

Fishy Tales is a DK Reader in the Pre-Level 1, for children ages 4-6.  The Fishy Tales story takes a journey in the deep blue sea where we see fish swim through through a coral reef.  There is also a starfish on the sandy ocean floor and a jellyfish floating up and down in the waves, plus pages about the sea turtle, Sea horses, jellyfish, sharks, octopuses, crabs, eels, rays and dolphins.

There are 12 different sea-life creatures shown in two-page spreads with color pictures and simple one sentence descriptions.  Each sea animal has words that describe different parts of the animal. 


TURTLE


For instance, the turtle page says:
Turtles – The turtles play in the ocean. 

The words Shell and Flipper are labels which point to those matching parts on the turtle. 

Plush tortoise reading about turtles in Fishy Tales
Terrance Turtle reading Fishy Tales

A handmade plush tortoise from my Etsy Toybox loves reading about the sea turtle who lives in the deep blue sea. This plush turtle is named Terrance (Terry for short) and he is hand-crocheted. 



A handmade in crochet turtle
 He has  a tan body with a sage green shell. His head, legs and tail are done in yellow. His eyes are embroidered. He's soft and cuddly and ready to be hugged by a child who loves turtles.



Crabs & Clams

 

Plush clam toy reading about ocean clams in the book Fishy Tales

My Etsy Shop currently has several toy clams, like this little yellow yarn clam in her clamshell.  They are fascinated by the ocean crabs who can hide in the coral and in big shells. She can imagine how  much fun it would be to be 'real' and live by the seashore like the crabs in this story. 

Handmade plush clam
Plush Clam in Clam Shell - Etsy
This two-piece set includes a bright yellow clam with black safety eyes and filled with soft polyfil. The 'clam' measures 3 inches across. She comes with her own 'clamshell' crocheted in brown and tan. Clamshell measures nearly 4 inches across.

Yellow clam loves the sandy beach, but she'd be just as happy living in a child's toy box or reading books with a child.  She could also be a friendly plushie sitting on your desk.




Fishies


Plush toy tropical fish reading Fishy Tales

Colorful fishies swim everywhere through the Coral reef and elsewhere in the ocean. This plush toy tropical fish pretends he could join them when he reads about them in the book. 



tropical fish plush toy
Plush Toy Tropical Fish

The Tropical fish in my Etsy Shop is handmade in the Amigurumi style of crochet. Fish has two back fins, two side fins, one top fin and one bottom fin -- all crocheted in royal blue yarn. He is stuffed with non-allergenic polyfil and measures 12 inches long from nose to the top of back fins and about 4 inches across the body. Fish is 6" tall from bottom fin to top fin.



Octopus

 

Plush toy octopus find the page about the octopus in the storybook Fishy Tales to be their favorite

The many toy octopuses in my Etsy Shop find the page about the octopus in the storybook Fishy Tales to be their favorite, of course. Two of these plush yarn octopuses are busy reading about the octopuses who live in the sea.

Dolphin

 

Plush toy dolphin reading the dolphin page in Fishy Tales

My favorite page in Fishy Tales is the one about the dolphin, as there are multiple dolphins in plush in my Etsy crochet toybox.  And, since I live near the ocean, I also get to see real dolphins swimming and leaping in the sea close to my nearest beach.



Bottlenose Dolphin in crochet
Plush Toy Crochet Bottlenose Dolphin
Come meet my replicas of a plush, stuffed toy version of a bottlenose dolphin, a favorite sea animal.

My current dolphins measures about 14 inches long and 9 inches across the side fins. They are about 3.5 inches high (6 inches at the dorsal fin). The eyes are craft safety eyes.

Summary

 

A page in the book Fishy Tales

Any child would enjoy reading all about these marvelous sea creatures shown here in Fishy Tales. And we hope you have enjoyed the featured crochet plush sea animals who have also enjoyed reading about the real-life sea animals which were their creators' inspiration in crochet.


  • For more DK Reader books for pre-school and older children, visit their website at DK.com.

Quick Links
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*Children's book review of Fishy Tales by Wednesday-Elf



Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Friday, July 21, 2017

The Inheritance Movie Review

The Inheritance Movie Review

The Inheritance by Louisa May Alcott


While searching for a Sunday afternoon movie to watch, I was immediately drawn to The Inheritance for several reasons.  First, it is based on the novel written by Louisa May Alcott.  Second, like the book Little Women, the setting is during the Victorian Era which was actually Alcott's contemporary time.  And, last but not least, because Meredith Baxter stars in the movie and she is one of my favorite leading ladies. 

The hairstyles, the clothes, the home decor, all appeal to me.   From the very beginning, I expected to like The Inheritance and I was not disappointed.  For 90 minutes I was transported to New England in the 1800's and the world of haut monde


Plot of the Movie, The Inheritance


As a companion to a beautiful, wealthy young woman, Edith is caught between the world of a servant and the the lifestyle of the wealthy. 

 The InheritanceIn infancy, Edith was a survivor of an epidemic that swept Italy and the home of Mr. Hamilton's estranged brother who died from the illness.  Since Edith's mother, a maid in the brother's home, was also a victim of the epidemic, Edith was brought to Evenswood and raised alongside Hamilton's own daughter, Amy.  The girls are great friends, perhaps even as close a sisters.  Edith's days are spent reading, practicing archery, playing lawn tennis and chumming around with Amy.  Her clothes and hairstyle are more in line with society, but her status is that of a servant, except one with special privileges like playing the piano, riding the horses and partaking in family teas.  In fact, there are times when she is treated more like family than staff.

Early into the movie, a distant cousin to Mrs. Hamilton, is invited to visit.  Mrs. Hamilton has agreed to help Ida find a suitable husband.  As a matter of fact, Ida's visit coincides with a visit from a very eligible, wealthy gentleman, James Percy, who Mrs. Hamilton hopes will be enchanted by her cousin, Ida.  In her mind, it is all a neat and easy arrangement.  However, James is more enchanted by Edith, and Ida is a nasty, spiteful woman who takes an instant dislike to Edith.

As the title of the book and movie would imply, there is definitely an unexpected turn of events in the plot.  The resolution of the story is quite satisfying in spite of the temporary tension felt during portions of the movie.

Now I want to read the book!  I am certain it would be even more intriguing than the movie since Louisa May Alcott never disappoints readers.  Plus, I know it will be more detailed and in depth.  

One note of interest, the movie takes place in New England, yet in the book, the setting is England.  In the movie, Lord and Lady Hamilton of the book, are Mr. & Mrs. Hamilton.  Either way, the movie was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon.  I can highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys an old fashioned romantic historical movie.







The Inheritance Movie Review Written by:
House of Sylvestermouse





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Thursday, July 20, 2017

Reviewing Cozy Mysteries and Favorite Women Sleuths

Like cozy mysteries starring smart, female sleuths? You'll find ten series' starters in this compilation for just 99 cents!
This summer, I've found myself with a good bit of reading time on my hands. My favorite genre is mystery and right now I'm particularly attracted to easy-to-read cozy mystery stories (defined here by ReviewThisReviews' own BuckHawk) especially when the main character is a smart, likable, female.

Fortunately there are plenty of books in the Kindle store that meet the definition, so I never need to worry about running out of material to read.

Recently, I came across a package deal of 10 full-length novels called Sleuthing Women. Each book is a first-in-series cozy murder mystery featuring an amateur, female crime-solver, and written by a best-selling author. What a great way for cozy mystery-lovers to get to know a new author's style and try a series without spending a fortune on books they may or may not like.

Oh, did I fail to mention the price? You can buy the set of 10 cozy mystery Kindle books for a total of just 99 cents!

Last night I finished reading the third book in the Sleuthing Women set and, Bingo!, I found a winner! While the first two novels were okay, the third one was particularly appealing to me. I really enjoyed the story as well as the characters and can't wait to start the next book in the series.

The book that won me over is Skeleton in a Dead Space by Judy Alter, the first book in her Kelly O'Connell mystery series. The author has been writing for years, has multiple mystery series as well as historical novels and a few other gems in print, and is definitely worth checking out. I've already started book two in the series and I'm typing as fast as I can to finish this so I can get back to that.

While eventually I'll probably return to and read more of the 10 Sleuthing Women mysteries, for now my plan is to plow through Judy Alter's Kelly O'Connell series (I peeked ahead to some of the book descriptions and I like what I saw). You, on the other hand, might prefer to read all 10 Sleuthing Women books and then choose one of the authors (or several) to further explore. Because surely, if you like cozy mysteries starring smart, female, amateur sleuths, you'll find a few series' starters among these 10 that you'll want to read.

For less than a buck.

~Susan Deppner
Read more of my reviews.

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(Note: Prices are subject to change without notice.)



Posted by Susan Deppner

Susan Deppner

About the Author

Susan Deppner is a baby boomer, a cancer survivor, and a Southerner who believes in the Golden Rule. She enjoys writing about food, faith, and fitness; health, home, and holidays; people, places, pets, and patriotism, and more. Follow Susan on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


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